New Steps for a New Year

“Show me the way I should go for to you, I lift up my soul.”

Psalm 143:5 (NIV)

     Happy New Year!  I am a few days late with my January entry. I have been traveling. As the year drew to a close, it seemed that everywhere I looked or listened, the word “resolutions” popped up. Resolutions ranged from weight loss, financial stewardship, exercise, learning a new skill, taking a class or a myriad of goals that revolved around doing something new or changing a part of one’s life.

     Yesterday, our pastor encouraged us to read the Bible through in a year as one of our new year’s resolutions. My friend Beth posted the same challenge on Facebook a few days earlier.  While spending Christmas vacation with my daughter Heather, she told me that she is memorizing scripture in 2011. She has her blank cards ready to be filled with two scriptures a month that represent what she believes God wants her to know and “hide in her heart.” My youngest daughter Kate wants to begin a Bible study.  My husband began reading the Bible through in a year. The conclusion I drew from each of these goals is that they fulfill the verse above. Every one of them, if pursued during the course of the year, will yield wisdom, encouragement, conviction, promise, and change us as we lift up our souls to know God more intimately and fulfill our life purposes as He had planned out for us.

    What about you?  Learning new things and making practical life changes to become our personal best are great goals, but do your resolutions also include developing more intimacy with God so that you know the “way you should go”?  I’ve included a number of resources to help you get started. If you search the internet, you will find others.

http://www.ewordtoday.com/year/

http://www.focusonlinecommunities.com/blogs/Finding_Home/2010/12/30/resolved

http://thebible.net/read/chron.pdf

http://blog.lproof.org/2010/12/siesta-scripture-memory-instructions.html

Write and let me know how what you’ve decided.

Blessings to you as you “go”!

Marilyn

Lasagna Soup

I enjoy looking through my daughter’s recipes when I visit. I always pick up some new ideas. This one seems perfect for a winter supper and sounds like a real comfort food.

Brown 1 lb ground beef and drain.

In a stock pot add:

Ground beef

2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 14.5 oz can beef broth

1/12 cups water

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. dried basil

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp salt

1 tsp. dried thyme

Bring to a boil. Add 2 cups rotini pasta. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese. Garnish each bowl with finely shredded mozzarella cheese (Total 1 ½ cup for recipe.)  Serves 6-8.