Potter's Hand

I like to write an end of the year post, summing up the year gone by, especially if I am inspired.  Thinking back over the songs from church today I thought that using one of them to help me sum up my year would be a good idea.  We sang many of my favorites today, but "Potter's Hand" is the one I decided to use.

2010 was a good, solid year.  In the summer/fall of 2009 in knew that my incoming second grade class was going to be a challenge.  In October 2009, I broke down and prayed for something I've always been afraid to ask for... patience.  (They say that if you pray for patience, God will give you circumstances where you will have to practice patience.  I was already smack dab in the middle of those circumstances, so I had faith it would all work out!)

God answered those prayers.  I was able to deal with my class with patience and love.  They taught me lots about God, not even knowing that they did.  I hope I did the same for them.  The winter and spring of 2010 was a time of strengthening.  I knew God put me here for a purpose and I knew I was doing what he wanted done.

In April, I lost my hearing in my left ear.  What I thought was seasonal allergies, turned out to be sudden deafness.  Losing my hearing was scary, but the questions that came along with it were scary too - the main question being, "What if I pray for God to heal me and he doesn't?"

I went to one of our ministers to discuss the matter.  I told him I didn't know if I should pray for it to come back or not. I told him that maybe God had something else for me, involving the hearing loss. He asked if I wanted my hearing back and of course I said yes. He told me to pray for it.  Of course that's when I needed to know, "What if?"
That's when he reminded me of the story about the three in the firey furnace.
Daniel 3:17" If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 BUT EVEN IF HE DOES NOT, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

That was my answer.  God will give me back my hearing, BUT IF NOT, he will still be my God.  He will give me what I need to serve Him.

That's my 2010.  I feel stronger and so grateful to God for all that he has given me.  My hearing has not returned, but God has showed me the strength He can give.  I did not throw my hands up and say, "I can't do my job."  "I can't go out in public because I misunderstand people or can't hear with background noise."  I returned for the 2010 school year and have made appropriate adaptations for my hearing loss.  I have continued to live, hopefully with the zeal and spiritual fervor mentioned in Romans 12:11.

Here are the words to "Potter's Hand."  I hope you can see how this song applies to my 2010 and how it applies to your life as well.
 
Beautiful Lord, Wonderful savior
I know for sure all of my days are held in your hands
Crafted into your perfect plans

You gently called me into your presence
Guiding me by Your Holy Spirit
Teach me dear Lord to live all of my life
Through your eyes

I'm captured by your holy calling
Set me apart. I know you're drawing me to yourself
lead me, Lord. I pray

Oh Take me, mold me, use me, fill me
I give my life to the potter's hand

Oh Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me
I give my life to the potter's hand



New Way of Doing Resolutions

This year I think I am going to try something a bit different with my New Year's Resolution. I think goals are very important to accomplish things in life, but this year I'm not sure of a big resolution to make. Sure I could say, "eat better, declutter the house, and exercise" but would I do it? Probably not.

Here's how I am going to set up my New Year's Resolution this year. Each month, I will make 2 mini-resolutions or goals. That way, I will have 30 days to accomplish them. At the end of the month, I can decide if I even liked the goal. If I did, I can keep it for the next month. Maybe I've worked it into a routine and don't even need to make it a goal for the next month. Or maybe it just really didn't fit into my lifestyle and I can chuck it altogether.

That's 24 goals or accomplishments for the year of 2010! I like that idea, over having a resolution that may never be completed. (Of course, I did accomplish my 2008 resolution. That's was awesome!) But wait! I want to give myself a way to not have to be absolutely "perfect." I've decided that I want to complete this resolution with 83% accuracy. This means 2 things... 1. I only need to complete 20 out of 24 goals and 2. If I mess up, I don't have to quit the whole thing because I "messed up."

Many mini-goals have been rumbling through my head, from decluttering a specific room or area to completing a chosen devotional. Not knowing what my goals will be each month makes it even more exciting... who knows what I'll accomplish in 2010! Stay tuned for January's mini-goals. I think I know what they'll be!

Happy 2008!

I've been looking through some other blogs today and noticed that most of them have posted Happy New Year posts, so I guess I'll go along with that. Their blogs speak of making resolutions or not making resolutions or making anti-resolutions.

I think I'll start with a reflection of 2007. It was okay. We went through some tough times this year, but nothing ultimately terrible. I'm not sure that people around me would say that I was laid back, but that's definately how I feel I handled life this past year. Maybe a little bit too much, if you saw the condition of my house. I tried to accept the fact that I have little control over my life and trusting God will get me to where I'm supposed to be. And for this moment, I'm supposed to be here, dealing with and/or accepting things as they are.

So, I wasn't going to make any resolutions, but as I was typing this, I was thinking of years that I have made resolutions. I wrote them down and I actually did pretty good with them. Writing them down is an important aspect of making resolutions/goals. A couple months back, I made a goal to write at least four times a week on my blog. Well, that hasn't exactly happened, but I haven't given up on it either.

I am going to go back to a goal that I had for many years of my life and I've fallen away from it - I want to read the Bible everyday. I'll admit that I just squeezed it in today. A couple minutes before midnight, I read Ecclesiates 3. I think a passage that is just right for New Year's Day.

Another goal I have for the year is to get rid some of the clutter in our house. I need to make some sort of plan or I'll never get this done. One idea I have to accomplish this goal is to have a yard sale or two in the spring. Everything I don't sell, will go elsewhere. It has to be that way. I just need the strength to do it.

That's quite a bit to think of for the moment, but I do like the idea that a goal can be set at anytime. I can make changes in my life whenever I feel they're beneficial. An example of that from the past year is that we are now eating more meals at the table (even when it's cluttered!) After years of having hubby on third shift, eating at the table was never something we did. It was also never a habit I learned in my childhood. I think this is an extremely positive change.

2008 - here we go!