2 Corinthians 5:17

I'm sitting on my couch right now enjoying the silence.  Caleb is at Papaw William's, the clothes in the washer are waiting to be put in the dryer, and Wallace is at ball practice.  There is still a lot to be done, but I just finished a book and put my feet up.

I'm really ruminating the scripture I read this morning. 2 Corinthians 5:17, here from The Message: "Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. "

Anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start... isn't that wonderful?  As I'm sitting here thinking about new vs. old, I've been reflecting on how this year has gone.  It's been a busy one.  It's been a hard one, full of new challenges and new insights and let's face it... sometimes new is hard. We get used to our comfort zone.  We grow complacent, but being complacent is easy... because you don't have to change.  And change is hard.  Why else doesn't anyone keep all those New Year's Resolutions?

I don't think it is a coincedence that we get New Years after the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  See, that month is so full of hustle and bustle and running and buying and eating and partying and shopping and... just doing... that we need renewal.  The New Year is an opportunity for a clean slate.  It's one of my favorite times, to pull out my journal on January 1 and make my list.  And, no, I'm not perfect, and yes, I've not met many resolutions from last year at all.  Which makes me think that maybe they aren't necessarily resolutions, but just goals that I'm shooting for... but that's a whole other topic for this blog for a later date.

I'm already thinking about next year.  Even though the Bible warns us not to do that, as humans we can't help but be preoccupied with the past, and the future.  So as I'm sitting here, I'm thinking again that next year is going to be better.  I'm going to be a better Mom and wife and teacher and friend and daughter and sister and Christian and students... I'm thinking of how I'll do all those things...

But, the good news is we don't have to wait until next year.  We're told that his mercies are new EVERY morning... whether it is January 1 or March 14 or May 21 or July 4 or November 21.  Every morning, we are given the opportunity to open our eyes, and before we ever get out of bed, say, "Today, I can make it whatever I want to be." 

As I've been concentrating on thankfulness this month, I have found a peace... yes, I'm still argumentative and just this morning Wallace got on my nerves so bad I wanted to scream... but in my thankfulness, I can overlook those small indiscretions.  And this week, participating in the Good Morning Girls Intentional Week of Gratitude, I read that verse from 2 Corinthians, and then thought about being made new.  No, not perfect... but different.  Just how He wants me to be, when I step out of the way.  And me being made new,  yet still a work of progress... this process is where I get to become a better me.  Better in that I am centered on Christ, and He is in me, and His fruit is evident in me.  Being new... because we are settled in Christ.  Settled... Resolved.  Not.  Going.  Anywhere. 

New opportunities every morning... because His grace is sufficient.