A New Chance Each Day

My dear friend, Lori, has the most amazing way of finding the silver lining in situations that turn out different than originally anticipated.  Her optimism speaks volumes about her beautiful soul and faith in God's sovereignty over our lives.  

Tonight is not the way we had planned, or hoped, to bring in 2011.  We have a fun tradition of spending time with friends, while eating fondue, reviewing the past year and making predictions for the next.  We have even been known to play Guitar Hero until the wee hours of morning.  We can be pretty wild.  

Instead, we are banished to our house with a nasty bug that has been hanging on for days.  Five days of fevers, coughs and exhaustion has taken a toll on all of us.  I made brownies instead of dinner -since no one wanted to eat anything.  At least I still have my priorities straight, even if they just sit in the pan longing to be eaten.  

The concept of starting new in a new year is always exciting and motivating.  Yet what gets me each year around this time is the opportunity that is given each day, each moment that we live, to start new.  God's promise of redemption and starting clean isn't just in this transition of hanging a new calendar on the wall.  I am in awe of this blessing on my family and need to remind myself that we don't need the perfect tradition to welcome January 1.  We can have the same feelings of excitement and motivation in every breath, in all that we do. 

It is our Christmas present from God that we get to open everyday.

It is our chance to start again. 

So what is our silver lining today?  
Time as a family.  Wearing pajamas all day.  Doing projects around the house. Snuggling with sick kiddos that don't want to be out of our arms......

We look forward to fondue that will be rescheduled, and are thankful for God's promise of new life as we bring in a new year - in a very quiet house.