The Worst of the Worst

As the self-confessed worst blogger in all history, I thought I'd break out my 2010 New Year's resolution article today, on January 2, 2010.

If this were a serious attempt to mend my broken ways and become more committed to sharing simple stories from my simple life, I would have written yesterday, January 1. But this is the best I can do for now, and it feels good to have a new article in the January 2010 list on my front page.

The holiday season is technically past, unless you count Martin Luther King's Birthday (January 18th) or the combination of Valentine's Day and President's Day as one holiday (February 14th and 15th, successively). I don't count them because I have to work all those days, so they are just another day for me. We've invested time in putting away all the decorations in their closets where they live the other 11 months of the year; finding places for the new toys, gadgets, and gee-gaws that were received for Christmas. By the way, I vote for sainthood for whomever invented re-gifting! We struggle to find new ways to serve leftover turkey and ham and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. We dread the closet because we know our clothes will be uncomfortably tight, and that's where we hid the sweater vest we received from Uncle Carl. That sweater should never again see the light of day.

One thing, however, that will remain unpacked and storage-free is how this season of celebration changed me. I have been reminded of the love my family has for me; the power of words; and the brevity of our time here in this life. I have seen how little it takes to make someone happy; and how often we neglect to make those little gestures. Of how hard it is to take care of ourselves and to allow others to care for us as well.

I remember that the journey the Magi took, following the star in the East, took years. The Baby was no longer a baby when they showed up with all their gifts. In our church, He would be in the Toddler 2 department....

My journey has taken, is taking, and will continue to take years of following Christ, of reading and taking to heart His words in the Bible, and shedding all the stuff in me that doesn't look like Him. While I have no precious jewels, or fragrances, or gold to offer, He doesn't ask for those things.

I do have what He asks for- my life; every part of it. I also am learning that that is a good thing- to let the Lord be the Shepherd and for me to be the sheep. His rod and His staff will protect and save me, and He will provide for me. He promises that as His sheep, with Him as Shepherd, that I shall not want.

There is a better translation than want- because I still want stuff (let's see, a new Tahoe, an AR, membership at the gun range, a 56"plasma HDTV.....); the better translation is that He will provide everything I need to do what He asks me to do.

So how hard can that be?

Harder than it seems.

So, we'll pack away the things that don't matter much, and hold on to the things that do.

Family.

Love.

Christ.

Hopefully my next article, will be much more timely than this. I don't want to always be known as the worst blogger of the bad bloggers. If I can achieve the level of the best of the worst... I could live with that.

Life is Good!