First Day of the New Year

 

2025! Oh my gosh! I never dreamed I'd live to see this day. I grew up in the age of black and white TV with aluminum foil on the rabbit ear antenna so we could get good reception and look at us now - everything is digital! Boy things have changed. I could take an entire day to jot down things that have changed since I was born, but I won't. Let's just say there have been some really amazing and really scary changes over the years.

When I woke up this morning, I didn't feel any different than I do most mornings but I did pull out a new calendar and fill in important dates. It's a thing I do each year, I'm a long range planner. And yes, I do it the old way - I like to feel and see a paper calendar in my hands. Oh sure, I also stick those same dates into my cell phone for quick reference, but I prefer having a written record in front of my face, partially because my eyes aren't so good anymore and partially because I hate being tied to my phone all the time. 

Have you noticed, over the past few years, our phones seem to control us instead of us controlling them? I sure have. 

When I was growing up, we had a rotary phone in the kitchen on the wall by the back door. The cord was long and stretched out because when we'd get a call, the receiver would walk around as they talked, but we could only go so far. Being tethered wasn't fun, especially if you needed privacy. And I used to hate having to dial the numbers and wait for the dial to go all the way back around before I could enter the next one. Numbers with lots of zeros seemed to take forever, unless that was the only number you needed to dial and that was for reaching the operator. 

We also had a desk type phone, a black rotary phone, upstairs in a little built in nook at the top of our stairs. That phone didn't have a long cord, so we had to stand close by when talking on it. I remember, when I was much younger, that we even had a party line. If you wanted to make a phone call, you had to first lift the receiver to see if anyone was already using the line. If they were, you had to click and ask to interrupt. Sometimes the other person would be gracious and agree to end their conversation, but often, they would not and we'd have to wait to try again. Aren't you glad we don't have to do that now? But sometimes, when our cell service is down or we're in a limited reception area, it can feel the same way - frustrating! 

And another thing I don't really like about where we are today is the fact that people don't talk to each other as much as they once did. Not only did people meet and talk face to face (even if over the fence or over the clothesline), we talked. When weather didn't permit, we called on our rotary phones. Nowadays, people don't use their cell phones that way much. It's easier to shoot off a quick text or make appointments online. Yes, technology is good but also impersonal when it comes to things like cell phones. 

Now back to my calendar. 

As I look over the one I bought for this year, I'm surprised to find I don't have many medical appointments on it! What a blessing! For the past 11 years, I've been running from one doctor to the next for one thing after another. 2025 looks promising if I can keep my health in check and that's one of my resolutions for this year - to move more, to relax more, to travel more, to eat healthier, and to spend more intense time in the Word. I hate to admit it, but I've become lax in some of those areas this past year. So, as many do on the first day of the New Year, I'm going to consider this a fresh start, a clean slate, and do what I can to make my life better. 

One major thing I'm going to implement into my daily routine, and yes, I've already popped it on my calendar, is to make time to focus more on gratitude. It might not seem important to some, but for me, it's huge. 

I have a big Mason jar on my kitchen counter. Each year, I cut strips of paper and keep nearby so I can write down special God kisses each day. I always start with good intentions and then somehow, I get busy and before I know it, I've skipped a few days, then weeks, and even months. But this year, I won't! That tiny goal is one of my most important ones. Do you want to know why? Because, I've found, especially after living life post cancer, that those special things/people/events God sends my way matter and I need to pay particular attention to the favor He garners over me. 

On New Year's Eve, I'll dump out my jar and re-read all the things I've written. They'll remind me of what happened through the year, but more importantly, they'll help me remember God's goodness and faithfulness to me. 

I have a cousin who writes the most amazing newsletter at the end of each year. I don't know how he manages to do it unless he keeps strict notes throughout the year, but he does. I can barely remember what happened yesterday anymore. But when I jot down a quick note on my slip of paper, fold it, and place it in my jar, I don't have to think about it anymore - until the end of the year. It's a cheap and easy way to keep up and I like it. 

In an effort to make my own end of the year newsletter to send family and friends, I've found  making notes on my paper calendar helpful, too. When we go on a trip, I'll make little notes like -"We saw a Bald Eagle as we were on our way to Florida," or " We visited the Bigfoot Museum while in the mountains." Those little memory keepers help me compile something worthwhile. Of course, I don't share everything I write, only the most important events, but you get the idea. 

This New Year is filled with possibilities, expectations, hopes, and dreams. I hope you'll look forward to each day with anticipation. I'm going to do my best to do so. And thank you for continuing on this journey with me. There have been many days I've considered shutting down my blog, but in some small way, I hope it helps someone. That's my intent anyway.