New Year's Eve Ramblings

Another year almost behind us and another one stretching out before us. It's so hard to believe! I feel like the older I get the faster the time flies. As I've been pondering "New Year's resolutions" and the closing of this chapter there are two specific lessons that I really believe God starting to show me and prepare my heart for the coming year.
The first one is giving. For probably the past six months or so I have really struggled with tithing. Something that once came so natural has become a huge issue for me. As bills pile up it becomes harder and harder for me to trust God to provide for us and give Him His part first. Providentially, it seems like every Bible study or sermon I've been a part of the past couple months has addressed the topic of giving. My heart has been convicted. Furthermore, God has shown me that just giving to Him isn't enough. "Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me." (Matt. 25:40KJV)  The Lord has really been pushing me to pay attention to the needs of others and seek to help in whatever way possible. I honestly don't know how the Lord intends to provide the opportunities for me to reach out to others. Jeff and I are at a place in our life where we live almost paycheck to paycheck and we're not financially able to really be able to minister to other people in a financial way. My prayer is that the Lord will keep my heart tender to the needs of others and show me how he wants both me and my family to minister to them.
The second lesson has been to remember God's faithfulness. So many times in life I go to God with my needs and desires and beg and plead with him to provide and work out certain situations...and He does. And then I go about life and start worrying about the next thing that I need taken care of. I so easily forget God's faithfulness to me. This thought hit me like a ton of bricks about two weeks ago. When I realized how forgetful and unappreciative I tend to be I felt like jumping up and down and screaming to heaven, "I haven't forgotten God! I remember! I see how faithful You are!" As I go through this next year I don't want to forget or be blinded to all the ways God has provided. I want to live daily with the truth "GREAT is His faithfulness to me!" 
As this year quickly closes I'm excited to see what 2013 holds for me! The potential for some very exciting things are just around the corner!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!