The Irresistible Future

I found this beautiful quote by Oswald Chambers and thought it was appropriate for the new year, “Our yesterdays present irreparable things to us; it is true that we have lost opportunities which will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past sleep, but let it sleep on the bosom of Christ. Leave the Irreparable Past in His hands, and step out into the Irresistible Future with Him.”

Step out into the irresistible future with Him…what an amazing thought. When we know that our future is settled in Christ what do we have to fear? We can step out in complete confidence knowing that “He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

We can also let our past ‘sleep on the bosom of Christ’ and say with the Apostle Paul,  “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)

Let’s strive this year to leave the irreparable past in His hands and step out into the irresistible future with Him! 

I Want to Be Healthy

My “I Want to Be Healthy” journey has taken a bit of a downward spiral during the holidays, but I have great plans to leave that in the past and step out into health in 2013!  I hope you will join me!

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise Tip

“Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”Benjamin Franklin, from the 1735 edition of Poor Richard’s Almanack

Healthy Tip:  I saw Dr. William Sears on a TV program  recently and he gave some great tips on healthy eating using the 4 S’s:  1)  Salmon (wild-caught Alaskan – eat 2 – 3 times per week), 2) Salads, 3) Spices (such as cinnamon, cumin, turmeric), 4) Smoothies (the healthy kind full of delicious fruits and vegetables). In his book Prime-Time Health, Dr. Sears shares with adults and senior citizens how they can live healthy the second half of their lives. This is definitely a book that I’m going to read, and I really like the 4 S’s idea!

Wealthy Tip:  Try Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University this year and get out of debt in 2013!

Wise Tip:  “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 1:2

Do you have goals set for the new year? I would love for you to comment!

A Baby Changes Everything

My new grandson.

My daughter had a baby boy! The little fellow kept trying to come early and the doctor kept trying to keep him in a little longer…but on Sunday, December 9, he decided he was ready to make his grand entrance – a couple of weeks early! Rowan Knox Kirkpatrick was born at 4:04 pm – 7 lbs, 3 oz, 20 inches long with a dusting of blonde hair with just a tinge of red. He is beautiful! And I am one proud grandmother!

A baby changes everything, doesn’t it? Rowan’s big sister, Lucy, now has to share Mommy and Daddy.  She’s already discovering that she isn’t the center of the universe any more.  She moved out of the nursery into the spare bedroom, and her once girly room will soon become a room filled with trucks, cars, cowboys and superheroes. A baby changes everything.

When we arrived at the hospital shortly after Rowan’s birth (we didn’t have enough notice to get to the hospital in time for the birth), we were impatiently waiting for our daughter and grandson to come from labor and delivery to her room. There wasn’t much activity on the floor at first, but suddenly people went into action everywhere. Nurses and assistants started darting in and out of the room that was assigned to her, and we knew it wouldn’t be long until we saw our daughter, son-in-law and new grandson. Suddenly the elevator door opened and there was our daughter on a stretcher cradling our grandson with proud dad walking along side. I walked toward the stretcher and the nurse asked us to wait just a moment before we entered the room. I couldn’t wait to hold Rowan and to kiss my daughter, but I did manage to steal of glimpse of his sweet little face. A baby certainly changes everything – perspective, priorities and plans. A baby also creates a sense of urgency and expectancy.

I couldn’t help but think about another birth over 2000 years ago. I’m sure Mary and Joseph had a sense of urgency and expectancy, especially since their delivery room was an animal stable! There were no doting grandparents waiting for the first glimpse of their beautiful grandson. No sterile equipment or attending nurses or doctors to assure a safe delivery, no clean bed linens or pain-relieving drugs. Only a starry night sky, animals, angels, shepherds and the cry of a baby that pierced the stillness. God went into action that night – He became a man and forever everything was changed.

Yes, this baby certainly changed everything.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth.” John 1:14