Thursday, January 2, 2014

Thursday | My Honest Thoughts on the New Year



Good morning and Happy New Year, friends!

How was your New Year's Eve celebrations this year? I went all out this year - two tubs of Moose Tracks ice cream instead of just one. Apparently I have no dieting goals for this next year. I spent the earlier part of the evening at some friends house but returned home to spend the last of the year with the people who mean the most to me. That, and I couldn't miss our ridiculous tradition of singing Auld Lang Synge in full harmony and not a little bit of mock seriousness as the clock changed from 2013 to 2014! Never without a tradition around our house! :)
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I don't have any goals for this year, I gave up on those a long time ago. To be honest, the year's transition has been a bit of a tough one for me. As I've looked on the recent years past, I've realized that what's ahead of me looks very familiar. Working, making ends meet, watching everyone else find their dreams and have big adventures, having dreams of my own but no way of making them happen, just plugging on one cloned day after another. I'm basically in the same exact place I was in a year ago, two years ago, five years ago...and that, in my skeptic mind, next year at this time, I'll likely be in the exact same place again. That's hard for me.

I know the point of not knowing what's ahead means anything could happen...but when you hold your breath long enough, you do eventually run out of air.


But if I have to keep doing the same thing again this year...there's no one I'd rather do it with than the people I've been doing it with for so long! I have seven nieces and nephews to pour myself into, siblings who are my best friends, who are pursuing their own goals and need someone to catch their back and support them in their career endeavors, I live in a small town that will always be home no matter what and I've got two cats who keep my own heart purring.

 I'll make that enough for me, because all that is already more than I deserve.


What are your thoughts on the coming year? You excited about the unknown and anticipating big things? Or are you tucking your feet inside a pair of cozy slippers and settling in for another year of the familiar?

Because despite all of it, whether we face the familiar or the unknown, we've got Jesus and what I love about the new year, especially this year, is that it brings us that much closer to His coming back for us. And the older I get, that becomes the greatest dream of my heart and highest hope of what the year might hold. Maybe it'll be this year.

I'm so ready.

So, happy New Year, my friends!

10 comments:

  1. I understand what you mean, Kellie, though I don't feel it as much this time of year as I do at other times. I always feel so hopeful and inspired and excited about the beginning of a new year. But every once in a while, usually around my birthday it seems (probably because of the whole "one year older" thing :), I start wondering how long my years will continue to look basically the same. Will it be one more year, or five, or ten? The rest of my life?

    But like you said, thank goodness we've got Jesus. Honestly, I did not put any effort into that relationship last year and as a result I'm not where I should be. But I'm hoping (needing) to start putting my trust in Jesus and begin pursuing Him again in this new year. :)

    Hang in there, girl! And happy new year. :)

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  2. Oh man,i feel the exact same way. Got bless you best of luck in the new year!

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  3. My year is looking the same as past years also, Kellie but... that's okay. I like life. I do hope to push myself to finish my WIPs - or one of them and whether or not I do anything afterwards is up in the air however I want to prove to myself that I can DO it.

    Wishing you a wonderful 2014. It will be a good year - think positively. :)

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  4. That second paragraph? Yeah, pretty much my life as well.

    Happy New Year! :)

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  5. Same, girl, same. Last year was this big "BIG DREAMS HAPPENING" start and then petered out as I realized that pursuing your dreams doesn't mean they're happening right away...or ever. Blahhhh. :P Happy New Year anyway! :P

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  6. Even though I moved 2,000 miles I still feel like nothings changed, how I live my life isn't very different at the end of the day then it was for, well, the past to many years to bear thinking about!
    I always feel like there is something new and exciting coming this time of year and maybe if I just work and pray harder then my "dreams" will come true.....I must be missing the lesson god is trying to teach me with all this waiting! =P

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  7. Welcome back girl, we missed you! I am a cheesy person and love the rejuvenation of the new year. :)

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  8. I would first like to say that I enjoyed the blog post and Happy New Year! :) I have really been seeking God and what He wants for my life in the coming year and beyond. In thinking about the coming year, I find that my life would be the same, just as you are saying with your friends having their dreams fulfilled and you staying the same without a way to get to your's. I have chosen, as someone that has heard the voice of God speak to me, to chase my dreams with reckless abandon, but I do not chase them by myself. I chase them fully surrendered to what God wants. Psalm 37:4-6 talks about delighting yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. I have full confidence in the words and promises of Christ, that He indeed will give me the dreams, hopes, and desires that I have for myself as I wait on what He wants instead of what I want. I encourage you to wait on what He wants instead of what you want. I chase my dreams with my Father as we walk hand in hand together into what lies ahead.

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  9. Nervous and anticipating what the Lord has in store. I am thankful to have come across your blog and encouraging posts in 2013, can't wait to read your blog again this year! Happy 2014

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  10. Happy New Year....I hope this year will bring you fun surprises and great memories.

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