Arise and Shine in 2009!

Well, I said I was going to take a vacation from blogging. I didn't actually think I would take such a long vacation. Today Tom headed back to work. The kids and I are getting the house back in order. I'm taking the tree down - boo hoo! Anna Gracen and I want to leave it up longer but the time has come to bid ado until next year when I take it out of the box again. I'll also work on lesson plans - gearing up to start school on Monday. Speaking of starting things on Monday - that's when the diet/exercise plan starts back up. I took a break from that over the holidays also. Luckily no major gains but there are goals yet to be met.

That's what I've decided to do - set goals instead of making resolutions. I know - "What's the difference?" When I hear "New Year's resolution" I immediately think of how resolutions are broken. You hear people joke all the time about not keeping their resolutions. I'm setting goals - some are lofty - some just take discipline. "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."

People come up with cute little sayings about the new year. One that came to me was "Arise and Shine in 2009". I read "Dear Abby" yesterday and she starts her column with "Dear Readers: Rise and shine, everyone!"

Isaiah 60:1-3
"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."

"Abby" also included the following prayer of St. Francis in the column:

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life."

May we seek Jesus daily. May we truly realize what it is to be His. To be loved by Him. May we love others as He loves us. May we seek deeper revelation of Him - not to prove others wrong, but to prove Jesus.

Happy New Year!!!