Happy New Year!

Yes, I know I'm a few days late to be ringing in the new year, but that's just the sort of start this year has had for me. I was sick as the new year rolled in, and I am still sort of sluggishly trying to get my bearings as my vacation ends and normal life kicks back into gear next week.

All that said, I want to take a few moments and reflect back on 2006. I started off 2006 with the following comments in my blog:
"So moving on to 2006, why am I so excited? I don't know if I can quite put my finger on it, but I just woke up this morning and had a great feeling of expectation. I don't know what to expect, but I know it will be part of life's adventure, and I can't wait to see how it will unfold."

I know now that the feeling of expectation was no coincident or falsity. The year turned out to be truly remarkable and full of many new and exciting changes for me. When I wrote those words, I had no confidence that I would end up being accepted to Georgia Tech, quitting my job, moving to Atlanta, and starting a new career direction. I did not know the timeline by which the anticipated reunion with my birthmother would unfold. I had no idea how wonderfully that whole process would go or that I would finish out this year by spending so much time with my new family as well as the family I have always known. I simply had a feeling, a good feeling, that the year would be a great one, and I am happy to report that it was in fact great.

I wish I could say that I woke up feeling the same way two days ago on the first day of 2007. As I mentioned above, I felt more like I had been hit by a truck. I must admit, my weak heart is tempted to think that 2007 can't possibly hold as much excitement or joy as 2006 did. My lack of faith is disappointing to me, but I can't hide it. So as this year begins, I am asking God to help my unbelief and to revive my excitement for the adventures that He has in store for me, for you, for this world, and for His kingdom. His promises are just as true today as they were one year ago and thousands of years ago. He is committed to His glory, and it is unfolding every day before our eyes if we will only look up from our belly buttons long enough to behold it.

You may have noticed that my theme verse for this blog is Romans 12:12, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." I was reading this the other day and then read the entire passage surrounding it. It hit me for the first time how I have previously isolated this verse from a passage that is about loving other people and living in community with them. Verse 12 is the only verse that is sort of self-focused and about personal discipline. I don't think it is bad at all to focus on personal disciplines, but I have realized my error in isolating it from a much higher calling. So I will end this entry and begin 2007 with a reminder to myself that knowing God and living the adventure of this life is truly so much bigger than self. I am praying that this year I will be ever more aware of this calling to love and serve others in addition to knowing God personally:

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. ... Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." ~Romans 12:10,13-15