Tag: Blogging

What is New Day?

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What is New Day

Welcome March!

For new followers, I thought I’d take time to reintroduce New Day…

New Day is an expression of God’s faith, grace, and love as I have experienced and know them, and it is meant to celebrate the gift of life and of each new day we’re blessed to see. It is based on the scripture found in Lamentations 3:22-23:

His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. (KJV)

New Day was born out of a gift for words and writing. So far, I’ve captured thoughts on life’s toolboxes, my nieces and nephews, why I started blogging, love and Valentine’s Day, gratefulness, even Dean Smith. Through it all, my hope is to honor the Lord and to share His goodness through these posted words.

Since the blog was launched on January 1, I’m learning to embrace life more. I begin each day in Him, I choose Him for the day, and I live in the day and path He’s set for me.

Let’s face it: life is hard sometimes. There are good days and bad days. But great IS the Lord’s faithfulness. Trust the One who holds the day, and make the most out of each moment. It’s worth it!

New Day is currently published weekly on Friday mornings. I hope you’ll keep following and engaging as we make this journey together!

Grateful Friday

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Today I’m giving thanks for:

Mornings. Well, once I get up. Morning is the start, the new, where we first meet God in the day. I like the feel of morning, the sounds, the brand new faith.

In the morningwhen I rise, give meJesus. (1)In case you’ve not noticed, starting the day in the Lord is important to me. It sets the tone for the day. You know where your Trust and Source are, no matter what comes. Each morning, each new day is a blessing. So embrace it.

Family. I love these people more and more. They keep me laughing, they support me, we trust, give, and love. At the end of the day, I know I CAN count on blood.

God’s guidance. I have seen firsthand over the past few weeks just how God will guide you in all life circumstances if you leave all in His hands. He will reveal His will directly through the Word, in prayer, and even through an old friend who walks into the same McDonald’s you’re in. Just keep praying and trusting and EXPECTING. You will see the hand of God move!

Lent. This is the season of knowing our Savior, of remembering His life and sacrifice, and seeing in His light our sins which once kept us in darkness. It’s a season of extreme focus and repentance as we race to the joy of the empty tomb. I pray that you also are thankful for this time, and that you see Jesus anew all over again.

What are YOU grateful for? Share your experiences and testimonies in the comments!

Remembering the Dean

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Dean Smith, former men’s head basketball coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, passed away on February 7. He was a legend, if you know college basketball, and certainly if you know UNC and the Tar Heel family…

Carolina blue skies over the Smith Center 2-8-15.
Carolina blue skies over the Smith Center, 2-8-15.

When the Tar Heels won the NCAA Tournament Championship in 1982, I was 10. I remember that game and that team standing out to me for some reason. I remembered Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, and the hometown hero James Worthy. I became a Tar Heel that day, and never looked back.

Over the years I continued to follow the Heels, and set my sights on UNC for college. I became a fan of Coach Smith’s, and to me, he was the embodiment and the spirit of UNC. He was a Tar Heel.

I arrived at Carolina in the fall of 1990, excited finally to be part of the family. I had choices to make, obviously – classes, major, activities and clubs, friends. Soon all began to be clear and things started falling into place. But my experience would not be complete without Carolina basketball. And Coach Dean Smith.

I never met the man. I mean, he never knew my name (I got his autograph once). But I knew he was great. He meant something, and not just on the campus. I appreciated his humility, his demeanor during a game, his smarts. The 1993 NCAA Tournament brought it all home – we were the champions. Again. And I got to experience it. That was a fun time. I was proud to be a Tar Heel.

I “met” Coach Smith probably a couple more times during my tenure at UNC (I worked there for quite a while after I graduated). But to be honest, I never grasped the depth of his impact until his death. I didn’t realize who he was off court, in the community (read more here). I’ve learned a lot about him over the past couple of weeks, and now more appreciate his honor, integrity, and wisdom. He’s known for once saying, “I do believe in praising that which deserves to be praised.” Well, he deserves to be praised, and the Carolina family will never forget his contributions to the sport, to his teams, to the campus, but mostly to… making our lives just a little bit more blue better.

Rest in peace, Coach.