dual personalities

Tag: New Years resolutions

Postcards from the new year

by chuckofish

Well, here we go in a new year! We have reflected on the last year and look forward with hope to the new one. In church we are starting a new sermon series on the book of Joshua. It startes bluntly with God saying in verse two, Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.

He tells Joshua four times in the next few verses to be strong and courageous. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.

Those are good verses to start the new year with!

Daughter #1 and I had a good time with the prairie girls and their new brother, who is “a perfect boy,” according to them.

The boy seems to be handling all the attention quite well.

He is the bigger than a Bitty Baby already!

We had a second Christmas and celebrated the new year. We watched the rain-soaked Rose Bowl Parade (or “Pie-yaid” as Ida says). We saw the Clydesdales–always heartwarming for this old St. Louisan.

The twins and their parents made it back from Florida and they came over with their dad on Sunday to help me take down my big Christmas tree. I still have a lot to do, but they were a big help.

Today I am beginning a new Bible reading plan, I have read through the Bible twice and the New Testament 5x5x5 plan twice in the last four years. This year daughter #1 devised a plan to read through all of Psalms and Proverbs in 52 weeks, so I am following that plan. The boy is starting the Robert Murray M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan, which is how I started back in 2022. Here is a list of many different plans. There are lots of good ones out there. As New Year’s resolutions go, reading the Bible every day is an excellent place to start!

This is good (old) advice for a new year. “Instead of relying on your willpower, strength, and planning this year, humble yourself before the throne of grace. You’ll find all you need, even if you don’t get everything you want.”

And, of course, If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

(Romans 12:18)

“High apple pie, in the sky hopes”*

by chuckofish

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Last year on New Years Day I had no idea what was coming. We never do. But I posted this meme and I still believe it.

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I am making no resolutions this year. I am not going to read through the Bible or give up wine. But I will endeavor to continue to trust God and to love Him.

High hopes indeed.

As for my weekend, I plan to put my house in order after taking down the Christmas decorations. This is always a big job, but I already got the big tree down on New Years Day. It seems like I just got everything up!

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“Write it on your heart
that every day is the best day in the year.
He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day
who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.

Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in.
Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day;
begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit
to be cumbered with your old nonsense.

This new day is too dear,
with its hopes and invitations,
to waste a moment on the yesterdays.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Collected Poems and Translations 

*Sammy Cahn