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CTC Readers' Poll:
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"Do you and your family have any New Year’s traditions? Do you use this time to set new goals and evaluate your progress on old ones? What do you do to make the most of the fresh start the New Year provides?" |
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"About 10 years ago our
family started a New Year's tradition, the "Family Prayer
Time Capsule". On New Year's Eve the family gathers
and each person is given some paper (we usually use something
small like 3x5 cards). Each one writes down goals,
prayers, ideas, etc. of what they want for the new year. For
young children, this could be a drawn picture or a simple
sentence like "God, help me with my school work" to
more sophisticated goals for older children and parents. Even
though we do this as a family - sitting around the table or in
the living room - it is a private time for each person. If
several sheets are used, we stable them together and put the
family member's name on it, or as our son would do, fold
up and write, 'Do not open until 12/31/06'. Then all 'prayers'
are gathered together and we have a special small box we put it
in. Then we pack it away with Christmas things. Then the next
year on December 31, we get out the box and each person reads
his or her own prayer and shares anything they want from
that: things
that happened that they had hoped for or things that didn't turn
out the way they thought. And
then we do a new set of prayers for the year
ahead. This has been a neat activity that we and the children
still enjoy and we look forward to each year. We have kept
the old ones in an envelope and sometimes look back on them.
Sort of a history of the family." ~ Rachel
"I absolutely love January!
After the busyness of the holiday season, it's nice to have a
quiet month. Our family sets goals for the coming year - -
house projects to accomplish, books to read, personal goals, etc.
I also use the New Year to organize - - closets, drawers, tax
info, etc." ~ Anonymous
"My daughter-in-law and son
have started something new that we hope will become one of their
traditions. Both families are invited over for New Years Eve. We get
there in the afternoon and spend our time watching movies, eating,
playing games, more eating, etc. It is a lot of fun and a nice time
for us all to visit and catch up on each other's lives. I can't wait
until little ones join us and enjoy this time together as a family."
~ Sandy
"We have a simple New Year's
Eve. We go out to dinner early and then come home, light a
fire in the fireplace and watch It's a Wonderful Life. We're
in bed by 10 or 10:30. Why start out the New Year tired or hung
over?
We set realistic goals rather than make resolutions. Our main goal for 2007 is to weed out the house. We got a jump start on New Year's Day, weeding and organizing the attic. It felt good to put out a lot of garbage right away and we have dates by which we'd like to have certain sections of the task completed.
It's okay, too, to adjust your
goals depending upon circumstances and the flow of life." ~
Alene
"As I get older , my New
Year's goals have changed. In 2006, I came to the conclusion
that if I am not actively serving others on a regular basis, I
am missing out on the main reason Christ has me here! So,
besides my normal resolutions pertaining to health and
eliminating bad habits, I have determined to use one of my
spiritual gifts to bless others. I am a writer and an
encourager. Each month I will select at least 1 person whom I
will write to and encourage. They may or may not be Christians,
but I trust God to give me the words they need to read to show
them how they bless me and why they are vital in this world.
Whatever gift you have teaching, singing, artistry, finances,
listening, leading, supporting, etc., I hope you actively put
to use this year to advance the Glorious Kingdom that is our
true home!" ~ Jessica "One of the best things I do for the New Year is plan January's menus around what's already in the freezer and pantry. It's a great way to take stock of what we have, use it up before it goes bad, and save some money." ~ Homemaker in Edmonton, AB Editor's Note: Thanks to all these readers who took time to write! |
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