Fresh

In years gone by when my siblings and I would finish our homework by one o'clock and spend our afternoons entertaining ourselves in the backyard or watching reruns of our favorite TV shows, the concept of busy was practically foreign.  Perhaps in the midst of some game or activity would we have claimed to be "too busy" to load the dishwasher or set our beds, but certainly that wasn't legitimate "busy-ness."  As a rule, our lives, as those of most American children, were carefree.  Even in the later elementary school grades, "busyness" was a mere acquaintance to me.  This acquaintance however is cunning, catching up to you when you least expect, subsequently becoming a rather unwelcome house-guest...who just will not leave. 

Jam-packed, with more than a little chaos, this past year has most definitely been busy. 

This new year, however, is fresh.  Time to pluck the deadheads.  Make way for new blooms!  As much as I wish it were easy to create new habits - be it organizational endeavors, creative aspirations, or the effort to spend more purposeful time with the Lord - the fact is that change is hard.  I recently read a book entitled Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard.  I won't spoil it for you in case you'd like to read it for yourself, but this quote is particularly encouraging when true, lasting change seems distant: "Big changes can start with very small steps.  Small changes tend to snowball.  But this is not the same as saying that change is easy."  

Although not all change is good, more often than not, our lives truly need some sort of transformation, and however small, genuine effort is required.  A sunflower won't grow if a seed is never planted.  A sunflower won't grow if the seed is never watered or the ground surrounding it is never weeded.  And a sunflower won't grow if the tending is only for a season...if the tender suddenly stops caring.   

So...all that roaming back and forth and back and forth across the page is simply to express my hope that this year will be different other than its final digit.  Rejuvenating my tired, old blog is just one item on my long list.  Regardless of whether I post every day, several times a month, or once every two years, I hope that you will come back and visit!

The important thing to remember, however, is that ultimate change is brought about by our Creator. 

"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." ~ Corrie Ten Boom

Here's to a wondrous - and surprising - 2015! :)