I wrote this letter for our church bulletin a few weeks ago. It’s to add to the “letters of love” series..I’ll post one that James wrote too in week or so, too 🙂 I’ll let it speak for itself but it‘s just a little reflection of my thoughts on the new year! oh yeah..and just picture everything that should be capitalized..capitalized (it’s my lowercase problem!). muah!
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Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years…to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. -Deuteronomy 8:2
On my own, I’m not a very reflective person. Oh, and my memory—don’t even go there! I’ve learned to reflect (for my own sake..and others!), but I am much more drawn to barrel forward towards “what needs to happen, where are we going, and what I need to do.” If I am reflective in any way, I’ll focus on what was hard, difficult, where I missed the mark; that part comes easy! However with every year that passes, I try and train myself to be thoughtful about the year before; learning to peer over my shoulder and back towards the little rabbit trail I’ve left, studying where I’ve weaved, wavered, tromped, triumphed.
This year I deemed that rabbit trail “2012 in review,” and it came in the form of a blog post. 2012 presented some really personally challenging moments for me, and within our family. I wasn’t actually that excited about thinking over our last year—which, by the way—why had I decided to recap it in a blog post, anyhow?? As I looked back, I could only see trials, places I was overwhelmed and my own disappointments. Honestly now, who really wants to recap that?
Then, as I started my draft by compiling and editing our many pictures and writing captions, I realized that 2012 looked very different than it had in my memory. Even the most disappointing moments seemed to fade as I poured over and over the many memories and images of the wonderful things that had happened! Not just things we’d “done,” but the many ways the Lord weaved Himself through it all—in grace, in provision, in joy and in immense care. The places where I was at my wits’ end or just stuck in the same old rut again, He wasn’t absent!
I can relate to the Israelites did after those forty years of wandering—bypassing the major provision and care God showed, forgetting the fact that He didn’t forsake them, or overlooking that God’s discipline originated in His ever loving Father heart. It makes so much sense to me why—over and over again—they sang long songs about who God was to them and every little thing that He did to deliver them…because we so quickly forget!
So with every click and scroll of that post, I saw where my clothes and coverings had not worn out. I saw where He had led me in what seemed like an endless wilderness. My heart swelled with desire to put my hope in Him once again for this new year and each new day and to continually trust Him. And He beckoned me to look at 2013 with great confidence and unwavering hope, lifting my voice—often—to sing of the great things He’s accomplished.
So, with that, I can truly say, “Happy New Year” to you 🙂
Love Casey
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