The Sun Rises on 2014

As the sun rises on this 1st day of 2014, I'm reminded that today is a clean slate, a blank page, an opportunity to make it the best it can be.  2014 has a total of 365 blank pages.  

A new year has dawned.  I went out early this morning to capture the first sunrise of the year.  

While waiting for the sun to rise above the tree line, I walked around the parking lot, multiple times.  It took a little longer for the sun to rise above the tree line than I was expecting.  Got my exercise in for the day.

 I got a special treat that I wasn't expecting.

I felt like I was walking among the angels.

It was a brisk walk.  Though cold, it felt good.

I even had the opportunity to sit at the cross and just enjoy the quietness of the morning.

As every new year approaches I think about resolutions.  What things do I want to make a priority.  What needs changing.  What needs fixing.  The typical things top the list - Bible study, cherish those most dear to me, more encouraging, less critical, be a good friend, declutter, lose weight, save more, spend less, contentment, take my lunch to work everyday, cook more, be hospitable, etc...  And on and on the list goes.

My priority for 2014 is to make it the best it can be.  I've only got one shot at 2014.  Live healthy.  Love unconditionally.  Laugh much.  Not a single day will repeat itself but each day will be a new opportunity.

I've been thinking about what type of Bible study I want to do.  I want to reach the point that I crave that time to spend in studying the scripture.

I want to spend more time writing this year.  I enjoy writing.  I've got a couple writing projects I want to do.  As I was thinking about what to write about in this post I thought of lots of things and then I sit here at the laptop and can't remember them.  That must be an age thing.  Perhaps I need to keep a note pad so I can write them down when I think of them.

I decided to not focus on the number of the scale this year.  But instead focus on eating healthy and getting lots of exercise.  Can I avoid the scales?  As someone who in the past has stepped on the scale every single morning we shall see.  I did want a starting weight for the year this morning.  Now the battery has been dead in my bathroom scale for about a month.  So I've got a little jump start at not stepping on the scale every morning.  I went to put a battery in the scale, thinking it took AA batteries but no it was one of those little button batteries.  I realized it was the same size battery in something else I have so I took the battery out of it, put it in the scales, weighed myself and then took the battery out of the scale and put it back in the glucose monitor.  That should help avoid the scale if it's not working.  Maybe I'll just take it out of the bathroom altogether.

Jay gave me a My Life Story book.  It is going to take a long time to complete.  It isn't something that I want to rush through but instead contemplate each entry, mull it over, write and proof read each before actually putting it in the book.  I think it will be fun actually.  Some of them are not easy questions.  For example one of them is what characteristics both physical and relational are most like your mother.

I haven't written a lot on this blog for the last month.  Hopefully that will improve with the new year.

I love taking pictures and going back and looking at those pictures.  Bonnie gave me a book for Christmas about being a storyteller with pictures.  That is what I want to focus on.  I think I'm a better storyteller in writing than conversationally.  I don't stumble over my words in writing.  Well I do but I can go back and edit.  I can add to or take away in writing before the final copy.  And yes I do spend way to much time writing and editing each post.  But putting life's stories in writing is very important.

I hope to not worry so much about tomorrow that I miss the gifts of today.  He's got tomorrow in his hands so what am I worried about.

So 2014, look out because I'm ready to fill each day's clean slate.

My prayer for family and friends that each day will be filled with JOY.  In the good things may your joy be multiplied and your gratitude be gracious.  In the challenges may your joy be in knowing that God is in the challenge with you.  It is in those times that he walks beside you or carries you.