Happy New Year Ladies! By: Jennifer Miller

Happy New Year!

(Am I the only one that hears kazoo party horns and visualizes someone throwing confetti over their own head with that phrase?) 

I just love a new year all full with that calendar fresh feeling!  If you will allow me to fly my dork flag for just a moment, I will share with you one of my favorite Christmas gifts.  I simply love the smell, feel, and look of a freshly minted desk calendar.  I don’t need a fancy one with pictures of babies dressed in vegetables or an inspirational one that challenges me to think a certain way…I just need that basic $5.99 black and white desk calendar from Target.  There is simply so much order to all those lovely boxes all lined up – with the date perfectly aligned in each corner and the type set of all the holidays listed.  Yep – dork flag. 

One of my New Year’s Day traditions is to take down the old calendar and transfer over the information – right away big decisions must be made - the color coding system.  Birthdays will be listed in orange this year; school holidays in blue, and after school activities will be color coded to the child.  I might even get festive and do some art work on each holiday (think drawing a flower on Mother’s Day or 3 crosses on Easter.  That’s me…living out there… on the edge.) 

As I begin to transfer over all this data, I realize that my print ahead information listed on last year’s calendar- like birthdays and holidays - are neat and color coded.  I remember grumbling if I wrote down a wrong name or piece of information – I would find the white out and correct the mistake to maintain that lovely level of neatness.  Fast forward to May (ok…February) and “who cares” had come to live in my brain and a simple cross out or scratch out sufficed.  All the information that was added as the weeks and days unfolded  was less about neatness and more about trying to just get it on the calendar so I didn’t forget what I was supposed to be doing.  “Bring snacks” for a basketball game was scrawled in crayon… Church training was written using a map pencil… the sharpie came in handy to remind me about a friend’s birthday party and my eye liner left a note that simply said “help” – this was not a cry for help…although I am sure at the time it was desperately needed….it was to remind me to help at my child’s school. 

This yearly calendar project reminds me of Proverbs 16:9  (NKJV)

⁹ A man’s heart plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.

I am so thankful for that verse because I sometimes feel the guilt of planning.   Some people cast out judgement saying that my plans stifle God at work in my life.  But this verse gives me such freedom in truth.   God created me…He created me with a love to make a plan.  This scripture of truth allows freedom to make those plans… as long as I am open and watching for God to use the proverbial crayon, sharpie, map pencil or eye liner to direct my steps.  Take heart all you planners – I am for you!  Just be open to the places the LORD may (re)direct your steps!  I would love to hear from you – do you take comfort in making plans?  Or do you prefer to leave your calendars blank and fly by the seat of your pants?  (Those people impress me…and scare me a little…but I know there is freedom in not having a plan too!)

Happy New Year Ladies!