New Year's Day Thoughts

This New Year starting today gives me the feeling of a clean slate, ready to be written on, with old scribblings carefully erased. I cannot know what the year 2007 will bring, and I really don't think I would want to know in advance. When I was younger, I wished the years away - to be old enough to go to school, to be in High School, to get my driver's license. I don't do that any more. They go way too fast as it is, and my life goals seem so much simpler now.

I've looked back on 2006, and in many ways, it was the worst year our family has ever experienced together. But we're still here, and the worst of those times have passed. Others struggled with far worse than we did this past year, so I pray that they, too, have a sense of renewed hope with a New Year dawning.

I don't make such elaborate long range plans any more, but rather, my time is spent taking one day at a time. This requires much more faith in God than my old way of writing to do lists and planning events far in advance. So, I'd say I've grown some spiritually in 2006. I pray that I continue to depend more on God than in my own waning strength in 2007 and years to come.