Happy New Year

Happy New Year, friends!  I hope you all had a great New Year`s Eve.  We spent the night at home, cuddled up on the couch together.  We were supposed to have friends over to play games last night, but Art has somehow injured his knee and is in quite a lot of pain, so we decided to be losers and cancel on our friends (sorry, guys!) and just veg.  I think we were in bed by 11:30 pm.  Yes, this is what it`s come to...

Anyhow, as I look back over the past year, it has been good.  God has continued to be faithful to us in loving and providing for us (really, sometimes I am surprised by that, but it`s one of God`s attributes...faithfulness).  Although not everything, or anything, really, has looked how I thought it would, it`s good.  I am so thankful for my family and friends that God has put in our lives to walk alongside us, in front of us and behind us.

As I think about the new year, I can`t help but wonder, "Where will we be in this next year?"  Not literally where will we be (although Hawaii would be nice!), but what will we be facing and expecting and frustrated about and looking forward to and thankful for.... It`s amazing when you think about all that happens in a year...

As I was re-decorating my home last week, I put out my pomegranates.  I bought a these a few years ago as a visual reminder of one of the promises God has for me.  And I was reminded...I guess they`ve served their purpose well!  Anyhow, this is what I am asking God for, during the year of 2011:

"For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you." (Deut. 8:7-10)

I don`t know what it is about pomegranates, but something about them resonates within me.  When I see them in the store, I am reminded.  When I read about them, I remember.  I think maybe it`s the whole idea that God not only wants to provide for us what we need, but sometimes, he wants to give us abundance....extravagance, even.   That has been shown to me many times over the years, and I believe it.  So I am asking for a year of extravagance.  Extravagance in my giving, my loving, my ability to receive what God has for me...  What about you...what are you asking for?