A New Year...

Ok, it's that time of year. Let's look back at the past year and forward to the new one. Because I said so, that's why!

This has been an amazing year for me in so many ways - I have a new job that I love at a great school with co-workers who have really made me feel accepted and welcome. I've become involved with a great group at my church and made new friends there as well. And let's not forget that I've lost over 100 pounds (almost at 120 now!), so I look and feel like a new person, and all the myriad of new things that go with that. At this time last year, I had none of that - or even an inkling that any of it would happen!

So why am I still not satisfied? Why do I want more, more, more?? Why do I feel like none of these things are good enough if I can't find a husband, get a house, and have a baby? Because I'm a fallen, sinful, greedy human I suppose. My small group (yet another blessing to come out of this year!) has been studying John Piper's book When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy. So my goal this year is to do just that: fight for joy. We are commanded by God to fight for joy, which comes only through growing closer to him. Although you would have to do the whole study to really get a lot out of it, here are Piper's 15 strategies to use in the fight for joy:

1. Meditate on the Word of God day and night.
2. When reading, focus on the centrality of God.
3. Do not skip the terrifying parts of the Bible.
4. Learn to preach to yourself.
5. Pray earnestly and continually for everything you need to be happy in God.
6. Fight against every sin in your life.
7. Share your faith.
8. Spend time with God-saturated people.
9. Read biographies of great Christian saints.
10. Read great books about God.
11. Get the rest, exercise, and proper diet that God has ordained you need.
12. Make a proper use of revelation in nature.
13. Do the hard and loving thing for the sake of others.
14. Get a global vision for Christ and pour yourself out to the unreached.
15. Be patient in the night of God's seeming absence.

It's an overwhelming list, so I'm just going to concentrate on making sure I do at least one of them daily.

On a completely different note, I went to the movies this morning. (Marley and Me - cute, made me cry, but not going to make my top 10 list) They must be making those seats bigger. I fit in it with room for my arms as well and room to spare. You can't imagine the horror of going to the movies and being afraid you won't fit into the seat until you've been there....or of having to put your arms on the armrests because there's no room for them in your seat.