It has officially arrived–THE NEW YEAR 2023. Grandpa didn’t see it come into existence last night. I welcomed it this morning. There is so much to be thankful for as I have just finished my devotional time. 2022 has been a year of much change, joy and sadness. My biggest change has been moving out of education after 50 years and entering into an entirely new field called counseling. The joy has been much: our first grandchild getting engaged with a wedding planned for August this year, attending our oldest grandson’s graduation in Florida from Air Force EOC training, attending two grandkid’s high school graduations, and so much more. The sadness has been in the closing out of the year. We have lost my oldest living sister, a niece and a sister-in-law all in a month’s time. They are in heaven we know, but the loss of them here has been much.

In all of this I am learning to address each day as one would as a new creation. My goal for this year will be to only use Jesus Christ as my example for which to live. I’ve always thought I did this until the reality of living last year as a new creation began to show me all the lies I’ve been following as though they were truths. Living in the Light of Jesus provides not only clarity for living but a JOY that transcends sadness and a Light which consumes any and all darkness. Praise be to God our Father! HAPPY NEW YEAR!