The “NOT” New Year’s List

Many years ago, I remember hearing that our long-time family friends Mary Jane and Terry Martin had a pretty interesting New Year’s tradition. I don’t know if they still do this, but how I remember it is that they used to sit down on New Year’s Eve, write out their individual predictions for what they thought the next year would hold for each of them, seal them up and save them for exchanging and reading until the following New Year’s Eve to see how close they had come … and then start all over again for the next year’s predictions.

I’ve always thought that it would be fun and interesting to do, but for whatever reason, just never did it.

As I take stock of these past 12 months, I can think of a LOT of things that would NOT have ended up on my prediction list for 2009 (had I actually sat down a wrote out a list on December 31, 2008). I would NOT have predicted…

… that I would resurrect my blog and actually post to it on a regular basis (68 including this one).
… that I would never once doubt or waver in my commitment to tithing … and then some.
… that the economy/labor market would still stink, leaving Edward still seeking employment.
… that the Lord would be so faithful in stretching our single income beyond what is actually possible.
… that I would like my new role, still like my company and really like my new boss.
… that I would help lead someone at work to Christ and that they and their children would be baptized!
… that GM would actually have to eliminate product lines like Pontiac just to survive this recession.
… that each of our family members would be serving in new ministry areas at church.
… that we would still be living in this aging townhouse.
… that the Pittsburgh Penguins would win the Stanley Cup against the Detroit Red Wings (and that we would enjoy game 7 from comfort of Pastor Roy's family room!)
… that my mom would go to a Women of Faith Conference with me … and actually ask to go again next year.
… that my best friend would get laid off from a job she’s had forever (but would find an even better job in a matter of weeks).
… that the snow storm of the century (22 inches) would start on my birthday.
… that a routine annual checkup would turn into a cancer diagnosis and the first of two surgeries on my husband’s birthday.

The list could probably go on and on which tells me it’s probably a wasted effort to try and predict the future. No matter how well you plan and no matter how much you think you know, God’s the only one who’s got a shot at penning that list. And as much as I’d love to rip His list open on January 2nd to see what this next year will hold, I know he’ll only let me see it one line at a time … and I’m okay with that.