“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Christmas decorations are packed away and a new calendar is hung with care. Now, I’m free to release the reservoir of thoughts I have for the coming year. Welcoming abstract ideals into my concrete world brings a fresh approach to daily living – especially this time of year.
New beginnings are coming for our family in small ways and large. Fresh starts and new mercies await us in the year ahead.
Redemption’s Call
My part is to extract what is most precious from the busy work of life’s demands. My motive? To redeem our home and family life from unwelcome chaos and debris that has attached itself to our culture through the months. I delight in restoring our home to a place of unity in purpose and heart.
To silence the clamor and make room for delicacies is what makes family life an art form.
I pass on redemption’s call to my family by revisiting dreams together, making lists, revamping the school calendar, exploring food ideas and more. The New Year’s familiar ritual of reordering our home life has begun. This is a process not an event. We grow into the new season brimming with ideas. Like a waltz we let loose of the hand from yesterday and take hold of the one waiting for us tomorrow.
The song of redemption plays out in my soul. As moms we hear it from afar. But execution of new plans depends on my perspective and attitude.
When I recognize redemption as an upward call I can herald its chorus in grace to those within our home. Order is not our destination but the method of maintaining life around us. We grow to enjoy building for the future and learn with each New Year.
If I hear the Lord’s promptings as a wake-up call, an alarm to which I’ve overslept – I tend to pressure those under my care for a redo. Implicating we’re late before we begin. This race to success is cloaked in that awful feeling of no matter what we do – it won’t be enough. When I succumb to this illusion, I put more pressure on my family than God has required of me. Without proper care, ideals can transform into legalities and hearts grow cold.
To smile at the future requires trust in the nature of our God alongside household planning – faith and works. Life spills into the abyss if not bordered with relationships and purpose.
To redeem means, “to buy back, to win back, to free from what distresses or harms – to ransom” Merriam Webster
Let’s embrace redemption’s call as we execute our plans and dreams for the 2013 with grace and truth.
Happy New Year!
About Debi Chapman
This is beautiful and spoke right to my heart! Thank you for sharing this beautiful testimony of a trusting journey. Trust and Joy are my words this year. I am trying to embrace them both and to see the whole of life and family as a journey. Sometimes I get caught up in the ideal and the goal, and forget the journey. Your words are a balm and a directive for me.
Hi Heather -
Thanks for your kind words. We ALL need perspective and a reminder. Trust and Joy are just we need as moms. It’s so nice to know we’re not alone, huh? All of heaven is on your side.
Bless you -
Wow Debi!!! Your words are as poignant as ever… The sentence … Life spills into the abyss if not bordered with relationships and purpose. Jumped out at me .. What is this life if we live it without relationships and purpose? Well it certainly would not be any fun that’s for sure! Thank you for reminding me of what really is imprtant!
Dreams becoming reality
……thank you Debi for sharing this call….this heart message for mothers of all ages.
redeeming my home tonight, sweet Debi. Beautiful words!
redeeming my home tonight, sweet Debi. Beautiful words!
Directionally life-giving as usual. Thank you for sounding the upward call.
Dearest Debbie,
Rose and I celebrated 40 years of Christian marriage yesterday. After a wonderful luncheon with over 100 beloved guests, we traveled with our adult children to a family dinner at a restaurant. While we were there, our daughter, Catherine asked for reflections about a successful marriage. We shared with them the need to have an ongoing ‘redemption/renewal’ of their view of their spouse as their sweetheart. Too few couples continue to woo/date/cherish their spouse. I told the son’s in law, “When you stop opening the door for your wife, you start to slip in lots of other areas of your loving relationship.’ Thanks for your beautiful articulate writing. Rose and I love you very much! Rick