Dear Friends,
I hope you all had a very blessed, peaceful and Christ filled Christmas as
me and my family did.
As I was preparing this devot. I remember a New Year's Eve tradition from
when I was a child that I would like to share with you.
Early evening on New Years Eve we would go to spend the evening at the home
of a very Godly Christian family. We knew that we and the other Christian families who went to their home would have a fun family
time, yet without all the alcoholic drinking and ungodly carousing that other
homes would host.
We would have a meal and munch through the night. The kids would play hide
and go seek, indoor Capture the Flag (of sorts) watch Little House on the
Prairie and the adults would chat and catch up with other couples that they only
saw this one time a year.
A hour before midnight all the families would gather
in the living room to have a Yankee Swap. Everyone brought a gag gift,
sometimes a nice one would appear, to open and then you could trade for what
you really wanted to take home! It was so much fun for everyone! I think I
still have some of the artificial fruit from the fake fruit tree we seemed to
get stuck with! :)
Then 5 minutes before 12 we would gather on their wraparound porch with
pots and pans. But the very neatest 'noisemaker' of all was the host family's
Shofar (a ram's horn that the Jewish people would blow on special days, to warn
of attack from the enemy or as a signal during battle). We would count down
the seconds to midnight and the at 12 the man of the house would blow on the
shofar to welcome in the New Year. All the guest would then come into the
house and close the night, or should I say open the New Year, with a few minutes
of prayer.
The reason I share this is to encourage you to have a Godly 'family
friendly time' this New Year's Even and make the Lord the center of your and
your family's lives this New Year.
He has brought you through 2014 and will help you through another year.
Shouldn't we acknowledge the One who has sustained us all this time much less
given us the breathe to make it to another year?! "Oh that men would praise the
Lord for his
goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" (Ps.
107:8)
As I have reflected this Christmas and New Year on what my family has done in the past, I am thankful for how I was brought up. The end of Ps. 16:6 says, "yea, (Yes!) I have a goodly (beautiful, godly) heritage."
I pray that
my reflections of this season will inspire you to start similar traditions in
your own. Even if it is just you, or the kids are out of the house, start it
for you and as a way to honor the Lord, let your light shine for Him. (Mathew
5:14-16)
May the Lord bless you and your family with His peace, presence, joy in
living for Him, and good health this year. Happy New year from me and my family
to you and yours!
Devot.http://www.icr.org/article/remembering-god-our-help (Used by
permission. Taken from http://www.icr.org/)
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