New Years Eve

If there was one place I could be this New Year's Eve, I wish it was my Grandpa's farm in far east Gippsland. (Sadly, this cannot be because the farm was sold just before Grandpa passed away.)

The only music would be the sound of the cicadas, instead of the loud cacophony coming from the neighbours.

We would watch the stars, instead of the fireworks (many of which are illegally set off).

The only drinking would be cups of tea/coffee as we chatted about the memories from the year just ending and our hopes and dreams for the year to come, instead of the raucous, crude language coming from people around us who have consumed too much alcohol.

And, I wouldn't have to explain to people that I actually find New Years Eve a difficult day to navigate because today would have been my Dad's 63rd birthday and I miss him.

So Dad, Happy Birthday!

And to everyone else, Happy New Year!

Blog Plans for 2012

Ok, so I've been thinking about how I've been blogging this year, and what I want to do next year.
As yet, I have no real answers, so I thought I should think about why I originally started blogging and what my blog has become since then.

Originally I started blogging because it was a way of keeping a scrapbook that included video and music, as well as thoughts and pictures.

Then I started joining weekly memes and finally doing book reviews.
I enjoy telling people about bookas that are available, particularly those by Christian authors. The only problem is that most publishers won't send books to Australia, and I refuse to read e-books. Books are meant to be held in your hands, the pages turned and bookmarks put in when you absolutely have to put the book down because something else is demanding your attention.

But I digress ...

I also have a blog where I just talk about my craft, cross stitich and sewing projects (although that hasn't had any updates for months).

For the past couple of years I have participated in some blog challenges - mostly book related (final count for the 2011 Contentment Reading Challenge to be posted in the next couple of days).

I wasn't sure what challenge to do in 2012, or if I should do one at all.

I think I might not do any challenges in 2012. My life is going to be very busy - I'll be working and studying, as well as participating in children's ministry and home life. I think I'll just see how things go.
I would like to start up "My Favourite Things" again, but I have to have the time.

For now I think I'll just go with the flow and blog when I can. There will be some more book reviews, provided I get the books.

Oh, and by the way, I've been blogging for almost 5 years (just 24 days before my blogoversary) and I now have over 700 posts!

Happy New Year!!!

Happy 2010.

Yes, it is the new year. I can hear fireworks going off as I type this.

You might think I'm having a boring 'celebration'. I'm listening to Glenn Miller, doing things on Facebook, and have been watching season 4 of The West Wing. That's all on top of celebrating my Dad's birthday, watching God's fireworks (lightning), and enjoying the smell of rain.

But that suits me just fine. We don't make a big deal of the new year in my family. It's just a marker of the passing of time.

But as I think of what the future will be I have to wonder, what would you (or I) do if we got a glimpse of what would happen in this new year now? Would you freak out, be pleased, be scared ...
I don't know what I would do, I think it would depend on what I saw.

Right now I'm looking for direction as to what I should be doing with my life. Starting a new year when you have no idea what you should be doing is scary. I don't want to waste this year. I want my life to count for something. I want to give myself over to God's leading.

I don't say that lightly. I really do want to do exactly what God wants me to. And that thought is scary too. I don't know what He has planned. All I know is that I'm not happy with some areas of my life and I want that to change.

I'm trusting God to do what's best in my life. Yes, some days this year I will struggle with this.

There's a poem that keeps coming to mind - or at least part of it. Hmm ... how did it go and where did I read it? Oh, now I remember, it was a quote used in Mavis Areta Winder's book 'Safe Than A Known Way'

"And I said to the man who stood at the Gate of Year:

'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown'.

" And He replied: 'Go out into the darkness and put thine hand into the hand of God. That shall be to thee better than light and safer than a known way'."

~ M. Louise Haskins