Thank You.

The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
John 1:9

It's the last Sunday of the year, the last of my week's-end posts to summarize one seven-day slice of an ordinary life. Though this week held Christmas, it wasn't otherwise very different from most other weeks I've told you about. We spent time with family, we celebrated blessings and gifts from the Lord, we enjoyed yummy food, we changed diapers and washed dishes and folded clothes and vacuumed carpets. We woke up each morning with new mercies of God washing over us, went to sleep in our cozy bed at night with gratefulness for health, protection, and provision. We had times of weariness and times of light hearts. Small things made our hearts hurt; other small things filled us up with joy. Most weeks of this 2015 year have been much like this one. Nothing I could say would be much different from what I've been saying for a year now.

It's been a challenge to share true parts of my life with you this year, while also maintaining a healthy distance. Filtering my story through this blog, straining out the things that would be reactionary, over-dramatic, or just too raw, helped me distill the heart-juices of my year into cups of (hopefully) meaningful content. Writing in a private journal, as I did for most of my life, doesn't require that filter. For a year, it was healthy for me to pour measured doses of a filtered story. If it didn't help you, at least it helped me. I think I've learned to look at each episode of life through the lens of God's grace, to see pieces of my story as pieces of a greater Story, and to pull real truth out of an unimpressive week.

About halfway through the year, I started praying about this blog, about the writing I've found myself doing my whole life. I'm supposed to write, right? But what should I say? And to whom? And for how long? I decided that if I'm going to do this writing thing at all, it has to be for His glory. Telling my own weekly story isn't enough. Certainly it's in ordinary lives like mine that God shows His power, demonstrates His grace, and works His salvation. But a "here's my life" blog has a tendency to lean toward self-glory rather than pointing the spotlight on Him. So I'm moving in 2016 to a blog style with a slightly different focus. If you want to follow along over at ourfiftytwo.weebly.com, you'll find me reflecting on God's Word through the scripture reading plan I've designed, though of course I won't be able to help also commenting on the ways He intersects with my ordinary life in the fifty-two weeks to come.

I spent some time today reading back over some of the early posts from this year. It encouraged me to see the things God brought us through since January. And with another January coming up in just a few days, I'm able to walk forward confidently, knowing He will surround our lives in the coming year as well.

Merry Christmas.

Happy New Year.

Happy Old Year.

Happy Many Years to all who trust in the sweet Name of our Lord.