The Bible tells us that there's just no point in putting new wine in old wineskins - because the tired worn out material wouldn't be able to sustain the new and fresh substance…it's the notion that old mindsets cannot sustain the new.  A principle that I will wholeheartedly apply to my life as I leave a year behind and look ahead towards the freshness of a new year…a new season…a new lifecycle…

Yet it's far easier said than done…haha…because you have to first undertake the challenge of identifying what is now old in your life and recognising that which pertains to the new…

And so over the next few days I will endeavour to reflect.  I absolutely love doing that.  And just thinking about it isn't enough for me - I need to get strategic and sit and plan in God's presence…you know…think…chew…and get it down on paper!  I'll get a nice cup of rosy lea and my journal - I'll be thoughtfully evaluating the entire year - I'll sit for a long time reflecting and scribbling away.

With painful honesty.  With hindsight.  And with a determination to be better…I'll be searching my heart and my life.  My dreams and my desires.  My successes and my failures.  And all the priceless life lessons and character building that 2013 has brought me.

With God's help, I'll endeavour to identify all the attitudes…the mindsets…the habits…the relationships…the lifecycles…the projects…the diets…the resources - and everything else that will find itself out of sync with the timely freshness of 2014…and hopefully I'll be able to recognise all the good stuff - the fruitbearing treasures that I need to keep running with.

And with excitement, resolution and faith I'll write down the vision.

And then I will ask for the strength and grace to be able to let go of all that ultimately isn't going to amount to anything…and wholeheartedly seek the wisdom, character and passion needed to embrace the good and the new…(And if I were to be perfectly honest…I'll then underline and draw over all the stuff that I've written…I'll doodle and decorate…adding some stars, sparkles and swirls around my words…!)

And I'll sit back and smile…with an anticipation of all that's to come.  And soooo, I will carry out this lil ritual of mine endeavouring to enter 2014 with a somewhat prepared and renewed mind…

And hopefully…as the fresh glory of 2014 breaks out all over the gaff…with New Wineskins I will indeed carry New Wine…

x x x