Thank God its 2009!

You may not be so excited but for me I personally couldn't wait for it to get here. I can't really say that the second that seperated last year from this year really makes any difference but for me it did. 2008 wasn't one of my greatest years. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the best, 2008 scored about a .o2 for me. Physicall, emotionally and just all around it wasn't that great.
But here we are with a brand new page to write on. I plan on being a lot more careful with what I draw and write on my New Year's page. I have adjusted my life emotionally and physically. Spiritually I am planning to and already reaching after Jesus more than ever before. Do I think it will be a perfect year if I do everythng perfect? No! Life will always have ups and downs, that's part of living. I do believe that if I plant better things in the soil of my life that I will get a better return. Its easier to handel the little bugs of life if you are reaping a better harvest. So I will plant some better seeds in life this year.

As I started my New Year devotions the following was in the front of my Devotion book, Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado.

For the next twelve months I will be exposed to the world’s demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose.

I Choose Love…
No occasion justifies hatred;
no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love.
Today I will love God and what God loves.

I Choose Joy…
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance.
I will refuse the temptation to be cynical…
the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see
people as anything less that human beings, created by God.
I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than
an opportunity to see God.

I Choose Peace…
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I Choose Patience…
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of
cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so.
Rather than complain that the wait is too long,
I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist
at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I Choose Kindness…
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone.
Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind,
for such is how God has treated me.

I Choose Goodness…
I will go without a dollar before
I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast,
I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I Choose Faithfulness…
Today I will keep my promises.
My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not
question my word. My wife will not question my love.
And my children will never fear that
their father will not come home.

I Choose Gentleness…
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle.
If I raise my voice may it be in praise.
If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer.
If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I Choose Self-Control…
I am a spiritual being…
After this body is dead, my spirit will soar.
I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal.
I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy.
I will be impassioned only by my faith.
I will be influenced only by God.
I will be taught by Christ.
I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my year. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek grace. And then, when a day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest. Galatians 5:22-23

I hoe you too will plant some better seed in life this year. The choice is your!