Well, it's official.  For those of you who dislike change, tomorrow morning you're going to have to scratch out '08 on your checks and write '09.  Isn't it amazing how so many things affect our lives, yet we have absolutely no control over them.  It's not as if you can determine that 2008 was a good year and decide to stay there!  No.  We have to move forward.  We get older.  We move through celebrations, memories, and events like a runner who sees the finish line but wants to savor the steps just prior to the close of the race.  Have you noticed?  We take pictures, blog, journal, scrapbook......all so we can preserve a little bit of the "what", "where", "when", and "how" of life!  I love it!  We want to remember.  But in all the remembering, do we leave ourselves time to dream?  

I spent over four hours yesterday organizing my office files, drawers, pens/pencils, old cameras, films, etc.  I went to bed with a "Whew....now I know where it all is" feeling!  But when I came in this morning I realized how much MORE I could do.  I've got all these old home movies on the original formats that probably need to be transferred to DVD.  I've got a bazillion photos that never got printed.  I've got files that have too much information in them to get rid of anything else.  I need a fire proof cabinet for those special documents.  The list can go on and on.  Not to mention the family computer is at the shop!  It crashed on Christmas Day!!  

I think storing, organizing, and remembering can become an obsession if I'm not careful.  You see.  Life gets messy.  Memories aren't always tucked away in the tub for storage.  Sometimes they flood without warning.  As I sit hear listening to my favorite artist for 2008, John Mayer, the lyric says over and over "Say what you need to say".  I agree John.  Share your life.  Spend it in words, actions, and life decisions that matter.  Dream a little.  Believe a lot!  God has given us great purpose in our days.

My verse for 2008 was Romans 8:1, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus".  I needed to know this.  All year long.  There is nothing that can separate me from His love!  I once was condemned by my sin.  But Christ covered that....and released me from the power of that sin.  You see, my salvation was secured.  But my doubts were not answered until I meditated on this truth!  Everytime I began to repent of sins of my past....God would remind me, "there is no condemnation over those Laura.....but look toward today....let's deal with those things too!"  It's easy to get bogged down in the past sins.  The ones you think are atrocious.  But the ones from today, often give the illusion of not being "that bad".  God began to release something in me.  The recognition that my condemnation was no longer, but my humility for current sins was welcomed and favored by God. 

My verse for 2009 has yet to be determined.  But one that I love is:  Eph. 3:17b-19 "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Oh, be blessed in this day.  My prayer is that I, you, and they might be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God!  Whew.....can I get a witness?  Life is moving.  Christ is coming.  The door is open for today.  Make a difference!  May we walk expecting His arrival.     

Blessings!