The Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas, my True Love gave to me

solitude like a partridge in a pear tree.

Often this time of year, I am looking for something new. Like a new devotional or a new Bible that will inspire me to read it everyday. Sometimes I want a new journal or some new music to serenade me into the new year.

I started this day with two lovely coffee dates. One to catch up with a friend from town and the other to visit with a friend here from out of town. Little did they know that they fulfilled my desire for something new.

One gave me a Josh Wilson CD in a sweet little gift bag, with these words:

 

The other gave me a journal with a card wishing me JOY!

 

 

This evening, I shopped my bookshelves for a devotional for 2013. A couple years ago, I bought The One Year Coffee with God devotional by Sarah Arthur. In it, she mentions a prayer guide that follows the liturgical year called A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants. I came across it in my book hunt in the basement. The readings for this week were under the title: All Things New. Oh, how I love a theme.

 

All things new, this is the cry of my heart, especially the day after the feast of Christmas. What's next? How will I occupy myself for the next twelve days? In the morning I made a lofty goal of reading twelve books, one a day. Ha! Instead, I'm just going to read, whatever the Spirit leads. I did read Psalm 65 today. Yum! Nourishing words of hope and joy!

 

The psalmist observes: "You crown the year with  your bounty . . ." (Psalm 65:11 ESV), a great summary of this year and hope for the next. Year after year Jehovah provides. I will make my plans, goals and resolutions, only to waver after a burst of enthusiasm. I have been here before, and yet again God will crown my feeble efforts with His grace.