::2010, Sisterly Love, and Matthew 13::

Well here I am.  It's 11:30 on January 1st...yawn.  Wanted to post a few pics from an incredibly fun photo-shoot with my sisters a few days ago.  Em, Livia and I had a blast together!!  Should be posting more on my photography blog in the coming weeks.



I was up very late (or early :) new year's eve.  Played games with some wonderful church friends until the wee hours of the morning, and beyond.  During that time I discovered that Last Word is not my strongest game, I can play ping-pong at 3:45 in the morning (though not really well), I LOVE white cheddar Cheeze-Its, Brazilian Uno can be rather violent, and my laugh lines are deeper now.  :)  Didn't go to bed till 7:45 this morning, woke up at 4 this afternoon.

When I got up this afternoon, my mind moved to the generic new year question:
So...are you making any resolutions?

Let me tell you, I've been thinking about that all day.  I've laughed off the idea several years in a row; haven't really thought anything of it.  But today, this year...I did.

Should I give up unhealthy foods?  Cut down on movies?  Do I need to exercise?  Focus hard on my photography?  Practice fiddling more regularly?  Resolve to keep my room in better order?  Clear out unnecessary clutter?  Work harder to help my family around the house?
To all these things I could only answer...yes.
As I continued to ponder the ever-growing list of "resolutions", I realized something.
Though all these things are good and honorable in their own right, they are only the surface.
I need to dig deeper.



I read this short passage several weeks ago:
Matthew 13:1-9
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.
And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.
And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.
Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil,
but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.
Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.  
Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
He who has ears, let him hear.
(italics mine)

I am a sinner, saved by Christ's grace.  The Lord was kind and sowed seeds of salvation in my life.
He prepared my heart to receive this wonderful gift, made it into "good soil".  Praise His name!!
In regards to New Year's Resolutions though, I was reminded of this phrase:
and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
This should mean something to me as a Christian.  It's truly amazing that the Lord saved me.  I feel gratefulness for that every day.
But am I showing fruit?  What kind of planting of the Lord (Is. 61:3) am I?  Do I bear a hundred, sixty, or thirty fold?
Honestly, sometimes I don't even feel like I'm at five fold much less thirty.  But I want so badly to be at a hundred!!



I'm grateful that Jesus didn't give us all ONE number to shoot for.  We're not all alike, and each life has its own set of circumstances.  No matter our differences though, we are to bear fruit.


In short, my New Year's resolution is this: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
(Read my Bible often, spend time in prayer throughout my days, joyfully participate in family and church life, tell others of my gratefulness to God, praise Him in all areas of life, set a good example for my younger sisters, etc.)



It is my prayer that in doing these things I will magnify the Lord and show Him to others.   Ministering to my family, that first great mission field.  That I may be called the planting of the Lord, bearing fruit in His name.  Perhaps producing as much as thirty, sixty, or even one hundred fold.

A very resolved young woman,
~Anna