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What are you doing to start a new year? I have two words that keep coming back to me, simplify and delight, as focus for this year. God has already begun to weave these words into my story this year.
Yesterday when Will woke up and looked out the window he said, "Mommy, look at the sunrise. It's beautiful." On our way to school this morning he said, "Tonight after dinner, let's go outside and look at the stars and see what shapes we can find." This is delight. I encourage you to find some time this week to delight in God's creation in nature, in people, and in the blessings of your life. I think the delight part will come to me in regular reminders from Will this year and will be one way to enjoy each day.
Simplify is one that will be more difficult for me. I am taking some time over the next month to attempt some daily practices that will simplify my surroundings and routines. Simplify for me means finding what's important and making that the priority for what I see around me and what I do with my time.
Weaving faith into your daily routine seamlessly can be challenging at times. Our faith in Jesus Christ is at the center of our lives, but sometimes finding a way for it to be "seamless" can be challenging.
One of the prayer practices that Traci Smith suggests in her book Seamless Faith, is a Photo Prayer. Set aside 5 minutes at the very beginning or the very end of your day. We have chosen to put all of the Christmas cards we received in a basket on our kitchen table. Each night at dinner, we pray for the one on top. You may choose to walk around your home and stop each time you pass a picture of one of the special people in your life. Take a moment to say a simple prayer for that person. This practice has brought about the delight in knowing more about who is in the pictures as Will asks questions and seamlessly integrating faith into our daily routine.
With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
-2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
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