Looking back is only useful as a catalyst for moving forward.

Good morning and welcome to the end of the road for 2019, here on this Tuesday, December 31, 2019. Last Sunday I recognized the birthday of my sister JoAnn. Here is the posting I put up on Facebook: ~Today is my sister JoAnn's birthday. If there ever was a family person, a family history person, a caring family person, and one who has a sense of the importance of family, well, that would be JoAnn. She loves first and asks questions later. She has not had an easy go of it in life, yet, she hangs in there. Her health is a constant battle, yet, she hangs in there. As far as siblings, it's our elder sister Frances, then JoAnn, and yours truly as we continue this family journey God has given to us. We've said goodbye for now, first to our dad back in 1954, then the eldest child in our family, Jimmy Don, in 1961. Then our baby sister Kayla in 1978. And, also younger brother Donald in 2011, and finally, to our beloved parents, mom in May of 2017, with our stepdad, Jose, following in July 2017.  I pause today to commend my sister Jo for her love for God and her supportive and caring heart. That is a good testimony. Happy Birthday and may God provide is my prayer. Amen. ~

I don't have a highlight reel composed to review 2019. If my math is correct, today's edition is number 257 for the year. They say the more things change, it is the more they stay the same. Here is my very first New Years' blog from December 31, 2008.

Key to a GREAT 2008!

Okay, here's what the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary says about the word RESOLUTION:

Main Entry:
res·o·lu·tion
Pronunciation:
\ˌre-zə-ˈlü-shən\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English resolucioun, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French resolucion, from Latin resolution-, resolutio, from resolvere
Date:
14th century
1: the act or process of resolving: as a: the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones b: the act of answering : solving c: the act of determining d: the passing of a voice part from a dissonant to a consonant tone or the progression of a chord from dissonance to consonance e: the separating of a chemical compound or mixture into its constituents f (1): the division of a prosodic element into its component parts (2): the substitution in Greek or Latin prosody of two short syllables for a long syllable g: the analysis of a vector into two or more vectors of which it is the sum2: the subsidence of a pathological state (as inflammation)3 a: something that is resolved b: firmness of resolve4: a formal expression of opinion, will, or intent voted by an official body or assembled group5: the point in a literary work at which the chief dramatic complication is worked out6 a: the process or capability of making distinguishable the individual parts of an object, closely adjacent optical images, or sources of light b: a measure of the sharpness of an image or of the fineness with which a device (as a video display, printer, or scanner) can produce or record such an image usually expressed as the total number or density of pixels in the image

Any way you define it, many will have a list in mind as we end 2007 and begin a brand new year. One of the things that this should tell us is that none of us, not even one, has fully arrived in terms of having our act together. This is not only a fact from observation, but it is also a biblical truth that tells us that being a child of God means that we are always growing and changing and developing up until we draw our final breath here in this sojourn on earth.

I know most of the resolutions made by most people will be associated with things like diet, exercise, and other personal improvements that are needed. I would recommend for folks like me that we start with the spiritual needs we have and then seek to allow God to work on those rough edges that need to be improved. Things like our devotion to Him first in all things and then how we relate to others, our spouses, our children, our co-workers, our fellow Church members, and the world at large. Instead of making it really hard with a lot of lists, I know Jesus boiled it down into two major areas: Love God with all your being and then demonstrate that love for God in how you show love towards others.

Meanwhile, many of us most likely do need to take better care of the bodies God has given to us and we do need to work hard on tasks that need to be done. But life is short and priorities are key if we are to make the most of the time God has given to us. Therefore, I recommend to me and to all who read my blog that we make those profound but simple commandments from our Savior the foundation of how we can pursue a great 2008!

I have greatly enjoyed doing my thing in the blogosphere and I do hope and pray that someone along the way has been encouraged, challenged, and maybe even at times have broken into a smile from my sharing of so many discombobulated musings. May God bless you and yours, and Lord willing I'll see you in a new blog in 2008! Amen. ......More later.

Ditto for 2020!