I wish you could hear the birds outside my window just now. It’s early, early morning and they’re going crazy out there. God must have put something in them that feels this need to herald in the morning. It sounds like this loud, jubilant procession. It’s like they’re shouting, “Here comes the sun! Here comes the day! It’s heeeeeere! It’s heeeeeere!” Birds are very excited about new days apparently. I like that about them.

Speaking of new days, I’m embarking on a new day myself and a new year of life. Just celebrated a birthday. In the words of Elvis, “Thank you, thank you, thank you very much.” But seriously, I’m thankful for all the people that celebrated loud like the birds, heralding in all the new with me.

It’s really exciting to embark on a new year. I recently read about this guy who thought of each step he took as an adventure. He said, “The earth is my shoe. For most people, every step is the same. For me, it’s all new. One step is smooth. Another, pokey, another, rough… every step is an adventure.” I know exactly how he feels. I feel that way, too.

As I think about this new adventure, there’s some things I’d love to see. Or shall I say, there’s some things I’d like to be. Here’s to name a few.

I want to be more real. And by that, I mean in all my interactions with all the people that I find myself with, I want to be more honest, transparent, open. Like, no walls up. At all. Which is kind of risky, but very beautiful. I just wonder what would happen if I spoke more of my heart. And I do that a good deal now, but there’s a lot that I hold back out of fear. And I can’t help but wonder if living more with all the walls down would help me see other people’s hearts better. If it would help me feel a person’s heart easier. And there’s hardly anything in this world more lovely than to catch glimpses into someone’s heart. So, I want to do more of that. Which may require me being more brave. Less afraid. More real.

Also, I want to love my kids better. And by that, I mean I want to be less distracted with Facebook, and the internet machine in general, and pay more attention to them. Because they’re only little for such a little while and I’ve been given this incredible responsibility to help shape their little hearts. And I miss a lot of that opportunity when I’m busy on the computer. I think in 20 years when I look back on my life, I will not have wished I had known more of what such-and-such ate for dinner, or what sort of music so-n-so is listening to, but I will have wished that I had paid more attention to those little people God has given me. So, I’m gonna need some better boundaries in my life this year. And maybe some help from someone. Because truth is, I’m addicted. There, I said it. Now, where’s the class for that?

Also, I want to keep writing. Because it’s in my bones to write and words burn in me and I have to get them out. And in all the writing, I want to be more real, too. And less afraid. And just brave. Writing is this incredible avenue with which to learn and understand life and while doing so, to touch another person’s heart. And you already know how I feel about that.  But, when I write, I want to still live out. Like, I don’t want to scribble words down and think that I have arrived and forget how to actually live. The living part is the most important. So, I want to remember what’s most important.

And lastly, I want to fall more in love with my Maker. Because He astounds me. There is just no One like Him. And because of Him, this life is an adventure. Because I could learn about Him my whole life long and still not plummet the depths of who He is. And His love, oh, His love is absolutely remarkable. And so healing. The more I fall in love with Him, the more I feel and know His love. So, I plan to keep chasing after Him this year, knowing full well that all along, He’s the One chasing after me.

That’s all for now. Thank you for continuing on this adventure with me. You being in my life means so much. Way more than you know.