Simple Celebration

New Year's Eve has always been a big deal at our house. Firework displays that could easily compete with large events and a full flow of food and friends. Last night was different than ever before. It was not the large party of years past where friends and family gathered for what could be best described as "eat, drink and be merry."

Last night was simple, filled with the wide-eyed innocence of a child. Callie, our 2 year old granddaughter, spent her very first night with us. Dinner was a great home-cooked  meal, replaced by a lunchable of turkey and cheese. Festive fireworks were replaced by confetti poppers, the little blow horns and sparklers.

What we had once viewed as commonplace, was now a night of wonder. The sheer intensity of concentration as Callie, after several failed attempts, triumphantly learned how to focus all of her breath into the cardboard tube to be able to make the fringed paper blow horn fill with air and curl out in celebration of the coming of a new year. Shouts and jumping with laughter became infectious as we pulled the strings of the confetti poppers.

Nothing could top the showers of spraying sparks as Callie bravely accepted the shooting sparklers. With sheer delight and wonder-filled focus on the fiery brilliance, Callie went from making circles to bringing it so close to her face that she could see nothing else.

Intense moments of wonder through the eyes of a child brought inexpressible joy to our simple celebration.

So, here we are on the first day of a new year. If you're like me, you have already looked at the new calendar and penciled in special dates, birthdays, weddings and other events. Today may have been quiet for you, filled with reflections on 2013 and great expectations for 2014 or it may have been a day of fun and frenzy with friends and family. Either way, I hope in the days to come you will enjoy spending time with God and His Word where you can experience His gifts and those moments of awe-filled wonder and inexpressible joy.

"The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy." -Psalms 65:8 (NIV)