Happy New Year, café friends!
Have you begun to make plans for the 366 (Leap Year!) days ahead?
I am calling this the Year of Plenty.
I want to reflect on the providence of God this year.
Martin Luther explained it so well over 500 years ago, in the First Article of the Apostle's Creed:
"I believe that God has created me and all that exists.
He has given me and still preserves my body and soul with all their powers.
He provides me with food and clothing, home and family, daily work, l and all I need from day to day. God also protects me in time of danger and guards me from every evil.
All this he does out of fatherly and divine goodness and mercy, though I do not deserve it.
Therefore I surely ought to thank and praise and serve and obey him.
This is most certainly true."
I have plenty! Plenty of _______________.(fill in blank here) And I want to live this bountiful life with a generous spirit. I don't want to be sidetracked by consumerism. I want to appreciate what I have, use what I have, bless others with what I have.
I want to slow down.
Here are some ways that I see the Year of Plenty unfolding in the days ahead:
*Crafts! I have plenty! The other day, I did a tally of all the new stamps/dies/stencils/papers that have yet to be used in my craft room. I'm not going to share the number here because I am THAT ashamed of it. I will make a point of using all of that, and then some.
If Operation Patterned Paper taught me one thing, it was that I can use what I have if I put my mind to it! And I did just that, creating over 100 cards that I mailed out over Christmas!
Expect to see a lot of posts where I challenge myself to use the old instead of buying the shiny new product!
*Watercolors: I have plenty! And now I need to use them! I plan on taking some local classes for inspiration.
*Journaling: I have plenty! As a matter of fact, I have a lovely new planner AND a lovely new art journal. I hope to do weekly re-caps in my journal, with some hand drawn and maybe even stamped illustrations.
*Needle Art: I have plenty! I have SO many patterns and fabrics and threads and flosses. I recall buying a LOT of patterns from a store that was going out of business in Illinois. I can create for years and never run out! (And I should probably stay out of some of those stores if I know what's good for me!)
*Music: I have a dulcimer! Let's play it! I've had this dulcimer for nearly ten years, and I've played it off and on informally. But I finally found a local instructor, and I'm going to begin lessons this month. So excited to try something new!
*Clothes: I have plenty! I admit, I like clothes and shopping for new/used things and bargains. But right now, I have too many. I need to better cultivate my "style" and let go of things that no longer suit me. And I will use what I have.
Example: this holiday season, I pulled out a red wool beret that I've had for at least thirty years, and I've been wearing it a lot. I got so many compliments on that 30 yr old hat! Time to shuffle up the wardrobe and get clever. And I should probably unsubscribe from a lot of those companies and catalogs. Out of sight, out of mind.
*Books: I have plenty! And if I don't, I have many libraries nearby. I want to read more this year. I want to cut back on internet scrolling and online shopping. I want to slow down with a cup of tea or a home-brewed espresso and a good book.
That mug. Isn't it adorable? It was a gift from Sam's beloved this Christmas. She found out that I'm a big Austen fan from reading my blog. 😁 Thank you, Rhiannon! It's perfect!
Today, I will recycle all of those catalogs that have accumulated over the holidays. I will unsubscribe from a LOT of companies and clean up my email inbox. I will light a candle, make a cup of tea, and finish a book.
Thank, praise, serve and obey.
This is most certainly true!
Tell me: what are your plans for 2024?
The Year of Plenty....I could say the same thing and Praise God for His provision! In your paragraph where you say "I have plenty! Plenty of _______", my mind immediately went to the scene from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation where Eddie and his wife show up unexpectedly and Ellen says, "We have plenty! Plenty of towels....plenty of everything...." haha!
ReplyDeleteMy plans for 2024 are to continue to live for the day, asking God to order it so that I do what He wants me to do (that was a game-changer for me about a decade ago when dealing with anxiety over the future and what-ifs), to immerse myself in scrapbooking and cardmaking, and to send even more cards (although I did not send Christmas cards this year). I want to invite God into everything I do throughout the day! I do not set myself a word for the year but God surprised me by giving me one. Our pastor sent an email, talking about his word and immediately I heard God say, "Restraint" to me. Restraint in what I say (most important), restraint in what I think, in what I buy, etc. But can I have restraint with chocolate? Hmmm.....