Passionate Homemaking

How can we begin this New Year off with renewed vision in our call­ing and also fresh thank­ful­ness at the prov­i­dences of God over this past year? I found an arti­cle by Doug Philipps to be of great encour­age­ment as we pre­pare for the New Year. He gave three impor­tant points, which I am rewrit­ing in con­densed form:

1. Chron­i­cle God’s Providence

Ask some of the fol­low­ing ques­tions as a family and record the events of this past year. I thought it would be neat to type these out and keep a note­book as each year goes by. I am going to include this in the photo album I am work­ing on to record the pic­tures and events of this past year. That way we can trea­sure the mem­o­ries we have made together. I am so quick to forget events, my memory is so poor, even at my age. Lord have mercy!

1. Where did I/we travel?
2. What were the titles and key texts of ser­mons I preached?
3. What books/articles did I write?
4. What sig­nif­i­cant house­hold projects did we accom­plish in 2007?
5. What were the most impor­tant meet­ings of the year?
6. What spe­cial friend­ships were made this year?
7. Which chil­dren lost teeth, and how many?
8. Who grew in phys­i­cal stature, and how much did they grow?
9. Who learned to read this year?
10. What diet and phys­i­cal exer­cise reg­i­men did I main­tain to honor “my temple”?
11. What books did I read? Did we read as a family? Did my chil­dren read?
12. What Scrip­tures did my family memorize?
13. What loved ones died this year?
14. What were the great personal/ministry/national tragedies and losses of the year?
15. What were the great personal/ministry/national bless­ings of the year?
16. What were my most sig­nif­i­cant failures/sins for the year 2007?
17. What unre­solved conflicts/issues am I bring­ing into 2008?
18. What sig­nif­i­cant spir­i­tual and prac­ti­cal vic­to­ries did I experience?
19. In what tan­gi­ble ways did I com­mu­ni­cate grat­i­tude to those who have blessed me and invested in my life?
20. What are the top ten themes of 2007 for my family?

2. Say Thank You to those who have invested in your life

He con­tin­ues by encour­ag­ing us to make a list of people who have impacted to your life in the past and this year. Those who have invested, taught, encour­aged, dis­ci­pled you. Write a brief and mean­ing­ful letter to each of them. Incor­po­rate your chil­dren in this as well. Ask them if there is anyone spe­cific they wish to say thanks to. What a won­der­ful way to encour­age those around us and to express our full appre­ci­a­tion for all the bless­ings the Lord has bestowed on us through others this year!

He concludes:

One last thought: One reason why Chris­tians are often lim­ited in vision, energy, and bless­ings is that, con­trary to the Lord’s com­mand, we are ungrate­ful, unfor­giv­ing, and bitter. Far too many who pro­fess the name of Christ spend more time obsess­ing on those who have wronged them than rejoic­ing in those who have blessed them. Let­ters and tan­gi­ble expres­sions of grat­i­tude are not only pleas­ing to Christ, but an anti­dote to heart-​sickness.

To read the third point and the whole arti­cle, click here.

Happy New Year!