One hour and 15 minutes remain of 2019. Gary has turned the Dish to Country Gold music and I am hearing music from too long ago to say.  I’m sure when we were listening to this music as new music, we thought the years would be pretty much one the same as another, lazily rolling by, time to do so many things and time to leave much undone as well. To my surprise, terror and delight, those years rushed like rapids over the falls and have held anything but mundane. Every corner we’ve turned caught us off guard with accomplishments as well as disappointments. I think they call it life. The music as well has changed with time; it’s been years since I enjoyed country music. Tonight I am being reminded how I used to like it. Dan Seals’  Baby’s still Got Good Timing, and Patsy Cline’s still Crazy, but I feel like my time has crazy vanished. John Conlee sings it doesn’t matter “As Long As I’m Rockin’ With You” and that really is I think the crux of world problems; and that’s that people used to matter more than stuff. If the Louisiana Woman and Mississippi Man could get along, have hearts big enough to span gaps, why can’t we in this madly convenient world manage to get along?

I’ve left the Christmas tree lights on for tonight, maybe just trying to stretch another year out a little bit longer. I feel like I need more time to do the things I meant to do, say the things I wanted to say,  help more folks do life a bit easier, listen a great deal more to the words of God – really listen with my heart as my eyes read it. I’ve wasted my share of time; I plan to fix that if I ever find the receipt to buy it back.  In the meantime, it would be best to cherish every day and make it matter to someone; just a day at a time, a hand held, a dollar given, a shoulder lent or an ear bent. Mostly I want to become a better listener. I’ve wanted to be an encourager for a long time, even named my FB page after Barnabas the encourager, but I can do a better job of that if I learn to listen first. Yes. That’s my effort toward a new year of this vanishing gold called ‘time’.

Listening to music from the past, I find I want to hear the people of my past who are no longer here. I want to hear an echo of whatever good intentions I must have had even though they didn’t pan out. I want to hear what history would warn us to watch for to save our country. I want to hear God’s direction loud and clear. And I want to hear YOU, you – are more important than stuff.

Tonight I’ll close my eyes and pray my gratitude for God’s unspeakable riches and mercy. He listens. He teaches. He forgives. In a way, He gives refunds daily, no receipt necessary. In fact, He loves it when we bring back the empty months to exchange for a brand new start. I absolutely love Him!

Happy New Year in ten minutes friends, family, world. This is Where The Cowboy Rides Away, right George?