I hope the lateness of my discussion of the new year isn’t an indication of what is to come for the rest of the year…although if the weather is setting a precedent, that is there is no snow and the temperature has been above zero so many days these last two months…timeliness won’t be the theme for the year.  But because it seems usual patterns are disrupting everywhere, it has become my theme for the year, which incidentally has come in with a bang.  I think we get so lulled into our daily routines that important lessons and events just slip by.  It seems the universe has had enough of that attitude and will be shaking things up a bit.  So this year it means putting faith to the test and expecting neither the unexpected or the expected.  Will the men in my house suddenly embrace tidiness, common sense and détente?  God only knows, but stepping into each day without any expectations guiding my actions suddenly transforms every little thing I do, and more importantly, why I do them.  I will show up at work each day because I’m committed to our practice, not because I have to.  I will treat my body respectfully because I know what can happen when you don’t and I have a lot of living yet to do.  It is the weight of what’s expected that I can do without.  Living with a clearer purpose will hopefully be the result…hey, it’s only nine days into the year and so far, so good.  As I’ve said before, God has a better imagination than I do, so let’s get to it!