Laurel Wreath is hosting a new year's meditation event. Go here to see other blogs who are participating.
This was rather a hard post for me, as you can see I have put it off till the last day. Laurel was looking for something deeper than resolutions.
I think for the year 2007 the two things I want to focus on in becoming are abiding more in Christ, and showing or telling those I care for-in a tangible way-how much I love them and how much they mean to me.
This road we are traveling right now with my father in law has made me really think about love, and the things that are unsaid, and the things that need to be said. We have been so fortunate to have these last days with him to spend time with him, to love and care for him, and most important for many of us was time alone with him to open our hearts to him and say the things we felt, but-for me-didn't verbalize much. I have had to think about what it would have been like to have been robbed of this time, what regrets I would have had.
This year I desire to love much and to make sure I share that love in words and deeds.
"Abide in Me, and I in you." John 15:4
This year I would like to focus on abiding in Christ. My understanding at this point, is that abiding in Christ is more than 'walking with Christ' or 'being with Christ', 'following Christ' or even 'dwelling with Christ'. John 14:23 says "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him." If we are walking with the Lord, than we are with Him. If we are with Him then we dwell with Him, if we dwell with Him, we live with Him, and if we live with Him we abide in Him.
I would like to be aware throughout my day, that I abide in Christ, and He in me...from sunrise to sunset, to the big and little things, in my conversations, in my dealings inside and outside of my home, I would like to desire for all my living, all my actions, all my expression to be abiding in Christ.
A tall order for this soulish vessel, I know. In tangible ways, I will seek this abiding through more prayer, more time spent reading the Bible, through praise and thanksgiving and through simply being still and knowing that He is God (and that I am not..)
I think this all goes hand in hand with the thought of dying to self, to live is Christ...
So, these are my two major goals for 2007, beyond the usual eat better, have more fun with the kids, be more organized.
May 2007 be a blessed year for you, and one in which we are all growing into God's fullness.