A NEW YEAR

The New Year, a new decade, slipped in quietly at our house. Everyone was weary from all the festivities of the week and we had to be at the airport early this morning to send off our little prairie family, so the 'magic hour' was sealed with a goodnight kiss as we drifted into slumber land. Only too quickly dawn was heralded by the soft hooting of an owl.

This morning the snow was falling, leaving a clean, pristine landscape. In the quiet lull after a very full week, over a cup of coffee we talked briefly of the year ahead, tossing a few dreams around but not filling in the blank calendar.

" Time is what prevents everything from happening at once."

John Archibald Wheeler.

This is a good thought to remember when life gets too busy, or even frantic at times. (Sort of like the snow storm in the brambles of this bush.) It's good to dream about the year's plans but we need to anticipate each day with the ordinary routine, or in contrast, the surprises or disappointments that will come.

I had a flashback to my childhood and the joy of receiving an autograph book for Christmas in 1958, over five decades ago! I rummaged through a keepsake box to find this little book that as a ten year old I had collected little verses from family and friends.

The unmarked snow and gateway fit with the three pages in this little book that were penned with the following verse. Over five decades to look back on and trust that my life has left good marks. And where I failed I know that forgiveness was always available through the cleansing blood of Jesus.

Just last night I was thinking of the following verses from Proverbs, how they have been my life verses, and here they were, in this little worn autograph book, penned by my parents as encouragement for my spiritual journey.

This is our family - the people in whom I will invest the most love, time, and energy in this year of uncharted pathways. I want my life to count for Jesus as I trust God's faithfulness for another year.

YOUR FAITHFULNESS

Brian Doerksen

" I don't know what this day will bring
Will it be disappointing, filled with longed for things?
I don't know what tomorrow holds
Still I know I can trust Your faithfulness

I don't know if these clouds mean rain
If they do, will they pour down blessing or pain?
I don't know what the future holds
Still I know I can trust Your faithfulness

Certain as the rivers reach the sea
Certain as the sunrise in the east
I can rest in your faithfulness
Surer than a mother's tender love
Surer than the stars still shine above
I can rest in your faithfulness

I don't know how or when I'll die
Will it be a thief, or will I have a chance to say goodbye?
No, I don't know how much time is left
But in the end, I will know your faithfulness

When darkness overwhelms my soul
When thoughts and storms of doubt
Still I trust You are always faithful, always faithful

Certain as the rivers reach the sea
Certain as the sunrise in the east
I can rest in your faithfulness
Surer than a mother's tender love
Surer than the stars still shine above
I can rest in your faithfulness

I don't know what this day will bring
Will it be disappointing, filled with longed for things?
I don't know what tomorrow holds
Still I know I can trust Your faithfulness"