The past few years, I’ve done a short recap at the end of each month. I read through my journal entries and go over the calendar. Then I make a short bullet point list of the highlights as well as the challenges. At the end of the year, I sit PB down and read off the events of the past twelve months. It’s a good way to look back on what life brought our way—joys, struggles, answers to prayer, areas of growth. Did I learn anything in January? Here’s another list.

1. One of my goals for 2024 is to build a good home library, so I spent a few days sorting, culling out, and re-arranging. The books on marriage and parenting got the boot, along with fluffy fiction and twaddle. (Twaddle = nonsense, foolish, insignificant or trivial.) I went to a library book sale and bought a classic for $1. I’m on my way.

2. What happens when you rent a lock-box at a bank and you lose both keys? You have to swallow your pride, confess, and pay big bucks to have someone come to drill out the lock. This is especially painful for someone who thinks she is quite organized. The marriage certificate, birth certificates and treasured hand-written letters are safe (I hope) at home in our little safe that will be forever left unlocked.

3. It seems our extended families are at the point where we gather mostly at funerals. While these are sad events, they are also mixed with the joy of being with loved ones we don’t see often. We had a lovely time visiting with our niece and nephew at their grandmother’s memorial service luncheon. These two kids surprised us by being all grown up. We probably surprised them by being older and gray-haired. PB and I refrained from saying, “I changed your diapers once.” At least I did.

4. Winter is different this year. Two snowstorms and long strings of cloudy days don’t seem to be bothering me or dragging down my mood. I can honestly say I’m enjoying winter more this year, maybe because I don’t have to go places very often. I’m quite content being cozy with some books and a cup of tea. I’d make a good monk. PB needs a little more excitement, so he goes to Menards a few times a week.

5. A friend celebrated her birthday this month and instead of just wishing her a happy birthday, I asked her to pass on to her parents my heart-felt thanks for giving her life and raising her to be such a wonderful human. Wouldn’t that be a nice birthday custom? I wouldn’t mind getting a card on my kids’ birthdays saying, “Good job with that one!”

6. I’ve had a fountain pen in my drawer for a few years. I decided it was time to be like Jo March and get some ink on my fingers. After writing a few lines in my journal with the beautiful pen, I snapped the cap on and put it back. It’s un-erasable, a tough hurdle for this perfectionist. Sometimes I write a word and think, “My goodness, that’s ugly” and go back, erase the word, and make it beautiful. I do love the feel of that pen in my hand, though, and there is delight in the scritch-scratch of nib on paper. I will use it for a one-sentence summary of each day in a smaller notebook. And hopefully, get a little ink on my fingertips.

7. I’m learning a TON listening to The Bible Project’s year-long series on “The Sermon on the Mount.” I’m reveling in how the sermon is broken into three parts: the intro, the body and the conclusion. And how each of the three parts is broken down into three parts. And how those three parts have three parts. It makes for a lovely color-coded chart. Trying to take in all the goodness in this extended study reminds me of a poet’s words, “Tell it to me, tell it to me, all of it! I guzzle with outstretched ears!”

8. I keep a list of names of people I am praying for, mostly family members and friends. Sometimes I remember to lift up our government leaders, service men and women, and pastors. I don’t usually have actors on my prayer list. But I do now. After watching the Netflix documentary series “Jonathan and Jesus” I added Jonathan Roumie to my list. Roumie plays the part of Jesus on “The Chosen” and, hoo-boy, the weight of responsibility in portraying that character is incredibly heavy. I’ve even added directors, cast, and crew to the docket.

9. When friends are going through tests and troubles, I’ve learned to stop saying, “I’ll be praying for you.” Too many times I’ve used that phrase to close a conversation or as an exit line. Instead, I’m learning to say, “I’ve set my alarm to go off at the top of every hour today and this is what I’m specifically praying for you——” Instead of texting a cliche, like “Thinking of you and praying,” I might text the actual prayer. We can send some power through those EMFs.

10. Quote of the month: “Abiding is a humble, gentle persistency in attending to Jesus and only to Him, and a kind of unyielding yieldedness to Him alone.” Leighton Ford, The Attentive Life

Unyielding yieldedness.
Come on.
That’s so good.

What did you learn in January?