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| Photo by Vlado |
Happy New Year! 2012, a new year, a new start. I don't really have any resolutions, but there are ongoing principles that I want to work on throughout the course of the year. I'd like to share them with you and hear your thoughts. By the way, I'm still trying to bounch back after two weeks' worth of staying up late and eating the three pounds of chocolate I received for Christmas (Many thanks to you, my dear friends. You know who you are!), so please bear with my jumpy, over-caffeinated blogging.
Principle 1: Patience
This was the first time in our marriage that my husband and I spent the holidays apart. On Christmas Eve via Skype, he watched me open the presents he mailed from Afghanistan. It was a blessing to be able to communicate with him when I know that may not have been possible for other soldiers and their families.
However, it was by no means easy to do this at a time of year when people come together to celebrate. I'm only human. I had moments of strength, but there were also times of loneliness and even anger concerning the situation. I'm just thankful God was there the whole time to sustain and encourage me. In a couple months, I'll be able to see my husband again when he comes home for R&R (Army-speak for vacation). Which brings me to...
Principle 2: Gratitude
I'm claiming 2012 as the year I have much to be thankful for. My husband will be home from deployment and my first novel is scheduled to be released in the fall.
Years ago when I used to scribble stories in notebooks during geometry class, I never thought writing could be more than a hobby. The adults in my life tried to steer me down a more conventional path and dismissed my passion as "something to do on the side". How glad I am that our Heavenly Father values many forms of work and creative expression, not just those that we are conditioned to think of as practical and therefore, more contributing, to society.
And just so you know, gratitude doesn't only apply to me. All of us have something to be grateful for in 2012, even the simple fact that we've lived to see another year. I believe God is going to use this time to work in and bless His people, no matter what the doom and gloom forecasters spew from our media.
Principle 3: Hard Work
Charisma House just assigned me to a friendly, sharp-minded editor who has provided a list of things to address before my novel hits the printing press. I've got two months, and the manuscript for the second book will be due soon after. I have to make trips more often now between right-brain La La Land and left-brain Get 'Er Done Valley. More on this in the next several weeks.
But with hard work, there has to be some form of play, right? So let me introduce you to my New Year's Whim of 2012.
That's right. I'm going to learn to play guitar. Or foolishly strum the strings into a frayed, out of tune disaster, whichever way you want to look at it.
I tried following along to an instructional dvd yesterday and ended up having a good laugh at myself. Hey, we all need to laugh. I want to learn a new skill, and since my fingertips are already callused from writing and typing, what's a few more rough spots?
Did you make resolutions for 2012? Are you starting a new hobby or interest?