Good morning and happy Saturday. Yes, it is Saturday the 2nd of January, 2021. I was copied on a text yesterday by a friend wondering if I was on vacation since I hadn’t sent out my Saturday Ramblings. Even though it is true that I am on vacation, I didn’t go far enough to cross the international dateline, so it was only Friday. It is kind of funny though, around the holidays it is easy to lose track of time and forget what day it is. Our schedule or routine gets changed and it throws us off a bit. Even with all of the “wonderful” technology we have to remind us, sometimes we have to doublecheck. Or, maybe that is just me since I am now older than I have ever been. BTW, that is true of you as well 😊
Many people were ready for 2020 to be over. A lot are saying, “Good riddance.” I hear many people saying that they hope 2021 is a better year. Obviously, it would be great if the Covid pandemic would subside, that there would be less sickness and death as a result. But beyond that, what does it mean to have a “better” year? Perhaps it is something that every individual must define for themselves. Maybe a worthwhile exercise is to ask you, “What would make 2021 a better year for you?” Closely related to that, “Is there anything you can do to help improve upon the year?”
I have mentioned it in the past, but I love this time of year. It is when I set aside some time and review what took place in the year. I evaluate the goals and plans I had for the year and set some for the new year. It is a practice that I have been doing for many years. It is always fascinating to me to see how things worked out. Even though I try to monitor the progress throughout the year, looking over it all from start to finish is interesting. In this crazy year with the Covid crisis and a lot of other things, God answered some of my prayers and led me to achieve some plans in ways that I could not have even imagined on January 1 of 2020. It is a great reminder to me of what God’s Word says in Proverbs 16:9, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.” I make a lot of plans. In fact, this year I have written two pages of things that I hope to accomplish and/or see come to fruition. Some are big ideas that are more general, while others are quite detailed. Furthermore, I seek to prayerfully consider each of the areas. I also invite others to pray that I have wisdom in this entire process. And, it never ceases to amaze me how God leads me through the journey. Early in 2020, it seemed like everything was going to be derailed. However, that was not the case at all. God had a much different way of directing my steps than I had envisioned. I know it sounds a bit elementary, but His way was better. I am reminded of another verse that I discovered a long time ago.
Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Clearly, I am a big proponent of planning. I don’t want to lose track of time and get to the end of a year wishing I had started a Bible reading plan before November or trying to lose 20 pounds in the month of December. To the best of my abilities, I want to move forward in key areas of my life. Therefore, I write down plans for the church, my spiritual life, and personal goals which include things like fitness and finances. After that, I intentionally pursue trying to make them become a reality, evaluating them on a periodic basis. All the while, keeping in mind that James reminds us not to be presumptuous in our planning, but recognizing God’s will in our lives. In everything that we set out to do, let’s do for His glory and honor.
I hope that you have an incredible 2021. May God bless and guide you in all ways.
Love God. Love others. Impact our community. Change the world.
Pastor Larry
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