Tuesday, January 5, 2016

A New Year


Well, I never did get any of those half-promised Christmas posts done.  I started a couple but they sort of stalled, and then before I knew it Christmas was over and it was too late.  Just my luck.  Why can't time keep pace with me?  Must it always rush ahead so?


Anyway, I now feel the need to write a New Years post as a means of starting things afresh.  However, I'm not quite sure how to write it.  I thought at first of doing the New Years tag which has been floating around lately, but I was having a hard time coming up with answers to all the questions, so I scratched that idea.  Then I thought about reviewing the past year, month by month, but that is sure to prove very dull indeed as there wasn't much change in my life from one month to another. 

Ah well.  I suppose I could simply say Happy New Year and be done with it. 

...That's lame. 

Think...think...think... 

Alright.  I've got it.  I'll just write a random jumble of stuff--events, thoughts, feelings, whatever--which will hopefully serve to give at least a small picture of what 2015 was like.  And I'll make it a quick one.  Because I seriously intend to beat the 2017 New Year...if I possibly can.  ;)

 
2015: Random Events in My Life
In no Particular Order 
 
~Looking for a job~  ~Weeping over the trials of life~  ~Staying up late; seizing those happy hours with my older set of siblings~  ~Missing my brother and sister away at school~  ~Watching far too many movies, but having a lot of fun doing it~  ~Going crazy (just about every other day)~  ~Finding a job~  ~Enduring it~  ~Relishing Tuesday evenings at my older brother and sister-in-law's home--where good conversation, an adorable nephew, a movie, and chocolate make for a grand evening of fun and relaxation~  ~Visiting relatives~  ~Crying over my inability to express myself in writing~  ~Wasting time on the internet~  ~Starting a blog (for some ridiculous reason)~  ~Writing voluminous e-mails to my brother at school~  ~Realizing that my family is in a continual season of change...children growing up and moving on and all that~  ~Trying to be okay with it~  ~Switching churches~  ~Driving separate cars to church instead of driving altogether in the fifteen passenger van!  (What are we coming to?)~ ~Saying good-bye to the dearest, most fun-loving, grandpa in the world--and yet, thankful to know that death isn't the end, but only the beginning, and that one day we will meet again~ 
 
 
 ~Spending delightful afternoons with my grandma--making Christmas cookies together being one of the happiest memories of the year~  ~Laughing uproariously (because some siblings are just too funny)~  ~Weeping~  ~Rejoicing~  ~Feeling frustrated over the state of our nation and the world in general~  ~Watching too many political debates and feeling frustrated all over again~  ~Discovering that pool--whether you're good at the game or not--is a wonderful means of letting off steam~  ~Having long discussions late into the night with my best friends (Ahem.  That would be my siblings)~  ~Weeping...again.  Because that's what Miss Marches do best~  ~Feeling blessed beyond measure to be surrounded by so many loving family members~ 

 
~Blown away by the strength my parents display, and their faithfulness to God's calling; also overwhelmingly grateful for their constant love and encouragement~  ~Realizing, as I have many times, that those years of learning an instrument were well worth it--being able to play the piano is such a blessing...and such a nice stress reliever, too.  (And, no.  I am not the kind of person who gets stressed easily.  What ever gave you that idea?)~  ~Making big plans for all the things I'm going to accomplish.  (It is the thought that counts, right?)~  ~Thankful for God and how He carries us through life's difficulties~  ~Amazed by how the joys of life can so overshadow the dark times that the dark times are barely remembered~  ~Learning to lean on God more and trust Him with my life~  ~Thankful for another year in which to grow and see God's hand at work~  ~Eagerly anticipating what that New Year will bring~
 
Yes, I know.  I kind of have a thing for cute animal pictures right now.  ;)

Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired.  His understanding is inscrutable.  He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power.  Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait  for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. 
~Isaiah 40:28-31
 
"But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend, you whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its remotest parts and said to you, 'You are my servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you.  Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.'" 
~Isaiah 41:8-10
 
 
Happy New Year!
 
 
~Miss March

21 comments:

  1. You started a blog for a GOOD reason, and you better keep it up or I shall be Most Seriously DISpleased *menacing look*

    This was a beautiful post, Miss March! I am so sorry about your grandfather. Thank you for the verses at the end of the post; they are so encouraging <3

    Prayers and blessings, my dear friend! Here's to 2016 :)

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    1. Oh, Olivia! Thank you!! Never has a menacing look been so kind and encouraging. ;) I'm so glad you don't want me to give up blogging. That means a lot to me.

      Oh, you're welcome! I'm glad the verses were encouraging to you!

      Just a big THANK YOU for your entire comment! It made me very happy! :)

      Prayers and blessings to you, too, dear friend! :)

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  2. LOVED reading through your list of things-you-did. :-)

    I myself weep a lot too - I'm a disastrously emotional creature when it comes to imagining stuff; and books and movies; and fictional characters, to start with. I find myself being quite the dramatic Marianne Dashwood sometimes; seriously. :-P

    I'm so sorry your Grandfather died! That must have been so sad. :-(

    "Laughing uproariously (because some siblings are just too funny)" I KNOW. Big families are the best for laughing. :-D I have several brothers who, in my opinion, could pass for clowns.

    ~ Naomi

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    1. Aww, thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)

      Oh, I know! I don't consider myself a super emotional person in general but when circumstances are right I can really go at it. And it is rather a good feeling to cry sometimes, isn't it?

      Thank you, Naomi. Yes, it was sad, but he was SO ready to go home. And that helped a lot just to know that he was happy!

      Aren't they, though? I'm so glad I'm part of a big family! So many good memories!

      ~Miss March

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  3. Well, it sounds like you did have a lot of things going on in 2015. :) I'm so sorry your grandpa died, though. I don't have any grandparents on my dad's side because they had passed away years before I was born, but we're blessed to have our grandparents from my mum's side live only 5 minutes or so away. :)
    I hope this year will be a much more joyful and adventurous year for you, and for me! :) I have a feeling that 2016 is going to be a fantastic year. :D I can just FEEL it.
    Have a wonderful day!!
    ~Miss Meg

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    1. Thank you, Miss Meg. :)

      That's so neat that your grandparents live so close to you. My mom's parents live quite a ways away, so we don't see them very often, but we live within 15 minutes of my dad's parents, and have seen them just about every week since we moved back to the area thirteen years ago. I'm so thankful for all that time we had with them. And I'm especially grateful to be nearby now that my grandma is alone, because it's so nice to be able to spend time with her.

      You know, I feel like 2016 is going to be a great year, too! I don't know why, but I feel rather excited about it! :D

      Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Miss Meg! I hope you have a wonderful day, too! :)

      ~Miss March

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  4. Well, I for one liked your random jumble of 2015 events.
    I'm sorry to hear about your grandpa. Losing grandparent, anybody close to you, is hard. :(
    You're a pool player, huh. I'm not. Hahaha. I've tried but I just can't get the hang of it.
    I wish I could play the piano!
    I'm eagerly anticipating the New Year too!
    I'm glad to have met you last year, Miss March!
    Have a fantabulous (oh, my stars...that's actually a word! Ha!), 2016!
    ~Cordy

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    1. Thank you, Cordy! You're such a sweet friend. I'm glad to have met you, too! :)

      ~Miss March

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  5. I'm sitting in the same boat, Miss March. There are so many "Christmas posts" I wanted to write that I never got around to. At any rate, I'm glad you're back to blogging. I look forward to reading more of your posts! :)

    Aw, I'm so glad you relished Tuesday nights! That makes me so happy! I love it when you guys come over. :)

    Just for the record, I have also been "blown away" by your parents' strength and faithfulness (and you can tell them I said so! :)).

    It sounds like 2015 was a very full year with lots of stretchings and growings. Did you read "Hind's Feet in High Places," that book N. gave me? It sounds like you walked parts of that same journey this past year (and me too). Sorrow and Suffering are necessary companions, but they lead us (eventually!) to great joy in Christ.

    I'm also looking forward to what the new year will bring. And I'm so glad we're part of the same family now. You're a pretty awesome sister. :)

    Happy 2016!

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    1. Oh, yes! Tuesday nights! I love Tuesday nights! Why when we first started coming over I practically LIVED for that evening. :) I'm so glad you enjoy having us over because I would have a very hard time giving that up.

      No, I've never read "Hind's Feet on High Places." (Wait! Did you already read it? Wow! You didn't waste any time. N. only gave it to you a couple days ago!) That is so true, though. There's a lot of good that comes out of suffering. There really is.

      Me, too! (About us being part of the same family...) Really, Crista, I can't tell you how happy and thankful I am to have you as my sister (and friend)! You're the best sister-in-law imaginable! Seriously! I'm so grateful to have you in my life!

      Love you! :)

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  6. What a lovely post to say goodbye to the old year! I'm sorry to hear that your grandpa died. That must have been sad. But it's good that you can spend time with your grandma. We don't live near our grandparents. They're like 20 hours or so away by car - a two day trip if you drive 10 hours a day. (Which isn't easy :P)

    Oh, I know. Aren't siblings the bestest? They always can find something hilarious to say, even in the most gloomy and depressing moments. Where would we be without them?!!

    I'm glad to have met you this year! I've enjoyed getting to know you :) Happy New Year!! *cheers and throws around confetti*

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    1. Oh, that is a long trip. My mom's parents live about twelve hours away, so we don't get to see them very often, but when we do we can do the trip in a day. Two 10 hour days would be a lot more difficult.

      Yes. I'm SO grateful for all my siblings! We help each other in so many ways. Life would be horribly boring without siblings.

      Aww, thank you. I'm so glad I met you, too! :)

      ~Miss March

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  7. Hahaha, I knnoow. I didn't complete all my Christmas posts either. :/

    I wanted to do the New Year's tag too, but I forgot about it until after New Year's and now....it'd be kind of lame to do it this far into January but I still might. Maybe.

    Probably not. haha

    Wow, it seems like you've had a full year-sadness and happiness combined. :') But then, aren't all years usually bittersweet to some extent? I'm sorry that your grandpa died this year! That must have been really hard. :(

    Ohh, I love the two verses you included! Those are very, very good ones.

    Well, you may think starting a blog was ridiculous, but I for one am VERY happy that you did so. I'll be praying for you during the coming year. :) I hope 2016 is really splendid for you and your family!!

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    1. Haha. You, too? Ah well. Perhaps that's just a part of blogging--never getting all the posts done that you want to get done. I'll just have to learn to accept it and not stress out about it. ;)

      Yes, I'm sure you're right. Every year has its mix of happiness and sadness. It's really hard to divide those two things.

      Thank you, Natalie, for your sweet comment. You're always so encouraging. :) And I do hope 2016 proves to be a really good year for you and your family, as well!

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    2. Miss March,
      Heehee, I think it is, unfortunately. :/ I have post drafts from MONTHS ago. Yes. I'm rather terrible. :P haha

      Awww! That made me so happy that you think I'm encouraging! Thank you!! :D

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  8. I forgot to mention....your new header and design is LOVELY!

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    1. Thank you, Natalie! I'm so glad you like it! :)

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  9. Your new header is gorgeous!!! I wuvs it so much :)

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  10. Is that a new header I spot? It's so pretty!!
    I loved your random summary of 2015 - it is all the little moments and not just the big that truly describe our lives.
    (I really meant to comment earlier than this. When I read your post at first I made a mental comment and then forgot to make a real one. It's something I do a lot.)
    By the way, I, for one, is really glad you started a blog!

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    1. Yes, I thought I'd better change it since Christmas is now well behind us. Thank you! I'm glad you think so. :)

      No worries. I've been behind on comments, too. And oh, yes! I can see how that could happen. There are so many posts it's hard to remember which ones you've actually commented on and which ones you've only planned to comment on. :)

      Awwww. Thank you. That is so encouraging to hear. :)

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