New Year

After the presents are finally unwrapped.  

After the food has been prepared, presented, and devoured. 
After the house limps its way back to normal under the few remaining presents and scraps of paper and tape and some boxes and stuff that needs to find new homes. 
When you've shopped the day-after sales and were mildly disappointed that all you found were exactly two rolls of paper for next year (must. replenish. pink. paper. for. the. girls.) 
When you've hugged necks of family far and near and the house is quiet once again. 

Then you look at the new year square in the eyes and wonder what it holds in store for you.  

Maybe this new year holds something exciting in store for you.  

A new job, a new baby, a new home, a new relationship, a new marriage. 

Maybe this will be YOUR year--the year that everything finally works for you.  Maybe this year holds the keys to your future.  Maybe this will be the year that everything finally works together and you repair what was broken. 

Maybe this new year is your breath of fresh air.  

Or, maybe this year will be the year that the wind is knocked right out of your lungs.  Maybe this year holds the diagnosis, the loss of a loved one, the end of a relationship, the end of a job opportunity.  Maybe this is the year you will look back and want to erase.  

Maybe this will be the year that all hell breaks loose. 

Sometimes it can be very scary looking at the unknown.  Wondering if you will choose the best and right things.  I often concern myself with the "what ifs" and can make myself sick with worry.  I know in my deepest heart that I cannot control the future.  I know that I can only take each situation as it comes.  And I know that worrying will not add one more minute to my life.  

I know all of these answers and can recite them to anyone else who needs them at a moment's notice. 

But for me? 

I'm working on convincing my head that they are true for all of us.  

Including myself. 

I don't know what my future holds.  I don't know which paths my family will take this year.  I have no idea what's going to happen this afternoon, let alone this spring.  I don't know if we will all be standing around together this time next year.  Life has a funny way of happening every single day.  

But, I do know Who holds my future.  And I do know that He is in control.  And I do know that it's a lot easier if I let Him hold on to my plans and my future rather than hastily working on them with my worried mind.  

I think about some upcoming things my family will face this year.  I already know some bills that will need to be paid.  I already know some challenges we will face.  I also know to expect the unexpected. 

However, instead of filling my mind with worry and uncertainty and fears, I'm planning to repeat the promises I readily believe for others and start believing them to be true for myself.  

Matthew 6:34: Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (The Message)

reposted from the archives