NEW YEAR --- can I start over?

Do you remember the times when you were a kid and things weren't going your way (especially if it was while you were learning the rules of a new game at recess) and you would look to the teacher with puppy-dog eyes and say "can I have a Do-Over please"?

There have been many, many twists and turns in the month of December 2008 for me and my family. So, here at the very beginning of 2009 I would like a Do-Over.


I'd like to just start fresh with a clean slate from square One.

IF it were possible this is what I'd do:
-- erase ALL of my email inbox right now without reading any of it. Just tell my friends to resend anything that is important.
-- take all the post-it stickies all over my desk office and spilling out into other areas of the home and miraculously have the info on them stored where it should be or thrown away!
-- have a very trusted friend come into my home and help me blast through the piles of receipts and papers and files and throw out all of it except the "important" (defined by taxes, medical, assets). Now that I think about it...it might take more like a group of friends... but they'd need to know what they're doing, 'cuz Lord Knows, I don't.
-- tear up my Social Security Card and recreate my identity. Start with fresh credit records, medical records and all the other "Past", so I could have it stop dragging me back into the past.

I really think it would be funny if someone stole MY identity... they wouldn't know what they were getting into. They certainly couldn't go out and ruin my credit... we don't use credit cards and there are so many medical bills that they would receive instant justice when all those bills came to them!

Do you remember that pop song [Talking Heads "Once In a Lifetime"] where the guy wakes up in Hollywood and he asks himself "Well... How did I get here? " Well, that is what is running through my mind right now. HOW did I get here? One major life twist after another. Especially as it pertains to health issues, my time up until now has been chaotic when it comes to keeping things filed away in an organizational manner. On top of that the papers just keep comin' in.

I don't really make a list of New Year's Resolutions because I know that it is beyond anything that I can do apart from God's power. Rather I do reflect and see where I can improve in the upcoming year. One of my top priorities for 2009... get out from under the paper mountain and stop some of the inflow of more paper... UNLESS or course it's the green variety with the numbers on it. Making money using my skills is also at the top of my list.

I'd say "wish me luck," but I really don't need that. However, if you want to pray for my discernment of doing that which is right and obedient as I learn to sort this all out... please do.