Ready to Roll
Yup! It is the start of a BRAND NEW YEAR and I guess when I say ready to roll..I literally mean roll. I'm sure all you all understand what I mean (the food, the very very good food!).
In short, I had a really wonderful Christmas spent with my immediate family being myself and my two loving parents. It wasn't perfect (a bit cold, perhaps a little TOO quiet...) but it was great! Spain was awesome. I especially enjoyed Barcelona since that was the first "port of call" that my parents went to work in just after they got married and I hadn't been there before. I esepcially enjoyed the Gaudi architecture, I never thought I'd be so excited about buildings but they were really amazing.
I think the bext part of the holidays actually was the time my family and I spent calling everyone we possibly could. Some of the hotels that we stayed in had wireless internet access and I brough my laptop along where I have two programs (voipcheap & skype) that made it possible for us to either skype other people or call landlines in certain countries for free. Amazingly enough, most of the people we wanted to call were in the countries that the call was free so I think on Christmas day itself we attempted to call 27 people to wish them a Blessed Christmas. It was WONDERFUL ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL to be able to talk to so many people that we don't usually get the chance to. If any of you (whom we called) are reading this, PRAISE the LORD that we got through to you. What a tremendous blessing it was alone to hear your voice and to be able to celebrate the wonderful occasion and to remember Christ's birth together!
More personally, I actually finished reading through Proverbs, which ended with of course with chapter 31. It looked to me like a list of New Year's resolutions and I think really ended the year well with something like a reality check. My dad, if you have heard, always says that he doesn't like making New Year's resolutions because it makes us look back on the last year and see all our faults and failures where we really should be looking ahead in anticipation for what God has in store for us and for what we can DO this year for HIM and for His glory and for His Kingdom! People keep asking me my New Year's resolutions or at least what I expect for myself this coming year... it's not an easy question to answer but I guess in the light of what I've been reading and learning about in my time with God is that I HOPE and PRAY that He will grant me wisdom that I will live for HIM wisely in being HIS daughter. "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised" Proverbs 31:30.
This year I am determined to read the Bible from cover to cover and not only to just READ through it but to really soak it all in. I'm so excited about it since who knows what "effects" it will have on me by the time 2008 comes! I really do envy those sometimes who have such an intimate relationship with Christ and who has a memory of an elephant in being able to memorise the scriptures to their own advantage. I hope and pray that I will be able to "boast" in that one day. I guess I am now just really thankful for all my accountability partners out there who have been so faithful in holding m up in prayer and for encouraging me in this constant battle of righteousness and holiness.
As usual, (and I won't have to explain any more I don't think), I've kinda gone off somewhere into my own little world. Praise the Lord for a New Year. I do hope and pray that all you wonderful people had a most joyous time and that this joy will not end for He is our Joy and is ALWAYS with us (Emmanuel).
Because of Christ,
Debbie
