2013 - time marches on

The changing of years is an artificial thing. It just happens to be the day on a calendar when we reflect the fact that our planet has a 365-day cycle. For the Chinese calendar, a new year starts around our February. The Hebrew calendar rolls over in September. In our culture, the new year begins a few hours from now. No matter when it is, it's a chance to reflect and to look forward. And so that's what we do.

2012 was quite a year. It contained all the challenges I wrote about a year ago, and then some.

Just a few highlights:

• I broke my leg near my ankle in early February, my first broken bone ever. That was interesting. 

• There were indeed big changes at my company. I got a new boss in the middle of the year, and our president retired in December and a new one took office.

• I took a Visiting Orphans team to Ethiopia and once again my heart was moved to continue reaching out to the children there. I made new friends as part of the trip, friends who now mean a whole bunch to me.

• My niece Haley graduated from Alabama.

• My very dear Aunt Odell passed on into the Lord's eternal care. 

• I read several books that expanded my vision of what God is doing in the world and what my role should be. 

• Countless experiences with family and friends, ranging from travel to just sitting around enjoying being together. Never underestimate the significance of these.

• I could go on and on (but I won't).

It's amazing how fast that went by. It really seems like only yesterday that I was in the Superdome watching the Crimson Tide win its 14th National Championship. And now that time is upon us again. Indeed, time does march on. So, as another year arrives, what do I want 2013 to look like?

First, I acknowledge that I have no clue what God holds in store. Any planning I do will be helpful, but there will also be many surprises. That said, here are a few things I want to focus on:

• I want to make sure that my focus is on relationships and not just accomplishing tasks. I want to grow in my closeness to God of course. But also I want to develop deeper relationships with my family and friends, focusing on things that matter.

• I want to pray more. I have become more and more aware that the real results in the building of God's kingdom will be accomplished by him. I am doing work that makes a difference, but neither I nor any other human (or collection of humans) can bring about his purposes in our own power. So I want to pray more.

• I want to successfully navigate the changes as my nephew and nieces progress into adulthood. I want to always be there for them, but in ways that are helpful to them and not for my own benefit.

• I want to continue to make a difference with the children of Ethiopia, and build awareness of their needs in my world. To that end, I am going back to Addis this summer. If you want to go with me, find out how in this link: Manis Team - June/July Ethiopia

• I want to be a leader at work, bringing about God's purposes through how I treat people and the quality of work I do.

That's a handful. No way I can do it on my own. So I go back to prayer. By me and for me. Thanks in advance.

2012 was a great year...here's hoping that 2013 will be even better. Regardless, there are only a few years to work in this lifetime. Let's make the most of this one.

2012 - Bring it on

New Years' Day is one holiday that I have never seen as a huge deal. I mean, it's fun because I grew up watching lots of college football that day. And my mom would make sure I ate blackeyed peas. And everyone would remind me that it was a time to look forward and make resolutions about what you would do better the next year.

But I pretty much saw that last point as artificial - it's just when the calendar changes, but we can work on changing our lives any day of the year, right? And most of us never follow through on our resolutions. But as 2011 ends and I look forward to the next year, I have come to realize that we need milestones to order our lives. They help us reflect not he things we need to remember and to refocus our priorities for the future. Yes, we can do that every day, but there's something about a milestone that increases our focus. With that in mind, here are some thought on this milestone.

_________________________

I don't think it was a coincidence that my Scripture reading this morning was Joshua 1.

In this passage, Joshua was ending a period of transition, and big things war about to unfold. He had followed his leader Moses around in the desert for 40 years; God had freed his people from slavery years ago and now they were ready to enter the land He had promised them. But Moses wasn't around to lead them anymore...so Joshua was going to have to do it. What a daunting task for such a young man! A young man who, judging by the number of times he had to be told to be "strong and courageous", was  conservative, non-assertive, and prone to  hesitation.

But God made promises to him. He promised that he would go before him, go with him, and give him success at the thing he was being asked to do. What did Joshua have to do? He had to be strong and courageous, study the Word, and be obedient.

So as enter 2012, I feel in a lot of ways like Joshua must have. In alot of ways, 2011 was a year of transition and preparation for me. The previous year had brought changes in my life, especially as God had used my niece Brooke to introduce me to a passion for the people of Ethiopia and for orphans. How was I to apply that? Also, multiple changes began to take place at work, as some great leaders neared the end of their careers and the company began to focus on what the future might look like under new leadership. And of course, there was the tragedy of the April tornadoes and how that brought the need to share God's love with hurting people so much closer to home than just Africa.

So, I stand at the cusp of 2012 feeling alot like Joshua. 2011 was somewhat like the time in the desert: learning to obey God while waiting for him to bring some things into focus.

• I went to Africa for the second time and worked alongside some wonderful young people from Pennsylvania. I feel that God used this confirm his calling for me to take a leadership role in taking some young people from a ministry called TheTransMission over this summer. (If you are a high school senior and interested in that opportunity, check out this link: TheTransMission to Africa 2012.)
• Several major retirements in our company have been announced and a vision for the future has been scoped out. I won't lie, this is, at the same time, kind of scary and exciting. Much like standing on the edge of Canaan and wondering, "Can I do this?" There will be change, and in the change will be lots of chances to be dependent on God.
• Among my nieces and nephews whom I love so much, at least two of them will be finishing education and moving into the "real world". Will God have a role for me in helping them make the transition? And how will my life change?

Yes, I can see that 2012 will be a year when great strength and courage will be required. I will need to stay connected to the Source. I will need to make hard decisions and be ready to withstand adversity. And I will need to stand up and be a leader so that Christ can be glorified at work, in Africa, among the young people he is preparing to go to Africa, and in my family.

Am I up to the challenge? No. Stinking. Way. Neither was Joshua. But the One who commanded him to go was. And he still is today.

2012 - Bring it on.