Taking the old Trek 1000 off road in the Lone Star State
This won't be a long post. That is one of my 2014 resolutions or goals, more blog posts, but with less words, but that is getting into the meat of this post a little early. I don't really have that much to say. I just wanted to wish our faithful readership a very happy new year. We are hoping 2014 follows the trend of the even years being so kind to us. We got married in 2006, began working together at PCS, and moved into our first home. We moved to Macon and sold a house in 2008, well, God sold a house. And Ford came in 2012. The odd years have been okay, but they always seem have to a curve ball or sucker punch waiting for us that really takes the wind out of us or the pep out of our step. 2011 was a douse, but 2013 made that look like a cake walk. In retrospect though, the rough times always make me see exactly what I do have and that is a lot; it is more than I really deserve. This past year was a huge reminder of that. I found out how much I have that you can't exactly point to the monetary value of, but not having it (them) would be the end of me.
My beautiful bride and my handsome son.
So, five days into this new year, I just wish you a blessed, peaceful, and joyful year. I hope you get to spend more time with family and less time on things that don't really hold any value in them. I hope you spend more time outdoors and less time trapped inside. I hope you take time to move beyond looking and start to see. I hope you turn off your phone, tv, etc. and begin talking to those right next to you. I hope you start thanking God for all the little things that mean the most in life instead of making mental lists of all you don't have. I hope you spend more time doing the things that cost less, but yield greater enjoyment and less time spending money to get joy when laughing is still free. I hope you spend more time with loved ones that are far away because time isn't moving any slower and we aren't exactly getting those we've all lost back anytime soon. I hope that you remember the great quote from Percy's novel, The Moviegoer, about how we spend our days is how we spend our lives. I hope you spend time asking God to move you closer to Himself because there is really nothing other than that. I wish you all these things because I wish them for myself and my little family.
A bearded dad and a smiling son.
2013 reminded me of how fragile everything really is; of how all our lives are huge stacks of cards waiting to crumble, no matter how carefully we have planned them. It reminded me of how important family, friends, and community really are. I am trying to take all I was made to see and learn into this new year. I don't know what it holds. I never do, but I do know God has a plan for me, for my sweet wife and son, and for my life. It may be nothing like I expected, but it will bring Him glory. It may be hard to swallow or it may be so sweet and serene that I will have to bite the insides of my mouth to make sure it is real, but I know that it will be a plan that works to my good; which I still don't have a full understanding of.
I am sure that I've never laughed more than with this guy.
CREATOR, UPHOLDER AND PROPRIETOR OF ALL THINGS,
We cannot escape from thy presence
and control,
nor do we desire to do so.
Our privilege is to be under the agency
of thy omnipotence,
righteousness, wisdom, patience, mercy and grace;
For thou art Love with more than parental affection.
We admire thy goodness,
stand in awe of thy power,
abase ourselves before thy purity.
It is the discovery of thy goodness alone that
can banish our fear
allure us into thy presence,
help us to bewail and confess our sins.
We review our past guilt
and are conscious of present unworthiness.
We bless thee that thy steadfast love and attributes
are essential to our happiness and hope;
Thou hast witnessed to us thy grace and mercy
in the bounties of nature,
in the fullness of thy providence,
in the revelations of Scripture,
in the gift of thy Son,
in the proclamation of the gospel.
Make us willing to be saved in thy own way,
perceiving nothing in ourselves but all in Jesus.
Help us not only to receive him but to
walk in him,
depend upon him,
commune with him,
follow him as dear children,
imperfect, but still pressing forward,
not complaining of labour, but valuing rest,
not murmuring under trials, but thankful
for our state.
And by so doing let us silence the ignorance
of foolish men.
Valley of Vision pg. 217
Happy reading,
DAVID
PS: Here are a few of my 2014 resolutions or goals:
1. Run 1250 miles.
2. Bike 2500 miles.
3. Write two, good, solid stories. Submit them to a fiction review.
4. Blog more, but do quicker, shorter posts.
5. Learn a few new things. (Bike mechanics is at the top of the list.)
6. Begin having family and personal devotions on a regular basis.
7. Read at least 20 books.
8. Take more naps.
9. Take my pretty wife on more dates.
10. Eat more Hardees' breakfasts.
That is enough for now. Enjoy your evening. I am about to go bathe a pretty grimy little guy.
DD
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