Thoughts on New Years

Ok, I know 2010 was soooooooo 2 days ago. But in true internal processor/procrastinator fashion, I've put off writing this post for a couple of days. Plus this saves me from getting sucked into a Jersey Shore marathon. OHMYGOSH I'm so embarrassed that I just has to type that. Sad, but true.

Did you have some NYE fun? Sara and I were invited to go to a party that we declined all week. Well, I declined and she secretly wanted to go but wouldn't dream of doing it alone. So I finally caved at about 6 pm on Friday night and thought maybe I was just being anti-social. We ran to Target to pick out an outfit (ps--casual in Atlanta = prom in most other cities--what's that about??) and went to the party around 11. I was ready to leave within the first 5 minutes, but we lasted until about 10 till and left. So we rang in the new year in Sara's car as we drove home. Not the most memorable, but at least we had fun together. I just hate feeling suckered into big parties like that where I know I'll be uncomfortable. It's not that I don't like celebrating New Years, but I just feel completely out of my element in a house packed with strangers who are all yelling to be heard. So there.

I posted yesterday that I had read some inspiring blogs on starting the new year/resolutions and now that I know how to properly link to them, I thought I'd share them with you. This is by Jamie and I really just loved this last paragraph. She's sitting in a Starbucks pondering the past year and the one to come and starts wondering about the people sitting around her:

I don't know the stories of all the people around me. I wish I did. I wish I could ask each and every person here about their past year and the year to come. But as I observe their lives coming and going on this winter morning in Atlanta, I find myself praying for them the same prayer I pray for myself and for you. That the heartaches of 2010 would be redeemed for the glory of God. That the chains of sin and brokenness from the past year would be exchanged for the freedom of Christ in the one to come. That the next year would be one of forward progress, a year with the hope of Christ as an anchor for the soul. And that however life may pivot anew in 2011, it will pivot toward the goodness and holiness of God.

"This is what the LORD says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters:
'Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?'"

Isaiah 43:16,18-19

This other clip is from a girl's blog names Marissa. I've started reading it occasionally since there is a link from Jamie's page, but I don't really know her. Shhhh--I know that is kind of stalker-ish. I mean, we've met before volunteering for Passion, but really only my wacky brain would remember that. Anyway, I love this manifesto she found and am thinking about buying it to put on my wall at work. Just some good reminders as I walk into a new season. It's short enough to just link the whole post. So click on her name to see.

As for resolutions....I can't say I have any definites. Sure, I have plenty of hopes and dreams for the upcoming year, but committing to a year long task surely sets me up for failure. I have a terrible habit of making decrees of change that will only last to the end of the week. Instead, I'm going to have a new discipline for each month of the year. Sara's doing it too, so we'll have some accountability. So January we're giving up sweets/desserts/candies/drinks/etc. Big step for me since I follow more of the Buddy the Elf diet (sugar, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup) than anything else. It'll be good to give my taste buds a break after the holidays though. I'm looking forward to it. Feel free to help keep me honest. :)

I think I have more to say towards this coming year, but know I've already stretched myself on post length (you and I both know I'm a talker) and I'm meeting some friends for dinner.

Instead, I'll leave you with this gem from 2003. Court and I had a couple of years of closing our eyes and then opening right before the shutter opened so we would look extra surprised. I'm sure glad we stopped that tradition!