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Thursday, January 03, 2008

"What’s your New Year’s resolution?"


Was your New Year’s resolution to stay young? Let me give you a few suggestions about how to do that. First, throw out all nonessential numbers like your age, weight and height. Let your doctor worry about them. That is why you pay him/her.

Second, laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. Third, surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

Fourth, cherish your health. If it’s good, preserve it. If it’s unstable, improve it. If it’s beyond what you can improve, get help.

Fifth, tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. And create a few opportunities every chance you get.

Sixth, measure your life not by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take away your breath.

And finally, make sure that you listen to life and make a life, not just a living.

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

"So what did you eat on New Year's Day?"


A lot of people have traditions that something which happens on New Year’s Day determines what the whole year will be like. For instance, some thought the first visitor of the new year would bring either good or bad luck. A dark-haired man was supposed to bring good luck. (So much for being bald, huh?)

There are more traditions about food than any other. You eat a certain food and it promises good luck through the new year. In Spain, people ate grapes. The Dutch believed eating doughnuts brought good fortune. Corned beef and cabbage are another lucky favorite, especially cabbage because the leaves symbolize prosperity. Rice is another lucky food. And in the southern U.S., black-eyed peas with ham are the New Year’s Day food of choice. The hog is considered lucky because it symbolizes prosperity.

So what did you eat on New Year’s Day? Who was the first person to visit you? Was it a dark-haired man?
Did you start the New Year by listening to life for what God had to say?

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

"Who visited you on Christmas Eve?"


My wife tells the story from her childhood of decorating the Christmas tree along with the rest of her family one Christmas Eve. All of a sudden, there comes a knock on the door. One of her five older sisters answers the door, and says, "Well, Santa Claus! Come on in! Are you here to see my little sister?"

Like she’s shot out of a cannon, my wife takes off running for her bedroom, scared to death that Santa Claus has come on Christmas Eve and she’s not ready for him. She’s not laid out his cookies and milk. She’s not said her bedtime prayers. And she’s not in bed, asleep. All of which means that she’s a bad girl and Santa’s not going to leave her a single present.

Like my wife was with Santa, sometimes we think we have to be perfect for God to give us any presents. And yet we know we can’t be perfect so we wind up running away from God.

There’s no need to run from God in this new year of 2008. God forgives and gifts you with everything you need to make a life. So run to God as you listen to life and make a life, not just a living in this your new year.

Monday, December 31, 2007

"How did you celebrate?"


Did you know that New Year’s Day is the oldest of all holidays, first observed in Babylon more than 4,000 years ago? It started with the first day of spring and lasted for eleven days. Can you imagine a New Year’s party lasting eleven days? And the Babylonians were the first to make New Year’s resolutions with the most popular being to return borrowed farm equipment.

The Romans observed the New Year in late March, but in order to synchronize the calendar with the sun, the Roman senate declared January 1 as the date to begin the new year. To do it right, Julius Caesar had to let the previous year last 445 days.

The Greeks were the first to use a baby to symbolize the New Year around 600 B.C. And the Germans added that New Year’s banner to the baby new year.

So what’s your history with New Year’s Day? What symbols do you use? How do you celebrate? Celebrate the New Year by listening to life and making a life, not just a living all year long.

Sunday, December 30, 2007

"What's your New Year's wish?"


I wish you a new year of ordinary miracles. Miracles like a fresh pot of coffee you didn’t make yourself. An unexpected phone call from an old friend. Green lights all the way to your workplace.

I wish you a new year of little things to rejoice in like the fastest line at the grocery store. A good sing-along song on the radio. Your keys right where you look.

I wish you a new year of happiness from a stranger’s smile and a child’s full-body hug and a puppy’s wet lick of your face.

I wish you a new year of little bite-size pieces of perfection like your favorite meal for supper and a great hair day and someone guesses your age ten years younger than you really are.

I wish you ordinary miracles, little things to rejoice in, a day of happiness, and bite-size pieces of perfection that give you the funny feeling that God is smiling on you, holding you so gently and guiding you through your day because you are someone special and unique. I wish you a new year of listening to life!