1/6 A New Day; A New Year

I love beginnings. It is so nice to have a fresh start. God must have known how we need beginnings and endings. January is a great beginning place for fresh starts. After journaling this morning and looking at a friend's blog, I just realize how thankful I am for the tapestry God creates in our lives and the lives of our kids. It becomes beautiful as He is the weaver. If we try to do it ourself, it is immature and sometimes ugly. At best, it looks good, but with His hand, He creates. He is Creator.

My friends from church adopted two children from Ethiopia a year ago. Over the past hour, I have been reading her blogs from the past year. It is so apparent to me how God uses people as they turn to Him and desire to glorify Him. He is glorified. With all the hurts that two little children in an orphanage endured, God has given them such joy. It is so obvious from the pictures. God also brought those two little ones into a saving knowledge of Him. Amazing how He works.

I look forward, Lord, to your tapestry this year. Weave your hand, and I will submit. More and more I see how foolish we are when we go our own way. How ugly things can get. How chaotic the threads can look, but really, how beautiful things can be. Worry, anxiety, panic, frustration... all of this is of our own weaving.

I am thankful that you said "Give us this day our daily bread." This day. And use us to help feed others.

You are good. Bless this day. Thank you for the gift of it. You are the Creator. Create this day as you will, God.


Psalm 14-16 (New International Version, ©2010)

Psalm 14
For the director of music. Of David.
1 The fool[a] says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.

2 The LORD looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God. 3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.

4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;
they never call on the LORD.
5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is their refuge.

7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Psalm 15
A psalm of David.
1 LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?

2 The one whose walk is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart;
3 whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others;
4 who despises a vile person
but honors those who fear the LORD;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
5 who lends money to the poor without interest;
who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

Whoever does these things
will never be shaken.

Psalm 16
A miktam[b] of David.
1 Keep me safe, my God,
for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing.” 3 I say of the holy people who are in the land,
“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
4 Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.
I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
or take up their names on my lips.

5 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful[c] one see decay.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.