To me the New Year is a fresh start. Time to put all the clutter from holiday decor and festivities away.  Time to dust all those hidden areas.  Time to make everything fresh and clean like the snow I see in pictures.  It's also a reflective time for me. Where have I been? Where does God want me to go?  What does He want me to work on in my life?

Like everyone, I have the usual goals for the new year...if I were to break them down, I think they would go under the goal of better organizing.  I have some good habits in hand, but at this stage of my homeschooling career...I'm swamped!  I thought children would become less maintenance as they grew up!  I don't think so!  A case in point...a few weeks ago my son came to me and said his flonase nasal spray was empty.  The refills had expired, and the script was so old it should have been refilled last spring.  Hmmmmm, what in the world happened?  I used to be so on top of the meds.  When he was a baby, I had to keep a calorie journal, SI journal, and keep track of 10+ asthma meds and inhalers, along with all of his medical appointments.  I was really on top of things.  What happened?

Now to call in the hospital for one of the docs to write a new script for a med is no easy task at our base...where they have made things so "efficient" I pull my hair out every time I have to deal with their inefficiency.  A few months before I had to call in a refill for myself and I was told on the voice mail they would only accept messages between 9am-4pm on business days, and they had 72 business hours to get back to us.  Then we have to wait even longer for the nurse to get the paperwork to the doc and wait around a few days for the doc to get around to signing it.  Sigh. What to do when your son really needs his allergy med...just call it in and wait and trust God and hope He grants mercy on not being more organized. 

A few days later the nurse called and asked when was he last seen?  The day before Thanksgiving.  Why the wait on the med?  Because I'm not as organized now that my children are 12 and 14 and have assumed independence.  When they were little and I was in complete control...I was organized.  The nurse laughed and said..."Honey, it won't get any better once they grow up and leave the house...it will get worse!"  Yikes! 

So now you know...one thing I need to organize is our massive medicine closet in our little storage of a house...

I like the idea a Sunday School teacher presented years ago...a balanced look at New Year's Resolutions.  He prayed about one specific goal in different areas:  social, mental, spiritual and physical. 

While contemplating various areas in my life, I got something interesting in my e-mail box.  Has anyone seen the Christmas movie, "The Christmas Box" with Richard Thomas (John Boy) and Maureen O'Hara?  It was based on a book written by Richard Paul Evans as a Christmas gift for his daughters.  Family and friends read it and told him to get it published.  This book is part of a trilogy.  We have the sequel, Timepiece, which is really the prequel.  I also have both books, which are super easy reads.  I never did get the third book.  His other books sound wonderful.  About the only books I pay full price for are curriculum books I just can't get at bargain prices...since we use tons of books.  But I've been meaning to purchase his other books...to read in all my free time.  (What's that?)  

Well, anyway, here's a copy of the latest newsletter I got from him.

Dear Reader, 2006 was my year of pain. 2007 was my year of growth. 2008 will be my year of gratitude. I've decided to keep a gratitude journal, reminding myself every day of the blessings of my life. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for all He has given me, even the painful experiences that allow me to stretch (ugh) and grow. I invite you to join me in keeping a gratitude journal this year, to kill our personal demons of entitlement and to truly develop a spirit of gratitude so that we may more fully love God and all His children and receive the gifts He has for us. I'd also love to hear from you, how your journal and new attitude has affected your life.

Hmmmm, sounds like a wonderful idea.  I think I'll close with a quote he had on his newsletter..."There are none so impoverished as those who do not acknowledge the abundance of their lives."

www.richardpaulevans.com