Tick Tock

Honestly, it is meaningless. This marking of time as the calendar flips over from one year to another. It is a second, a minute, an hour, not unlike a thousand other in our lifetime. I did a funeral recently and read as my text Psalm 90. The text says "teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." I found a date calculator on my cell phone. I have been alive 20,795 days. Wow. How many of those were misspent? How many were wasted altogether? The one good thing about the new year is that it gives as a placemark where  we can ponder our lives.

I suspect I am on the down hill portion of my life. By this I mean that I have less days ahead to live than I have already lived, so I should want to make the most of those I have left. So I am taking a few moments to list some of the things I have done wrong in 2014 and looking to repair those for the next year.

1) DISCONNECT
 I feel that I have let my life become encumbered by technological "conveniences". I have several email addresses, a Facebook account, a twitter account, a cell phone that has texts, as well as answering machines and voicemail boxes. What a hassle these conveniences are! So I will stream line that for next year. Not sure how but that is a goal!

2) RECONNECT
Too often this year I have given myself a pass on my busy-ness. Many times I have cheated God, and cheated myself from missing my spiritually enriching times in his presence. I have substituted cheap imitations such as quick devotional reads and half hearted prayers. God's purposes are deep and my time in his presence needs to be fully attentive.

3) REACHING
I have a list of a few things that need to be accomplished this next year. The interesting thing is that each of these will demand a miracle. So I am believing for great blessing from God. I am stretching myself out toward the God who promised amazing things to those who call upon his name.

4) OUTREACHING
I have a conviction in my spirit that God is calling us to reach out more than ever before. I have witnessed the openness of several individuals this last year in speaking with them regarding spiritual issues. They probably don't buy my conservative politics, but they are genuinely interested in this man named Jesus. I want to try to represent the Lord in my conversations

5) SPEACH
I have to say that I have fallen prey at times to the slacking of verbal discipline. I have spoken when I should have been silent. Listened when I should have walked away. I have uttered useless and careless words. And I have let my anger grab my tongue too quickly. This year I am going to exercise that discipline better.

6) MARRIAGE
I have a wonderful wife. Sometimes (not often enough) I tell her that I am truly blessed by her character, compassion, faithfulness and love. But too often I take her for granted. She deserves more attention than I give her.

Okay, that is a pretty tall order ... Lord help me in 2015