Just when you thought it might be safe.....He's baaaaack!

Okay. I admit it. We did not celebrate the New Year. I was in bed by 10 p.m. which was a little late for me but the fireworks did make it a little difficult to find that spot called deep sleep. A little. On Sunday I was up early and warming up some left over coffee from the day before. I always try to leave a little to tide me over while I am making some new stuff. I haven't quite made it to my grandfather's ability to pour it up cold and swig it down. Up Sunday, no hangover, anticipating a Spirit filled service with our local fellowship and feeling full of thankfulness for God's granting to us another year. What will I do with it? Now that my friend is the question! I'm hearing John Denver in my head this morning: "Ain't it good to be back home again." That's right. I'm back in my little work space here at the Company and yes, I've missed this part of my life. Don't get me wrong. I've greatly enjoyed my time off and I am thankful for it but at the same time I enjoy working, coming to work, and being a part of the activities that make up my job. I greet you on this Monday, January 2, 2012, along with a prayer that we all will turn a page and make some progress in this brand new year. What's that you say? I had better be careful because someday I will be retired and then what? That's a good question but I'm not concerned about that because I will be inventing a new routine when that occurs. Being off like I was for the last ten days was a vacation, a holiday, a time of rest and relaxation, but when that day comes that I exchange my early morning get up and come to work routine for another routine, well, I expect it to be something other than just laying around, and I certainly don't expect to be like what my grandfather used to say, "All laid up like a pack of dogs."

What about my New Year's resolutions? I do have some goals and aspirations for the new year. They are not necessarily associated with the new year because they are changes that I do need to focus on regardless of the calendar. Like paying attention to that new weighing device we brought into the house several weeks ago. Like continuing to stay on top of my diabetes and controlling my numbers as best I can. Like doing a better job of serving God and others. Like dealing with the issues that I know need to be dealt with. It's not hard for any of us to come up with areas where we need improvement. Right? I hope you see it that way because none of us have arrived and we certainly cannot in all honesty sing that old country song: "It's hard to be humble when you are perfect in every way." The process of taking stock or self examination is not always pleasant but it is biblical as God would have us to be focused on that log in our own eye before we start nick picking the tiny splinter in the other person's eye.

Here we are. This brand new year has training wheels on it. As it relates to our work here at the Company, well, it will take a little time for everyone to get back on track, back into the groove, to see things humming like they should. It's all about adjusting. And, that's one of the things we all can do to help make it better for ourselves and others. Flexibility. My way or the highway might be a popular slogan that many seem to want to live by today but the Apostle Paul left us with some great instruction in how we should operate our day by day living. Where there are things that don't involve principle and they are mostly preference oriented, then we should yield instead of bowing our backs. In areas where someone may be uniformed or ignorant, we should give them the benefit of the doubt while making certain that our walk and talk matches. (Check out both letters Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth, 1st and 2nd Corinthians where he gave tremendous insights into God's perspective on personal liberties and behavior.) This does not mean that we should enter the new year with an anything goes attitude. Sadly, I think that has been the prevailing notion in our nation for far too many years. Truth matters. And, we can find it anytime we seek to know it as found in God's Holy Word. Have a great Monday and may God bless us all to serve Him in this new year. Amen.      ....More later.