Hello all, I've been away for a couple of weeks, and now I'm going to start losing sleep again catching up on all of the posts. (*G*) I hope you're all having a wonderful New Year.

We've been in the kitchen cooking our traditional black-eyed peas, cabbage and cornbread for good luck in the new year, and talking about the year past and the year ahead.

At first, we said "I hope this next year is better than last" then I stopped to really think about it. While we've had major financial set-backs and legal battles during 2000, there were other wonderful things that happened that we were all forgetting.

In the year 2000, my family discovered that we're more important to each other than money is to any of us. We discovered that we can make it on a lot less than we ever imagined, and still have fun.We became more determined to homestead, and put that plan into pratice.We discovered that we are all more capable than we realized, especially as a group! We began homeschooling, and we're all learning every day. We added a new member to our family, and she is just as precious as the four children that preceded her. We set more time aside for the Lord, even when it seemed there wasn't any time to be spared, and our faith has been strengthened all over again.

AND, I found this wonderful place and all of you, and have enjoyed knowing you and learning from you more than I can tell you, and I've been able to share your wisdom and stories with my family, who have enjoyed them immensely.

SO, to wrap this all up, I wanted to say that my new year's resolution is to take the time to see and to give thanks for all of the blessings I've been given, and to take the time to enjoy them every day. Anybody else have a resolution they want to share?

-- Kristin, in Central Alabama (positivekharma@aol.com), January 01, 2001

Answers

I started sticking to the same "resolution" about 6 years ago, "To learn at least one new thing, no matter how small, each and every day and make note of it and never look sorrowfully to the past in times of hardship. Instead , always look forward, drawing on the lessons of my past. And always try to laugh at least once a day.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 01, 2001.

My traditional New Year's Resolution: Finish the projects that I have started before starting any new ones. Now I just laugh when I resolve to do this!!!!! How could I have this same dumb resolution every year? Do you think I could learn? DUH....!!!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), January 02, 2001.

I have the same resolution every year. I resolve to make no resolutions. It is something I can do without dissappointment!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@excite.com), January 02, 2001.

Congratulatons on your new gift from above. My new years resolution will be to live one day at a time, and to give the Lord my worries, live simpler, and keep my heart free from hate. Love in Christ, Judy

-- Judy (allsmile@ctnet.net), January 02, 2001.

Pay off debt!!! I still have some left. I pulled out my notebook on the 31st, I sort of use it as a journal, just write "stuff" in it when the spirit moves me, ya know? Well, I had written my goals in it for 2000, and was so pleased when I saw how well I'd done. That's what motivates me the most; the visable accomplishments. I've come so far, and I feel so positive about the future. And I'm doing it as a single woman-something that deep down inside me I just didn't think I had the strength, or brains, or abilities, or something??? to be able to take care of myself.....but I'm doing fine. I have God and you all, so I'm not alone, am I?

-- Cathy in NY (hrnofplnty@yahoo.com), January 02, 2001.

The quest for harmony and enlightenment always, and world peace.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), January 03, 2001.