My New Year’s practice:

Studying the crossing of the Jordan part of the big story this week, reminded me to recall our own stories in times of thresholds or crossings in life, as a practice each year.

In this story, the waters roll back to the city of Adam (origin city-great symbol! Look all the way back to your origins when crossing into new chapters! For, He knit you in the womb and knows the whole story–ask Him to reveal your own story to you, especially in threshold moments!), and echo of the other side of the journey at the Red Sea. Made me think how at New Years it’s good to recall the story, looking for these, motifs and central symbols in our lives-the seams of our narratives.

I like to pick three symbols from my past year which felt true and came into better relief; and then consider how I can edit and refine them in collaboration with Him, this coming year! Helps me see the narrative thread in my life, and whom I’m given to love around me.

In this little moment of the Joshua story—love that the priest cross first and that there are symbolic rituals before the general body crosses over. Symbol precedes fuller incarnation. In the book at least, God seems to always symbolize Himself first, before fuller incarnation. What, is He an artist or something!

He saw and sees art in everything, including us! I like working on the symbols of life around New Years.

There is always this pattern of recalling, remembering the long story, before a new chapter is opened. List His wonders, as David is alway telling us. Remember all the grand instances of His faithfulness, and then half the Psalms go on to endlessly list them! Good reminder around New Years, to pause, selah, actively recall the wonders from your past year, and walk into the new in the hope which is stirred from that hindsight-view of faithfulness.

Find the narrative, be thankful for the editing, and see where the story leads next. Love doing that just around New Years each year. Honor the story which is being told through your life! And of course, The Story Teller, who is pronouncing His Poetry through us! Ephesians 2:10—that path prepared beforehand to be our way! We are His master stories! Love that truth. Life is a meaningful creative narrative! Good to recall the story around New Years in thanks!

Looking back isn’t nostalgia for the past, it’s being thankful and assured by the long story, it’s motifs symbols and themes.

This new years, I’m making art about the past two years, especially the parts where Light overtly broke through, and made me and those around me more themselves, better humans, and disco ball reflectors of His Love, in my case. Thankful to see so many glistenings and glimmers, flecks of obvious Presence which I’ve been graced with this past few years. God must like not just love me, the story tells me.

I’ll paint and write them out for my holiday! Bless your musings over your years and stories as well friends! And whatever rituals make you thankful for your life’s stories. Let’s keep being written, and recalling the lines between the lines in the tone of thanks. Joyous reflective New Years to you all friends!

So, here is my short New Year’s blessing on your stories friends–the stories we are, and are becoming! Thankful to be in the grand narrative with you all!