A new year every day

Here we are, awaiting the end of 2010. I find it kind of amusing how much we look forward to a new start in the new year. Why is it that we have to wait for a particular day to start anew? God tells us that His mercies are new every morning (Lam 3:22, 23), so we aren't given the Word as an example. And yet, here we are...so many waiting to celebrate the passing of the old, and welcome the new.
I hesitate to bring this up, but I have been pondering Romans 5:20b lately which says " but where sin abounded, grace abounded much more." This might lead us to think that we should feel free to sin, that God's grace may be even more apparent. I have been practicing this a little the last couple of weeks. I have wholly given myself over to the gluttony of chocolate and sugar. Cookies, candy, M & M's a specialty, all the while thinking that I will become so sick of the taste and effect that giving them up will be so much simpler. Ah, the lies we believe! I find that my tolerance has increased, as well as my craving for such unhealthy fare. Much like tolerance to sin. The more we indulge, the higher our tolerance and insensitivity to the healthy and whole.
Which brings to mind Romans 6:1,2,15 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?"
I don't know about you, but I don't want to wait for a special day to declare myself dead to sin and alive to righteousness! Why wait when I am missing so many blessings from not choosing kingdom living? Chocolate: be gone! You are death to my body, and sin in my mind. I choose a new year, every day!

Adoration

There are many Christmas Carols sung each year. Some playful, some jolly, some telling tales of wishes and hopes, some poignant and sweet. For me, there is a progression:

An acknowledgment that I am not resting in what the Lord has to offer me each season: Peace. Peace with Him, Peace from Him, Peace to pass on to others





This is one, each year, that no matter what my day has held, my time obliterated, my unfeeling heart missed, will stir in me such depth of thankfulness and worship that I can but weep. It sets the stage in my heart for Christmas.




Which leads me to
ADORATION.




Happy Birthday, Jesus! Thank you for leaving heaven, to live here, in order to reconcile me to the Father and lead me home.

Bebo

On a day like this
I want to crawl beneath a rock
A million miles from the world
The commotion that never seems to stop

And on a day like this
I want to run from the routine
Run away from the daily grind
That can suck the life right out of me

I only know of one place I can run to…

CHORUS:
I want to hide in You
The way, the life, the truth
So I can disappear
And love is all there is to see
Coming out of me
And you become clear
As I disappear

I don't want to care about earthly things
Be caught up in all the lies
That trick my eyes
They say it's all about me

I'm so tired of it being about me

I would rather be cast away
Separated from the human race
If I don't bring you glory

Thanks, Bebo, for capturing my heart in words I couldn't express.