4 days into 2017... How are those resolutions going?

There is something about the start of a new year that gives us courage to say this time will be different. All of us go there at some stage. If you don't believe me, just read your Facebook / Twitter feed on Old Years Eve.

This year I going to ...

get into shape

get out of debt

finish that novel

spend more time with my kids

get organised 

quit being negative

be happy

bath the dog at least twice a month

Sound familiar? So we leap from one year to the next, hoping for change. Some manage to stick to it and if you're one of those, you have my undying admiration! For me, none of it has ever stuck and I think I've figured out why.

Resolutions (goals, if you will) are decisions we make and attempt to see through in our own strength. This can be a set up for failure. Consider this:

• Most new years resolutions are made during the December holidays. You're on holiday. You're going to bed when you feel like it and waking up without your alarm clock. You have time to think and reassess. The pace of life is different, less rushed. The demands of normal life have been shoved into a cupboard with duct tape over their mouths.

• We make resolutions and stick to them by the sheer force of our will. For some of us, this backfires spectacularly. I've discovered that my won't power, is far stronger than my will power. The moment I eyeball myself in the mirror and declare I will stop eating chocolate this year, without fail, the rebel in me rises up with a smirk and says Oh, really? 

• We don't live in a vacuum. We are surrounded by family and circumstances who aren't bothered in the slightest about our resolutions and for the most part won't help us keep them. Trust me, I have two teenagers and one pre-teen. Seldom are my tidy plans and their social lives in sync.

But there is hope for those of us who long for change, and it's to be found at the feet of Jesus. We don't need another set of resolutions, those impossible lines that one can neither limbo under or vault over. 

What we need is vision. God-inspired, God-breathed, God-empowered vision. 

When you sit with Him and He says... Okay girl, how about we tackle this debt?. You're in a good place to start working on it because you are doing it hand-in-hand with the One who is able to do what you alone cannot.

Vision is seeing your life through His eyes and walking it into reality holding His hand. Not relying on yourself, but fully trusting Him and His ability to help you.

So I guess you could say I do have a new years resolution - no more resolutions!

Dianne J. Wilson writes novels from her hometown in East London, South Africa, where she lives with her husband and three daughters. She has just signed a three book contract for a YA series, Spirit Walker, with Pelican / Watershed.

Finding Mia is available from Amazon, Pelican / Harbourlight, Barnes & Noble and other bookstores.

Shackles is available as a free ebook from Amazon & Smashwords.

Find her on Facebook, Twitter and her sporadic blog Doodles.

2017: For “Auld Lang Syne”

Well, it’s time for “Auld Lang Syne” again. 2017 is here. And being back at work after Christmas this writer found herself listening to the song a couple of times this week. My favorite versions are from Colbie Caillat and Susan Boyle. 

Celebrating New Year's Eve in Vienna 2014

Listening got me thinking about this song so closely tied to New Year’s Eve – what’s it all about? Is it really about the new year and its wishes? Maybe you’ve wondered this yourself. And as writers we definitely can appreciate words that have been immortalized through all the world since the late 1700s. Here’s the scoop from an article by Richard Curland of the Norwich Historical Society.

“It all started as a Scot poem by Robert Burns in 1788. He once admitted he had heard the first verses from an old man and quickly wrote down the words. Later, it was set to a tune of a traditional folk song...The earliest beginnings of the three-word song title have been traced back to the 16th century. However, the meaning of the title is now very different. The original title laments the fickleness of those who would seek financial gain from it. Its use in current times is as a farewell or an ending to the old year at midnight… 

“The Scots’ title can be translated into English as ‘old long since’ or ‘long, long, ago.’ Some have it as ‘days gone by’ or even ‘just old times.’ Storyteller Matthew Fitt, in the Scots’ language, used the phrase, ‘in the days of auld lang syne’ as the equivalent of ‘once upon a time’ in his retelling of fairy tales. Cultural historians, in general, believe the tune used today may not be the same one used when the poem was first set to music. Singing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ on New Year’s Eve as a Scottish custom soon spread to other parts of the British Isles. Immigration spread the song around the world.

“More than a century later, composer George M. Cohan quoted the first line of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ in the next to last line of the chorus in his song, ‘You’re a Grand Old Flag.’ Along with ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ the Scot song is sung in England at ‘The Last Night of The Proms’ although it is not printed on any programs at those events.

Celebrating New Year's Eve 2015 with my husband (20s style)

“Recordings of the song are plentiful. In 1960, singer Bobby Darin changed a few words and sang it on his Christmas album.’ The Beach Boys in 1964 sang it on their holiday album, and it was heard on Billy Joel’s live ‘2000 Years’ album. Mariah Carey’s 2010 album, ‘Merry Christmas II You’ included it, and Rod Stewart’s 2012 album, ‘Merry Christmas, Baby’ also presented the song prior to the holiday, along with many others.

“In our society, the song is often referred to as ‘the song that everybody sings but nobody knows.’ Music historians tell us the first mention Burns makes of the song is in a letter sent to a Mrs. Dunlop in December 1788. He wrote that ‘both the old song and the tune thrilled through my soul.’ The song has inspired a number of translations into foreign languages. It remains as a means of making a toast to old friendships. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it is the third most popular song in the English language. The first is ‘Happy Birthday To You’ followed by ‘For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow’ in second place.”

This post is from Historically Speaking, which appears on Sundays, and are short historical stories written by Richard Curland of the Norwich Historical Society in cooperation with society president Bill Champagne. Here’s the link.

Happy New Year to everyone wherever you are in the world!! Happy writing this year!! 

Morgan Tarpley

Morgan Tarpley is an award-winning newspaper reporter and photographer in Louisiana. She is also a historical novelist currently seeking representation. Besides writing and traveling to over a dozen countries, her interests include acting in her local theater, genealogy, photography, and singing. She resides in Louisiana with her husband. For more information about Morgan, connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Goodreads.

New Year, New Beginnings

Photo courtesy of Arvind Balaraman
/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I love the anticipation of what a new year may bring. There’s something about the change in year heralding something new, fresh and vibrant in one’s life. As I only read last night in RELEVANT magazine, the new year offers a "psychological reset button."

I make a point of taking some time out to reflect on the year past and what is ahead. I typically will set some goals across all aspects of my life. My wife and I will do likewise to ensure we understand hopes and dreams plus identify specific targets for such things as home improvements, holidays, leisure activities and such like.

Interestingly, I find as we set off into January and pick up where we left off before the holidays, some or even a lot of that new year ‘spring’ has departed. I get immersed in the stuff of life.

Big Change

But the first few months of this year will be very different from those of recent years. My wife and I are relocating from Sydney to Melbourne in the next few weeks. Fiona has taken up a new role with her employer that is best served from the Melbourne Head Office.

Never having done such I’m expecting it to be a fairly big change. With new home and new city come new perspectives. There’s an absolute thrilling aspect to discovering all the many “new” things: neighbours, friendships, churches, jobs, restaurants, dog walks, the list goes on.

Yes, there is the humdrum of the move: finding a house that will take us and our two pups, packing up, unpacking and so on.

Then there’s the sadness of what we leave behind. Two adult kids, to start with, leaving us as earlier than expected empty nesters.

Distraction

Big changes can sometimes consume us and take too great a place in our minds. I know whenever I’ve changed jobs or had other significant change I have often grappled with being overly absorbed in the “new”.

And it’s at those times I’ve often taken my eyes off the Lord. Especially if my normal routines have been impacted, for example, leaving home earlier in the morning. Times spent with the Lord become rushed and the “dark woods of self-fulfillment” begin to take on a greater presence providing us with nourishment for the new journey.

Adoration

This year amongst all the upheaval I’d like to be more intentional about keeping Jesus as the guest of honour in my heart so as to keep those dark woods from encroaching.

“Henri Nouwen once asked Mother Teresa for spiritual direction. Spend one hour each day in adoration of your Lord, she said, and never do anything you know is wrong. Follow this, and you’ll be fine.”¹

It struck me on reading that I don’t spend much time on adoring the Lord. I’d like to get better at it, if such is possible.

I love how Sara Hegarty describes it:

“Adoration is breathing deeply of who He is and exhaling purity. It’s training my mind and my heart to look up.”

Okay, so there’s training involved. I’m up for it. Maybe not an hour a day, but we’ll see. I’m not sure what that looks like other than meditating on the Psalms, but I sensed “ADORE” should be my Word for 2015.

I’ll report back during the year with my progress. Be delighted if you keep me accountable to that too.

Anyone else doing something “BIG” in 2015? Birthing something new?

What practical steps do you take in adoration of the Lord? I’d love some suggestions.

Wishing all of the ICFW tribe a blessed 2015.

Notes: 1. Desire by John Eldredge, Thomas Nelson, 2007.

Ian Acheson is an author and strategy consultant based in Northern Sydney. Ian's first novel of speculative fiction, Angelguard, is now available in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. You can find more about Angelguard at Ian's website, on his author Facebook page and Twitter

January Jitters!

I wonder if I’m the only author who feels a few butterflies in the tummy at this time of year. In one way, it’s a pleasant, exciting sensation to experience as I look ahead to what this year may hold for me in my writing and speaking. But in another way, it is also a little disquieting and uncomfortable.

You see, I’d much rather know right now whether the two books I recently submitted to different publishers will actually be accepted for publication—and if so, exactly when they will be released. I’d appreciate too knowing all the possible speaking engagements I may have in the coming year were confirmed and entered in my diary in black and white. And I’d be very relieved to have more opportunities to promote and sell my books and also to see more sales of my books through the bookstores.

Could it be that this uncertainly is felt by authors everywhere or is it more prevalent here in Australia? There are very few Christian publishers ‘Down Under’ and those that do exist are quite small, while some are also very new. And of those that have been around for a while, most of them do not publish fiction. As well, it seems to be a battle in our nation of just under twenty-three million people where only a small percentage attend church on a regular basis, for many of these publishers to make a decent profit or even to stay afloat. Then there is the added pressure of not knowing how the e-book market will affect hard copy book sales—and so the challenges roll on.

So what do I do as I face this new year of 2012? I can decide it’s all too hard and put my energies into something else. Or I can continue to persevere in my uncertain writing and speaking journey, remembering this is what I believe God has called me to do and trusting God will take care of me. This morning, I read some wonderful verses in Isaiah 26:

You will keep in perfect peace him [her] whose mind is steadfast, because he [she] trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal (v 3-4).

That is how I want to approach this year and all it may hold—grounded firmly on the Rock, with my heart perfectly at peace in God. And I know I need to wait for God’s leading and empowering in everything, determined to honour God in every aspect of my writing and speaking, as verse 8 of the same chapter reminds me to do:

Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.

 How amazing is God, to give me these verses just when I needed them to combat my ‘January jitters’! I know God has things in control and has my best interests at heart. And I know too that when the end of 2012 comes, just as in previous years, I will be able to look back and say, as Isaiah says in verse 12:

Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.

May you all step into 2012 will full confidence in God—may those ‘January jitters’ soon be a thing of the past!

Jo-Anne Berthelsen grew up in Brisbane and holds an Arts degree from Queensland University. She has also studied Education and Theology and has worked as a high school teacher and editor, as well as in local church ministry in Sydney. Jo-Anne loves communicating through both the written and spoken word and currently has four published novels – ‘Heléna’, ‘All the Days of My Life’, ‘Laura’, ‘Jenna’ and ‘Heléna’s Legacy’.  She is married to a retired minister and has three grown-up children and three grandchildren. For more information or to contact Jo-Anne, please visit her website, www.jo-anneberthelsen.com.