A NEW YEAR TO LINGER!

I love these signs.  I am reminded of the many directions
I tend to spin on any given day.

I look at this blog and wonder why time filled my life-space so densely last year that I could not take a moment here and there to linger with words of wonder.

Like these signs, I have been going all directions some days and exclaiming my wonder at "How time flies!"

This year I plan to carve out linger-space.
It's time to share my wonders once in awhile.
I'll try. . . Just for you, my dear friends.

Perhaps I can fill these pages with delights for the soul and ignore my 'to do' list once in awhile.
Like today.

I wake up earlier than usual after staying up until midnight last night.
Hubby and I surprised ourselves.  This never happens.
We even watched the ball drop in Times Square!

A world with a view!

A new year . . . a new day . . . still bright as I turn on the lights on the manger, the tree and the wreaths.
I love the light piercing through these dark, cloudy days.

We keep lights, manger and tree up until the 12th day, Epiphany.
It's a wonderful excuse to linger a little longer with the Christmas story, with our celebration of a new beginning with God.
A new beginning.
What a JOY to know we can begin anew each year with new hopes, dreams and, perhaps, additions to our bucket list.

As I peek through my imagined window of opportunity I make my very practical list:
Answer all the wonderful Christmas and birthday notes I received this past week.

Place fresh placemats at our table to remind me of the new year.

Clean up and sort through piles of notes to be filed or tossed.

Hubby gave me little COUPONS to be used throughout the year.  I need to tuck these into a special place so I don't loose them.
Hubby also plans to sit with me to make a "Dream and Do"  list of whimsy options to get us out of

our daily rut and invite us to explore new places not too far from home.

This winter has been so mild that we are getting a bit spoiled.  I need to take advantage of this non-snowy weather while we still can.  The already cleaned-up garden can always use some tweaking if I brave the chill winds.

I move 2015 files that I'll be using in 2016 so I don't have to wade through reams of e-files.
I list all my must-get-done deadlines.
I'm already tired.
I wonder.
What if I carved out time just to reflect, every morning, as I sip my tea.
Now I am excited.
I pile up empty notebooks that can be filled, page by page, with words from God . . .  to chew on, to linger over, to embrace as possibility.
I already feel good!

One of today's scriptures is perfect for today - Numbers 24:26
  "The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord makes His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.  The Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace."
A great blessing to begin the new year.