Author: Maria

We’re having a rather quiet New Year’s Eve around here. I’m not going to lie, part of me wants to go into town in Mobile to see the Moon Pie drop, but I’m content to stay home and watch football with my honey. A steak and ale pie and a little wine will do the trick for the night.

I was going to make some crack about being old and not wanting to go out on New Year’s Eve, and then I thought…maybe it’s not old so much as wise, and I admit, you need to go around the block a time or two to pick up this wisdom. Instead, we’re enjoying a special meal and great parking. In our garage.

So, I’m a year older, maybe a little bit wiser, and no worse for the wear. This has been a very good year for our family, in spite of so many references to 2016 being terrible. We’ve had terrible years, years that competed with Queen Elizabeth’s Annus Horribilis,  but I’m going to count this year as anno beneditionem, a year of blessing. We had graduations, employment for all, home purchases, moves, vacations, and weddings. It has truly been a year filled with joy.

The quiet, low-key evening has made me pensive as I swirl my wine and think about the year. I’ve been working on the habit of an examination of conscience in the evenings, and my mind wandered to an examination of the year. Why not? I’ve given up on resolutions that I’ll likely break, but I’m game on being a better person in all areas of my life, from health to spirituality.

Here’s what I thought about for the year ending, and the year beginning, based on the Ignation Examen:

1. How have I thought about God this year? Did I seek Him daily, not just on Sundays? What can I do to invite God’s into my days?
2. What am I grateful for this year? Can I name all the blessings I received? Can I be grateful for the challenges and disappointments, too? Plan to invite gratitude into every day.
3. What have my feelings said about me this year? What do they say about my relationship with the Lord? Was I loving? Patient? Angry? Aggressive? What areas need work? What does God say about those moments of frustration or joy? How can I use these feelings to start a conversation with Jesus?
4. Pray about the top events this year. Is the prayer intercessory or praise? Take more experiences to prayer.
5. Embrace tomorrow with hope. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide me. Include God as I plan my day. Remember God as I live my day.

Happy New Year, Friends!