Hi dear ladies, congrats on making it to January. We can all take a deep breath and also take a minute to realize what we’ve accomplished. We’ve navigated another holiday season. Although it was done imperfectly, the fact remains that we served our families to the best of our abilities, did all the shopping, choosing, planning, decorating, cooking, wrapping, sizing, baking… and all the other things. God is gracious to give us such a reason to celebrate and the strength to make it special for our dear ones.

You can read our family Christmas Update 2021, here.

Just two things have been on my heart for the year ahead.

1- Increasing in true joy. My theme for this year is “Filled with Joy by the God of Hope.” (Romans 15:13) There are so many reasons, big and small, to be weighed down each day. Joy will not come if I passively wait for it to fill me. If I fix my mind on the God I serve– the God of Hope– He will increase my joy and fill me with joy, in spite of all that may be happening to steal my joy and weigh me down.

Joy is the heartbeat of the kingdom of God. As we operate our little posts in God’s great kingdom, in the heart of our homes, may we do it with great joy!

2- Reading more books. Steve and I have purposed to spend a large portion of our winter evenings reading together. We are going to encourage the children to join us as we read aloud and/or read individually. Our phones will be put away during this time.

I’m going to post a list on our dining room wall, and anytime someone finishes a chapter book, he or she can add the book to the list.

Posts from the TH archives:

Keeping things in perspective and choosing a theme for the new year.
Two simple things to do after Christmas— your future self will thank you.

Quotes for the New Year:

Wisdom is the art of obedient building. Wisdom obeys and builds, and God restores all things.
-Toby Sumpter (Listen to the whole sermon.)

In thinking about our consumption and use of digital media (the never-ending struggle of our day) here’s an excerpt from an excellent article.

“The nearly constant expectation of our life being aired for consumption is debilitating and deforming. We need to experience life as a being rather than an appearing to others. This allows us to be present with those in our physical– which means real– presence. Who we actually are and whom we are actually with, now in the flesh; these can be prioritized.” -John Cudeback ♥