Monday, December 30, 2013

ELMER GIVES US SOME THOUGHTS FOR 2014

Being Amish, we do not consider New Year's Day a holiday or religious day.  We go about our chores like we do six days a week.  As you probably know we only do what we have to on Sunday, the Lord's Day.  But, on New Year's Eve, it does not mean I don't think of the past year and how it flew by.  Also, I think of good times this year and the not so good times of the year.  Things maybe that I should have done, but didn't or did do but shouldn't have.  So I thought, as we get close to New Year's, I would share some of my thoughts with you.

Matthew 6:14-15 reads "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." I stop to think if I have forgiven everyone their trespasses against me.  We have communion twice a year and before we receive it, we must go to whoever we have offended and ask for their forgiveness before we receive communion.  If people come to us, we must forgive them.  But, I sometimes wonder if I really forgive people or do I say I did, but still have a grudge or resentment inside that I haven't forgiven.  When I think of something that happened years ago, I wonder, if I still remember it, and did I forgive them?

Also, I wonder if I was worthy the forgiveness that people have given me.  Have I tried to change my ways so I do not do it again?  I remember a friend of mine - we grew up together, were friends together, and all of a sudden one day he wouldn't talk to me.  Try as I may he wouldn't tell me why.  Finally a mutual friend told me that something I said kiddingly had offended my friend.  My friend was upset.  I went to his home and apologized and explained that I had not ment it that way.  He forgave me.  But still, I wonder sometimes if I have done that to one person have I done it to someone else.  I try never to do that again.

It's not just the big things we ask forgiveness.  I forgave the man, who many years ago struck our buggy with his car that seriously injured one of our daughters.  But, did I ask Anna for forgiveness in an disagreement we had the other day?  Did I forgive the person that cut me off in traffic?

I also wonder if I think too much of the past and not the future.  Anna tells me "we can't live in the past" and she's right but how many times do I try.  Now there is nothing wrong with having memories of the past, but do I spend too much there.  Our way to the Lord is not in the past, but in the future. 

Which leads to another thought-if God has forgiven me-have I forgive myself??? I know there are things in my life that weren't the right thing to do at the time, as I look back.  A few were down right dumb.  I have asked the Lord to forgive me and He has- why can't I forgive myself?    Are we greater than God? No ! Then I must forgive myself.

Wonder also, if I have thanked the Lord for all the wonderful gifts He has given me.  Many of His gifts, I might not even be aware of or ignored.  I want to make sure He is thanked.  Sometimes I have asked Him for things and have not received, but that was His answer.  It was something I did not need or now was not the time. 

So as I go into the New Year, I try to dump all the sins that I have done.  I always ask the Lord to forgive me.  When 2014 comes, I want to start clean with the Lord.  I don't make promises of being sinless that I can't keep.  In fact, the only promise I do make is that I will love the Lord, my family, and whatever the Lord puts before me.  I don't know what is coming in 2014 but I know that the Lord will see me through no matter how good or not so good.

I didn't mean to go on so, but I hope that I gave you some things to think about with the coming New Year.

Anna and I wish you all a very Happy 2014,
Elmer

THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL RECIPE ON JANUARY 1, 2014 BY ELMER'S WIFE, ANNA. YOU SAUERKRAUT PEOPLE WILL LIKE THIS ONE. THIS IS ANNA'S FIRST RECIPE ON NEW YORK STATE OF MIND.


16 comments:

New York State Of Mind said...

Good Morning Everyone,

Elmer is giving us some thoughts in his post this morning.

There will be a recipe from Anna on Wednesday and a post on Friday.

Man is it cold this morning !!!!

Marillyn

Mimi said...

Thought provoking as always Elmer
I too think too much of the past however much I try not too.I think in my own case it is because life was much simpler and I miss my Loved ones

I forgive easily but do find it hard to forget sometimes

Best wishes to you and your family for the New Year also to Jean and Family Martha and Family Marilyn and all who come and enjoy New York state of mind

Mimi

New York State Of Mind said...

Thank you Mimi,
You remind me of an old saying my Mother use to say: "I can forgive, but I can't forget." I miss my loved ones, too, so know what you are going through.

Best wishes for the New Year to you and yours,
Marilyn

Vickie said...

Excellent Elmer! Just excellent thoughts and advice. I will try harder. I will.

New York State Of Mind said...

Hello Vickie,
I will see that Elmer gets your message. I am sure he will appreciate it.

Hugs to Mabel and Henry,
Marilyn and Pierre

Anonymous said...

Good thoughts to ponder....I will try harder to be the person I should be. Marilyn, thank you for having this blog, I enjoy it very much.

Margot in MO

New York State Of Mind said...

Good Morning Margot,
Glad you enjoyed Elmer's post. You are most welcome. I enjoy doing the blog.

Marilyn

Anonymous said...

Elmer I think the same things at this time of year and also during the year. The big one for me is forgiving myself. I went from a wife that worked on the household a true partnership with her husband to an ill wife. Than the illness did not subside and now I am a handicapped wife. My husband of 17 years always asks me to not be so hard on myself. He tells me it does not bother him and he is telling the truth. I am the one it bothers, I am unable to clean our home and cook for my husband the way I always did before. I enjoyed caring for my husband.

I know the Lord has been with me through my illness starting 8/2005 till today. I still blame myself. I wonder if it is not in the way we were created. So that this journey has had me grow stronger in my faith.

I blame myself because I can not give my husband children, because I can no longer work hard keeping our home up.
Then at Christmas we were both sick and did not want to pass it on to others. Our dinner was simple. I realized than I was beginning to forgive myself.
We had a great Christmas just spending the day together. Suddenly the other items were not important. Thank you Elmer

Anonymous said...

Thank you Marillyn. Happy New Year. I forgot to add that to what i wrote above. Thank you for keeping this blog going. I enjoy it and it is a great gift to have this to read instead of all the other stuff on the internet when I am in bed ill.

New York State Of Mind said...

Dear Anonymous,
Your post is so very touching. My heart and prayers are with you. I will pass your comments on to Elmer.

If it is any comfort to you, I took care of my parents for 13 years and if I had to do it over, I would do it again. My parents are gone to be with the Lord for several years now. I still miss them especially at Christmas.

Maybe Elmer will have something to say tomorrow, when I read your comment to him.

Happy New Year,
Marilyn

New York State Of Mind said...

Thank you Anonymous,
I am so glad your like the blog. I try to keep it so it is something the whole family can read. Thank you for coming and reading it.

Marilyn

New York State Of Mind said...

Good Morning Anonymous,
We believe that things are: "God's will." We don't know why things happen to us both good and bad, but we know that God allows things for a reason. I am glad you are not blaming yourself anymore. It is not your fault. As we say, it is "God's will."

You know, if it were reversed, you would do for your husband what he is doing for you. He is doing for you, not because he has to, but because he wants to.

I am not handicapped, but being a dwarf there are things Anna has to do for me because she is taller than myself. I have told her I was sorry she had to do them. She tells me: " I wouldn't do if I didn't want to." If it were reversed, I would do it for her.

Also, have you ever thought of things you can do. The faith that you show others - that through all you must go through, you still love the Lord. You could be encouraging someone to the Lord. Maybe someone who is depressed sees you and realizes that they aren't as bad as they think they are. That someone who is about to divorce sees the love of you and your husband and decides to give it another try. You may be serving God in many ways with your handicap and don't know it, but God does. He has a purpose for all of us on this earth.

I am glad you found that the other items aren't important anymore. So happy that the Lord is working through my post. You have given me encouragement and I appreciate it.

Happy New Year,
Elmer

Countryside Reflections said...

Elmer, you are a very wise man, and very inspiring. Thank you for this important post which I have been thinking a lot about and reflecting on how I'm living my life. You certainly have given us some things to think about in the New Year.

Doreen

dynnamae said...

Happy New Year everyone. I am so glad I got to read Elmers' end of year comments. He said so many things I believe we can all relate to. Thank you so much for everything you said, Elmer, and God is surely using you to help all of us readers. Very encouraging. God bless you Marilyn and all those that contribute here.

New York State Of Mind said...

Happy New Year, Doreen,
I will see that Elmer gets your message.

Marilyn

New York State Of Mind said...

Happy New Year dynnamae,
Elmer is so encouraging to all of us. I am so glad we could get him to do posts on here. I will see he gets your message.

God Bless all who contribute and to you,

Marilyn