Every year during the holiday season, we reflect on what we are thankful for and how grateful we are for all of the wonderful things in our lives. Then the new year comes along, and we instantly forget those things to make our resolutions. I resolve to eat better, work better, sleep better, live better… better, better, better. What happened to all those things we are thankful for? Suddenly, we are resolving to change so many things in our lives. It is like New Year’s Eve rolls around and all of a sudden we are only remembering all of the little things that went wrong over the course of the past year. This is why I started a new New Year’s Eve tradition many years ago.
First of all, I can’t take all of the credit - this was entirely a Pinterest find. In my home, we keep a small plastic container out year-round. Next to it is a pen and a small tablet of paper. Anytime something special happens in the year we write it down, fold up the paper, and place it in the container. Typically these are all positive and happy memories, things that will remind us of all the little accomplishments and celebrations we had along the way, but some sad memories will also sneak in there, solely because of the impact that they can have on us. Each year on New Year’s Eve, my husband and I open the container and read the papers out loud. It is a joyful recollection of all the big and little smiles we had throughout the year. It is amazing how many little things you forget over a year. It is my favorite part of the holidays each year!
Now what Pinterest did not suggest is saving the papers from year to year. That idea was all my own. I loved reading the happy memories so much that I didn’t want to throw them away. I purchased a binder and plastic sheet protectors that were separated into 4 quarters. I placed a note labeling the year in the first quarter and then used as many sheets as needed to fit our memories from that year. Each year, I pull out the binder on New Year’s Eve, and we read through memories from previous years before opening the container for the current year. Not only do we get to smile at the happy memories, we also get to reflect on the things we have achieved and overcome over the years.
Our memory book dates back to just after we got married, well before we had children. It is interesting to see how our lives have changed. The notes document the various stages of my surprising twin pregnancy and the special little moments from after their birth. We even have a note expressing our excitement about having a baby. That one really gives us a giggle as it is from the short time we spent thinking that I was having just one baby, when I was actually having identical twins. It is a nice trip down memory lane each year, and it has been a wonderful way for me to end the year thinking of all the wonderful things that happened during it, and not just the sad ones.
I can’t help but think how all of this so often mirrors my relationship with God. I thank God for the good things when they are happening, but when we are struck with trials, I tend to forget those good things and how God also provided us with those moments. I focus on the negative and let my anger move me away from God. But those sad memories, the ones that sometimes hurt the most to remember, are often the times I grow the most. Those are the times that when we as a family remember them at the end of the year, we are proud of how we overcame them. Those are the times that we should be thanking God for helping us through, for giving us strength and wisdom when we needed it most. “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
ABOUT OUR BLOGGER
Lisa Replogle has had a long, ever-changing journey in her relationship with Christ, and she is excited to share what she has learned along the way.
She is a certified early childhood and special education teacher and currently teaches high school multiple disability support.
She spends her time outside the classroom sharing her passion for dance with local groups for individuals with special needs.
Lisa and her husband are the parents of seven-year-old identical twin boys.