Hau'oli Makahiki Hou

 That's "Happy New Year" in Hawaiian. :)

(No, we're not there ... yet.)

Happy New Year

May 2020 be a darned sight better than 2019...

Happy New Year!

May the Lord of Grace bless and keep you in all your ways, as you go about your lives in the coming year. May He protect you and provide for you, and may you be filled with His peace which passes all understanding.

Happy 2019!

Wildly Conflicting

... New Year's wishes. Please pick whichever one is more appropriate, with our blessings!

We But Turn Another Page

 

 

Unlike many, we don't put any great stock in observing New Year's Eve. Or New Year's Day, for that matter.

 

The ticking of a clock is continuous, given regular winding or changing of a battery. One second is much like the last, and it's unlikely that Eternity cares. Marking the passage of time is a popular habit, though, and I'm not belittling those who do so. To each, his or her own.

 

I personally get much more excited by the knowledge that with each passing moment, we're that much closer to Jesus' return, and that's something to REALLY celebrate!

 

 

But 2016 has not been a pleasant year, to hear most people tell it. Between terror attacks, a bitterly divisive election cycle, and everything else going on around the world, most are ready for the thing to end.

 

Personally, we had a very good year. We moved out of the big city and a deteriorating neighborhood, bought a home, replaced three vehicles, and our younger daughter escaped injury in a serious accident. I had a health scare which turned out to be nothing at all.

 

So we'll stay home, munch on some snacks, and watch a movie or two. And, if this year is like many previous Eves, we'll go to bed around the usual time. And probably be awakened briefly at midnight by fireworks.

 

But all in all, we've nothing to complain about. So to all of my readers, I say "Happy New Year!" in hopes that it will be, for each of you.

 

Thank you for stopping by, my friends. May God bless you all.

What a Week It's Been

It's been a week to remember: hurricane-force winds, temps 25 degrees above normal, what little snow we had is melted now, and a plane crashing into an office building in downtown. By the time the winds reached their peak, there were wide-spread power outages from north Anchorage all the way to Wasilla (some 45 miles as the eagle flies) from trees falling on trunk lines.

This morning it's in the low 30s F., with scattered light rain showers. That's still 15 degrees above normal. And that's just here, around Anchorage.

Freak snowstorms across the Lower 48, heat waves, tornadoes, massive flooding ... the list goes on and on.

But all this got me to thinking (a dangerous pastime, I know) about unusual weather patterns. In the Bible, the Lord has used freakish weather as a harbinger of sovereign acts wherein He took an active role in events.

At the risk of going out on a prophetic limb, I'm keeping an eye on politics and conflicts around the world. And especially on Israel, and the various Islamic threats to that nation.

I expect unprecedented and unusual signs and wonders in the next weeks, both around the world and in this country. Yes, I could be wrong ... but I don't think so.

It's all going according to the Book.

* * * * *

In the meantime, let me wish each of you a happy, safe, and prosperous new year!

Happy New Year

May hope, love, and warmth be in your heart's possessing,
and may the New Year bring you and yours many blessings.

May 2015 be better than you planned, 

and may the Lord hold you in the palm of His hand.

Happy New Year!

May 2013 bring unexpected joys and happiness to all of you, and may God bless you in all you do!

New Year's Day, 2012

It's six below zero, and what isn't covered with snow is coated with a fresh layer of hoar-frost, this morning. There are some snow showers around town, although it doesn't seem to be snowing here ... but that could change.

Note to folks back in Missouri: that whole "it's too cold to snow" meme that you hear repeated annually is ... let's say, untrue. It snows at -25 here, and colder; it's just that the flakes are tiny & you can barely see them swirling like tiny crystals in the air. But at the current temperature, it could still provide some accumulation.

We went out last night & stood in knee-deep snow for a couple of hours, watching a friend and his brothers set off some pretty decent fireworks. I took my camera, but forgot I had it until they were nearly done. Here's one shot of a couple of small rockets going up:

Anchorage has an ordinance stating that it's illegal to set off fireworks within 200 feet of a neighbor's residence - a rule which seems to be universally ignored. We didn't see or hear anything resembling a police response to any of the very large displays going off around town.

Y'all have a fantastic day, and may God bless and keep you throughout the coming year. Now I'm going to put on another pot of coffee, and we'll wait for sunrise. That's about 10:12 a.m. today. (See? the days really are getting longer...)

Contract Renewal for 2012

2012 Contract After serious and cautious consideration... Your contract of friendship has been renewed for the New Year of 2012. It wasn't a very hard decision to make ... So try not to screw it up!!! My Wish for You in 2012 May peace break into your home and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy May the problems you had, forget your home address! In simple words . May 2012 be the best year of your life!!!