As I gaze at the cascading fields of golden corn stubble on this quiet, misty farm morning, I think about how life is fluid. You can remain in a space for a time…but you can’t grip the things you love and hold on to them forever. They move. We move. Life changes and God calls us to focus only on Him.

Reflecting on this year, I must say my biggest tribute to my Heavenly Father has been to love the folks He’s set before me…not to grip them in selfish hands, but to love them and let them go.

Sometimes, letting go means allowing others to hurt a bit…to struggle…to figure things out. And, that’s OK. Isn’t that what God does with us? We must walk this journey in a world that sometimes hurts and changes just as soon as we think we have it figured out…But God remains constant. We’ve got to remember that.

I’ve struggled mightily this year. I admit it. But God has provided people to help and guide and listen and give me the glorious gift of patience and grace. And, for this, I am very very grateful.

Grace is the greatest gift we can give...and I intend to give it often in 2020. It’s on my reminder list. I’m 63 now and I need to write things down, so today, my friends, I share my four reminders for 2020:

1. Give grace

2. Be patient

3. Give thanks

4. Be present

Give Grace: Grace is getting what you don’t deserve. Think about it. God didn’t wait for us to clean up our act before He climbed into human clothes and came to save us. Wowsers. I need to try to be like Jesus. I need to forgive, let go, meet people where they are….and give grace.

“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.” – Ephesians 4: 7-16

Be Patient: People will never ever be perfect. I must stop expecting folks to meet unattainable standards. By the way, you and I are also not perfect. We should stop beating ourselves up for not meeting our own unattainable standards.

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant.” -1 Corin 13:4

Give Thanks: stop straining and regretting. We need to be grateful for where we are and WHO we have in our lives. Gratitude trumps anxiety every time. Let’s practice finding at least three things to be grateful for every day.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” – Phil 4:6

Be present: Stop looking back. Stop worrying about the future. God has placed someone in front of us. Right now. In this place. Doing God’s work is not rocket science. -Let’s avoid distractions and be available to give help when God places someone in our path.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” – Matt. 6:34

So…There are my reminders for success (in God’s eyes) in 2020. Gotta post em on my refrigerator or I’ll forget! 

Happy New Year!