"New Year's eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights." ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

For the past 18 years, New Year's Eve has been spent pretty much the same way - busily preparing for a party we host in our home every year.  Preparing food, organizing games, looking up trivia from the year, and decorating usually consumes all of my time on December 31.  All of that leaves little time for reflection on this particular date.  This year, however, is different.

Today, I am in Pagosa Springs, Colorado with my family.  And today, I am sitting out on the porch of our condo in the balmy 30 degree sunshine (for perspective, 30 in Pagosa Springs feels a lot like 50 does at home!), and enjoying this view . . .

And trust me when I say that the picture doesn't do it justice!

Today in the quietness and beauty of this place, I have had time for reflection.  I have taken time to read back through my posts from this year.  And from that, I would like to share a few of my thoughts with you on this last day of 2014...

This year began with a quote I found from Norman Wesley Brooks, who wrote: "Christmas is forever, not just for one day; for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.  The good you do for others is good you do yourself." I pondered about how great it would be to keep the attitudes of thankfulness and giving that permeate our lives during these holiday months, and extend them the whole year through.  A worthy goal for EVERY year, I believe!

As January progressed, I determined to be more connected to family and friends by writing more letters, and making more phone calls.  Phyllis Theroux wrote, "To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything but your heart," and I tried harder in 2014 to move my heart in many directions, re-connecting with lots of far-away friends, and also trying to be more involved in the lives of nearby friends.  That has turned out to be a real blessing to me.

In February, we lost a dear friend and sister in Christ - Chris Glover - to a sudden illness.  Her absence is still felt by all of us who knew and loved her, and we spoke of her just a few weeks ago when we did our annual Christmas Caroling - - we talked of how we missed going to her house this year.  But even now, almost a year later, Sister Glover's example lives on.  And when I think of her, I think of Psalm 116:15 - "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints."  Precious, indeed, and the death of someone dear always gives us pause as we consider our own lives in light of eternity.

March brought an accident that once again brought home to me the uncertainty and brevity of life. Jeff - my careful, always safety conscious husband - slipped and fell into the swimming pool, fully clothed, iPhone in his pocket, ... and a plugged-in, electric hedge trimmer in his hand.  Thankfully, Jeff made it out of that pool with only a shock, but it made me tremble to consider what easily might have happened in that moment.  And all of the "little things" in life that seem so important did not matter at all that day.  

2014 was filled with both the planned, and the unexpected.  Caleb spent his summer in Costa Rica, Jeff traveled to China, and Jeff and I took a trip to Minnesota.  Sarah moved from teaching 2nd grade to 1st, and she had her wisdom teeth removed.  Caleb had emergency surgery, and Becca resigned her position at Children's Medical Center to go back to school for a Nursing degree.  This time last year, the only one of those things I was expecting was Caleb's Costa Rica trip.  

What that tells me is that life is uncertain.  So, as I close the book on 2014 and prepare my planner for 2015, I pray that I will be mindful of the things this year has taught me, which can best be summed up in what Paul wrote to the Romans in chapter 12:9-13 - "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."  If I can do those things, 2015 will be a good year regardless of what unexpected bumps might appear in the road of life.  

So now, I will enjoy the remaining hours of 2014 with those I love most in this world - my family.  We will laugh, play games, sing some hymns, and talk about God's love and blessings.  And for those of you who have shared in my life this year, please know how special you are to me, and how thankful I am to God for the blessing of YOU.  May God richly bless each of you in 2015, and may we all find ourselves closer to Him in the coming year.

Pagosa Springs, Colorado - Sunday, December 28, 2014

"Why be saddled with this thing called life expectancy? Of what relevance to an individual is such a statistic? Am I to concern myself with an allotment of days I never had and was never promised? Must I check off each day of my life as if I am subtracting from this imaginary hoard? No, on the contrary, I will add each day of my life to my treasure of days lived. And with each day, my treasure will grow, not diminish."  ~Robert Brault