Recipe for the New Year

Take twelve beautiful, full-grown months;
see that they are thoroughly cleaned from....any and old transgressions of ~
bitterness,
strife,
malice,
rancor,
hate,
jealousy
Scrub them completely from any clinging impurities of....
spite,
picking off all specks of ....
pettiness
foolishness
empty conceit
idols
self

....in order that these months ahead are unhindered from the past, so that they are as FRESH and CLEAN as when they came from HEAVEN'S great "PANTRY of TIME.

Cut these months into batches of thirty or thirty-one equal parts (February, accordingly.)

Do not attempt to lump the batches together, but prepare one day at a time, as follows:

One part QUIET TIME with the Lord (preferably in the morning)
One part READING of GOD'S WORD (preferably in the morning)
One part LISTENING for GOD'S DIRECTION (preferably in the morning)
All parts PRAYER
All parts OBEDIENCE
All parts LOVE
ALL parts FAITH
ALL parts HOPE
ALL parts HUMILITY
ALL parts PATIENCE
ALL parts KINDNESS
ALL parts GOODNESS
ALL parts GENTLENESS
ALL parts SELF-CONTROL
ALL parts FORBEARANCE
ALL parts REJOICING
ALL parts THANKSGIVING

Next, spice up this recipe with wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and compassion. Dollop in a teaspoon of whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellence, and praise. A dash of laughter, a pinch of fun, a sprinkling of friends, and a smidgen of tears and silence are important additions.



Stir vigorously with Jesus' forgiveness, freedom,
joy, peace, comfort, mercy and grace.

Place in a bowl of GOD'S FULL ARMOR, and bake continually with PRAYER.

.

Serve with a warm portion of gratitude and a wonderful over-flowing cup of GOD'S GLORY for the year ahead, and may His favor flavor your every day with blessings beyond measure.






(I adapted this from a devotional
I read 1-2-10 by Harold M. Smythe)