A New Year

 I'm all about the New Year's Resolutions. I like to stop and reflect at the end of each year and think about how I've changed and grown. I also like to be intentional about the upcoming year. A mentor of mine in college (my beloved RD, Koby) always talked to us about being intentional as we ministered to the women of Glide-Crawford. Being intentional is a life lesson that has stayed with me all these years since college. I think it's important to think about who I want to be and to take steps to get there. I don't want to turn around one day and wonder how I've become someone I never thought I'd be. 

Here is what I am not good at: giving stuff up. I have failed during many lents at the sacrifices I've told myself I would make. D. decided he would give up soft drinks for 2008, and he actually did it. I think he had a soft drink twice. Once, he had the stomach virus and he drank some Sprite. Once, he got a root beer float at Sonic without thinking. He is very disciplined. I am not so disciplined. 

So this year, I've decided that instead of giving something up, I want to add something to my life. I want to add more liturgy. That might sound a little strange, but it's something I've been thinking about for a while.  One of my favorite authors, Henri Nouwen, wrote these words: "It is not easy for us to truly believe... but every little gesture of trust will bring us closer to [the] truth" (Bread for the Journey). I think practicing liturgy is a way for us to make little gestures of trust. Sometimes the truths of scripture are hard for us to believe. We live in a world that sends us so many messages about who we are and about who God is that we are inundated from all sides. But when we speak the words of scripture or recite prayers that other believers have recited for hundred of years before us, we're making little steps toward allowing the truth to sink down deep into our hearts. 

So here are the practices we're going to engage in as a family: 

*Each day at breakfast and dinner, we are going to recite a scripture together. Something simple enough that Isaiah can remember it. We want to find a scripture that fits in with the part of the story the church is celebrating at this time. Right now, our scripture is "For unto us a child is born." Isaiah's got it. (Well, he says "a child is born.")

*I am making a book for Isaiah that talks about his belovedness in Christ. I am using the words to The Litany of the Person, which I will list below. I want Isaiah to know that he is deeply loved so very much. And the truth is, that when D. and I read this book to him, we can be reminded of our own belovedness as well. 

*Finally, and this was D.'s idea, we are choosing to sing a special song or hymn to Isaiah each night that fits in with the season of the church year. We sang "Silent Night" during advent, and now that we are celebrating Christmastide, we sing "Go Tell it on the Mountain." 

You get the idea. These steps are simple. They will take about 1 minute of my time each day, but the impact can be huge. 

A LITANY of the PERSON 

image of God

born of God's breath

vessel of divine Love

after his likeness

dwelling of God

capacity for the infinite

eternally known

chosen of God

home of Infinite Majesty

abiding in the Son

called from eternity

life in the Lord

temple of the Holy Spirit

branch of Christ

receptacle of the Most High

wellspring of Living Water

heir of the kingdom

the glory of God

abode of the trinity. 

God sings this litany 

eternally in His word. 

This is who you are.