The Hazard Family 2014 Blessing Jar & Finding the Will of God in 2015

Yesterday, Jeff and I started a Hazard family tradition that we hope to do every year from here on out with our little (growing!) family. It's an oh-so-simple idea, but its implications are far-too-profound to skip over or miss out on. I'm not exactly sure how the idea came to me or how we settled upon the fact that this should become a family tradition down-through-the-years, but I do know the idea came to me at just-the-right-time.

Somewhere amidst the madness that is Christmas preparation, I began to think of the fact that this would be Jeff and my first Christmas together, New Year's, and so on. Not only our "firsts" together as a married couple, but also our "only" ones to celebrate together - just the two of us - as a family, BTB. (That's how we refer to everything that comes Before The Baby.) With this in mind, I wanted not only to make these days/holiday times special, but I wanted to start some family traditions that would be three things:

1. that it would be beneficial for us {as we move forward and grow in our relationship with each other and (most importantly) our relationship(s) with the Lord}

2. that it would be simple/feasible/affordable enough to remember do every year

3. that it would be a tradition to pass on to our kids and create lasting memories for them for years to come

So here goes: I purchased a medium-sized, clear, glass jar with a closing lid. I took two colors of construction paper to remember the year (blue and yellow for this year.... our wedding colors ;-)...) and cut them into one inch square pieces, and then topped it all off by using a small sticky label on the front. See, it's simple. Nothing fancy or overdone.

Here's where the rubber meets the road: We call it our Blessing Jar; and on every slip of paper, we went through (thinking back in chronological order through the months of the year) and wrote down blessings we experienced straight from God in this past year. It could be anything from people He sent our way, books/devotions that encouraged us, answered prayers, etc. In taking turns writing these down, taking turns to talk about them, and (like the old song says) "count your blessings, name them one by one," we realized more than ever how God exceedingly blessed us this past year with all sorts of things we didn't ask for, didn't even think to ask for, and definitely-and-whole-heartedly didn't/don't even deserve.

Before we even knew it, nearly an hour had flown by, our little blessing/thanksgiving jar was full, our hearts were overflowing (For me, tears were overflowing my eyes, and I was going through a box of Kleenexes like it was my part-time job. Then again, some of that could have been a thankful heart mixed in with pregnancy hormones as well... One never can tell. haha ;-) ), and the White Chicken Chili in queue for the night's dinner was calling both of our names (and answering the growls of our tummies).

Before closing up shop, finishing our little Hazard Family New Year's tradition Blessing Jar, and setting it up in a prominent place in the house as a decor-reminder-of-sorts, my sweet husband Jeff decided to read some Scripture that came to his mind during this activity. The Scripture he chose was I Thessalonians 5:18, which reads, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." After reading that verse, Jeff and I talked about how people, in every stage/age of life, always talk about or like to chase after God's Will for their lives, but how that truly we make it become something more mystical than it really is. Finding God's Will isn't about finding a perfect job or school or marrying a perfect person, though the details of our lives do in fact matter to our highly-and-intrciately-detailed and purposeful God. Finding God's will is exactly what I Thessalonians 5:18 says clearly that it is: Giving thanks in all circumstances.

Thankfully, our Hazard family 2014 Blessing Jar was filled with positives out-the-wahzoo, but I am certain in the years to come that we may have some not-so-positive or even downright-difficult "blessings in disguise" to thank God for throughout the years as well. But that's okay because as long as we allow God to teach us to be thankful IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES - favorable vs. unfavorable and blessings vs. blessings-in-disguise alike - we are fulfilling God's will for us in Christ Jesus. And oh, how refreshing it is to start off another brand-new year in thankfulness over counting all that God has done for us in the past and looking forward - full of faith and with high hopes - for all He is going to do in our present-day and our future.

Today, I encourage you and your family, even if your tradition of doing so looks differently than ours, to do exactly like the old song says to do, "Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your blessings, see what God has done. Count your blessings. Name them one by one. And it will surprise you what the Lord has done."

In doing so, you'll be living out I Thessalonians 5:18, and thus, fulfilling God's will for your life.