Clutter is an obstacle. It impedes your ability to find things, use things, appreciate things and to leverage the space and materials you have to build a fruitful, rewarding life.

Peter Walsh

*      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *

Have you ever eaten at a little dive of a Chinese restaurant and seen those paper place-mats that tell you what animal’s year it is? I don’t know if you’d call it the Chinese horoscope or what, but 2010 is the year of the tiger. Somehow I don’t think 2010 is going to be the best year for a certain Tiger, but for Chinese people this is the year of the tiger, and you’ll have to ask a Chinese person exactly what that portends. The year I was born was the year of the rooster. The year my husband was born was the year of the ox. The Ox and the Rooster: A Portrait of a Marriage…hmmmm…I think I could write a story about that one.

Anyway, a few months ago I started getting these regular feelings, or nudges, or subtle promptings, or whatever one would call them, about writing letters to the wonderful people in my life. I’ve written lots of letters over my half a century, so this wouldn’t be something new, but the nudges, those inward-elbow-in-the-ribs sort of feelings I was getting, have been really strong. So I’m going to act on this.

For me, 2010 is going to be The Year of the Love Letter. I am going to write a love letter to every person in my life who is supposed to get a love letter from me. I don’t know yet who all the recipients will be, but of course there are some obvious people who are at the top of the list. I have a husband, I have some children, I have some grandchildren – I think they should go on the list, don’t you?

Other than the fact that I have an intense desire to write love letters to those I love, I don’t know what this is all about. Don’t think it hasn’t crossed my mind that perhaps the woman born in the year of the rooster feels impressed to make 2010 the year of the love letter because perhaps it will soon be the year of the earthworm. But that could also just be my melancholy nature taking hold. It does that a lot, and I try to pay no attention to it.

At any rate, I feel a certain kind of anticipatory joy about sitting down every couple of weeks or so and taking pen and paper in hand (no e-mail for these love letters!) to write to whomever I’m supposed to write to. I could cry just thinking about it.

I have no idea who I’ll write to first. I have no idea what I will say (other than “I love you so much”), but it has been a long time since I’ve felt so certain about something.

What about you? Do you feel like you’re supposed to focus on something or accomplish something in 2010? Will it be the year of the beginning of the college degree? The year of the 10 pounds lost? The year of the needed vacation? The year of the big move? The year of forgiveness? The year of being fully present where you are? The year of cleaning your house? The year of not washing your hands 20 times a day? The year of actually trusting God? The year of not going to McDonald’s? The year of being a good listener? The year of speaking up? The year of finding out about Jesus? The year of saying no to high heels? The year of not squeezing your zits? The year of speaking blessings instead of cursings? The year of more consistent quiet times? The year of walking? The year of learning how to play the Irish Tin Whistle? The year of organizing your office? The year of honoring a promise? The year of flossing your teeth more? The year of driving the speed limit? The year of drinking less coffee? The year of laughter? The year of reading through the Bible? The year of getting to know your neighbors? The year of paying down your debt? The year of buying a properly-fitting bra? The year of saying you’re sorry? The year you jump for joy?

What do you hope 2010 will mean for you?

Thank you to the readers who left comments about books that had touched their lives in some way. Some titles I haven’t read and would like to – I think Ben Hur goes on my list today.  🙂

I used Random.org to find who the four winners would be, and since only six left comments, your odds were pretty good.

Here are the winners of January’s giveaway:

Rob F.
Ronda B.
Savannah S.
Deb A.

I will either mail or deliver a new copy of Safely Home to each of you very soon! I hope to hear what you think of the book after you’ve read it.

Thank you for entering and visiting the blog!

Happy reading,

Happy New Year! May 2010 be a year of peace and joy for you.

I’m going to give away an unforgettable book to four fortunate blog readers this week.

My dear friend Carey recently told me about this book by Randy Alcorn. She said she sobbed her way through it, and that it was one of the most life-changing books she’d ever read. And Carey is a prolific reader, so to me that said a lot.

Of course I had to read it. I downloaded it on my Kindle right away, and can’t remember when I’ve been so moved. Not necessarily because it was so exquisitely written, but because of the way the main character Li Quan lived his life.

I have four brand new copies of Safely Home, and will send them out to the four winners who will be chosen by random.org.

All you have to do is leave a comment and share what book has made a difference in your life, and why? I’m not necessarily saying that the book you name has to be profound in a spiritual sort of way, although that would be a good title to list too.

Maybe a particular book changed the way you look at something or someone? Maybe a book answered a question for you? Was there a book that made you laugh like no other? Or did a story give you needed hope during a hard time? Or perhaps a book just helped you escape, de-stress and relax for a while. Was there a book that set the course of your life on a certain path? Do you have a favorite children’s book that you keep going back to? What book have you read more than three times? What book, like Safely Home for Carey, made you sob all the way through? I would love to know! And I’ll bet a few other blog readers would like to know too.

I could answer each one of these questions easily myself, but I would like to read what you have to say. If you have been a reader of this blog and have never left a comment, now’s your time! It’s easy to do, and as I’ve mentioned before, you can be kept anonymous if you prefer. Your e-mail address, your name, all can be kept private – just mention that to me when you leave your comments.

I was so touched by this book that Michael asked me to read it out loud to him. We’re taking it slow, a chapter or two at a time, with a hot cup of tea and a box of Kleenex nearby as we go.

Comments will be taken until Tuesday, January 5th, and the four winners will be announced on Wednesday the 6th!

Blessings,