We tried ringing in the new year with a bang last night.  Fireworks are part of our celebration at the house.  My youngest really enjoys seeing the bright ones that go high in the air with noise and lights.  I bought a few then waited until dark to begin the show.  Money is a limit so I got the most bang for the buck so to speak.  He was quite the happy kid once we got underway.  Nothing says the holidays like a backyard fireworks display.  Our new puppy did not quite see it that way.  She ran halfway out of the county at the very first explosion.  My guess is puppies and fireworks do not have the same relationship as my son does with them.  Ringing in the new year deserves some excitement along the way.

Now we begin our march into the heart of winter.  Weather may not play as large a role as it does in our Northern states but reality still sets in our life.  The holidays are behind us so now we are left with a few months before spring really gets underway.  Most of my true celebrating revolved around taking down the decorations in the house.  Most people can put their stuff away in a short amount of time.  Our house takes several hours of work to get it done.  Our current count is about ten buckets of varied sizes with a few more things left to be carted off.  I will admit to using some of my obsessive nature to get the closet organized to hold it all.  You need to know that there are other containers which hold decorations for other holidays or seasons.  Making it all fit calls for a degree in engineering sometimes.  Now the house looks almost drab compared to the last few weeks.  This is another mark of winter setting in for the duration.

2012 will begin to write its own story now.  Most of the news year is going to focus on electing a president.  Every small step of a candidate will be examined down to minute detail.  I don't think there would be any chance of me running in today's world even if it was feasible.  We also have the Olympics coming up this summer.  My son reminds me of this event almost every day.  He also tells me that the world will end during this next year.  I have my doubts but he saw the movie that spells it out.  The world actually does not end in the movie but we are going to have to find a way to China to get on the secret ships.  Anyway, the whole point of the paragraph is a reminder that finding our way in this new year needs to be more than what comes up in the news.

I usually make no resolutions for the new year.  Perhaps that is my one constant resolution?  Getting sick in 2010 made me even less likely to make big promises.  One learns how fleeting life can be so you approach stuff in smaller pieces.  Maybe this mindset does not work for everyone but it does for me.  Goals are important and do matter.  I probably should do a better job at setting them.  My one resolution can be to do better with goals.  Just be sure that each year will have its interruptions.  Never forget that these may also serve as divine opportunities.  Being sensitive to God will give you discernment each day.  Keep your focus more on God than your goals.  He may want to shape those targets into His design.  Be sure you let Him do just that.  Find that trust to grow in 2012 beyond your imagination.  This can honestly be the best year ever.  Allow God to have the first and the last word so you can be sure that whatever happens belongs to Him.

Bro. Trey