The New Year

Ringing in the new year with friends and family, we kicked 2007 out the door and welcomed 2008 with all its opportunity and promise. As we toasted the new year, we anticipate a year full of health and edification, sanctification and a drawing closer to Christ.

This holiday season, it has been reinforced to me over and again the importance of loving relationships. These soul interactions lift life above the material. The difference between merely sucking oxygen and living is found in the connection with other sojourners.

This seeking for connection is part of our nature, because it is part of God's. He is the ultimate relational being.

So, as we begin 2008, let's contemplate the purpose of our existence and elevate the loving relationships in our lives to a higher level of priority.

Here are two ideas:

• Identify how your spouse/children/other family members experience love.
• Intentionally pursue tactics to serve. WARNING: This will probably not come naturally!
  
• Example: To one whose language includes "Acts of Service" the theoretical excuse, "I'm sorry, honey, I forgot", translated means "YOU'RE NOT IMPORTANT AND I HATE YOU!" (a little dramatic, but you get my point). So, this theoretical schmuck now places a priority on remembering -- post-it notes on the dash seem to help him -- theoretically.

So, this new new year, let's resolve to serve others well and thereby enrich our own lives in the process.