“If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The
old things have gone; everything is made new!” (2
Corinthians 5:17)
I cannot think of a more fitting verse to read and contemplate on New
Year’s Day than this. The past is truly
gone. This is a daily reality but more salient than usual on New Year’s
Day. Our desire, at times, is to relish
the past, if not an attempt to maintain a fully engaged embrace on the glories
of yesterday. Our reality, however, is that no matter how much we want to hold
on to the past, our lives move forward into a new beginning… each and every
day.
As I start this New Year, I have fond memories of this past year that
began with us living in Oregon but quickly transitioned into a sudden,
unplanned return-move to New Mexico in April and the death of Jennifer’s mother
in May. With the return to our life in NM complete with tenant-caused
reparations and reestablishing our chicken flock, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving
with all our family. We have also endured a severe downturn in business that has
put our company at risk. It seems that there
was a lot packaged into one year but it is my guess, everyone’s experience is
similar. The past is filled with events, planned and unplanned through which we
somehow managed to survive, endure and even thrive.
As we stood at the threshold of 2013 we had no idea what the future
would hold. We simply had to take it
day-by-day, experiencing each day and each event as it evolved. One thing is for certain, we are changed by
the experiences we faced in 2013.
Will 2014 be any different? I
expect not. We are, in fact, new
creations each day that our life unfolds.
The question is: Are we ready for the ride?
As I begin 2014, there are a few things I hope to do to be better
prepared for the unknown journey of each tomorrow. The purpose of these intentions is not to affect
the changes that will occur but rather be better prepared for the situations
that occur. Yes, it would be a good idea
to resolve to lose weight as there are at least 10 (20) extra pounds that do
not need to be carried around. And, if I
were to lose those pounds, then I’d probably be a better person for it.
These “intentions,” however, are not goal oriented. They are recognitions to the truth that in
Christ, every day is a new creation. It is by being “in Christ” regularly where
the new creation called Gary Sims will better fulfill God’s intentional plan
for his life. As I remain in Christ God
will provide all that I need in order to achieve the results He has in mind.
From previous experiences I have learned that for me to be in Christ, I
need to write. It is as though the lessons God has for me to learn come alive
on the written page. I hear them more
fully and I remember them more completely.
As a result, I live them more effectively. However, to write, I must also read. As I read scripture, words pop out to inspire
my writing. (An example of this is the
word “Whenever” in my Sheep and Goats article.)
In addition, as I read books and other blog postings, I learn how God is
using other writers to share his Word and his effect on their lives.
As we move together into 2014, I want you, the reader, to know how
much I appreciate your readership as I believe that it is through these
efforts, God reaches into the souls of those touched to open new insights and
wisdom. I also want to encourage you to
spend time of your own reading the books I’m sharing from my library and the
writings from the blogs I’ve listed. I
also hope that encouraging words authors from the past such as C.S. Lewis and
John Wesley will provide wisdom for your path in 2014.
What is the bottom line? (Can you tell I’m a CEO?)
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