Wrapping Up

Yes, I know there are still almost two weeks left in 2016, but I’m ready to put this one in the history books.

And no, as of yet there has been no wrapping of gifts in our household. We scaled way back this year, so it’s not going to take quite as long.

This is about the time I start thinking about my annual “More or Less” post. I may still do that come January, but for now, I’m narrowing the focus.

I don’t want to do a review of 2016. Really, I don’t think any of us do. We’ve pretty much all agreed that it’s been a difficult year.

In reality, can we say that it’s been more difficult than other years? Maybe it hasn’t, but it sure seems like it.

Regardless of who you voted for or if your candidate won, it was an ugly election year. And, as of right now anyway, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of accepting the outcome and working together for the good of the country. It’s going to be a long four years.

It certainly seems as if we lost more than our fair share of celebrities in 2016. My family, and my church family, had some difficult losses. It’s likely that yours did as well.

I didn’t make my writing goals (yet). I didn’t make my health goals. I didn’t make my financial goals.

But that’s no reason to give them up. Instead it’s merely time to regroup and get going again.

In fact, looking toward them is why I’m wrapping up things here on the blog this week. I plan to be here through Friday which is Christmas Eve, Eve, and then show back up on our around January 1st or 2nd. New Year’s Day is a Sunday when I generally don’t post, so you may have to wait for the first brilliance of 2017 to arrive whilst you’re watching the Tournament of Roses Parade.

But I’ll be back.

We get a fresh start. I’ll have a new Moleskine notebook for recording it all. And I’m already sorting out ways to approach things differently.

For the next few days, however, I plan to focus on the baby in the manger. We need to spend more time together.

And I’ll focus a little more on the whole idea of Peace on Earth. I can’t make it happen, but I can pray for it and do my part in my own corner of the world.

When the new year comes I’ll keep trying to focus on those.

Plus, I’ll be focusing on my health, and on my writing.

I’m not making any commitments beyond that. If I can do a good job of focusing on those things, then I’ll be in pretty good shape.

More or less.

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