Happy New Year!

I'm watching the "Nightly News". There are saying how glad a lot of people are to have 2008 behind them. I'm inclined to agree. There is much from 2008 that I would love to forget! It was a rough one. But, I look forward with hope to 2009. I know that God is in control of all things and my challenge is to truly trust Him and believe that all that He does is for His glory and our good (to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose).
We have spent the last few days watching "The Lord of the Rings". On Monday we watched "The Fellowship of the Ring". Last night we watched "The Two Towers". Tonight we watch "The Return of the King". There are so many good "lessons" in these movies as I watch them. My favorite quote from the first movie is this... an exchange between Frodo and Gandalf:
"Frodo: I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times; but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought."
There are so many things that "I wish had never come to me..." but need and want to believe that these things were meant to be. It also is a challenge to me "to decide what to do with the time that is given to [me]."
My goal is to glorify God... it is to honor Him, to say "yes" to whatever He asks me to do. I'm encouraged that in these stories of Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves and Men, that, "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future." (spoken to Frodo).
I am just one person. But, in the hands of God... well... who knows what could happen?!
Happy New Year!