This morning I had planned on sleeping late since it is New Years Eve.  Since I took the day off it is the beginning of a five day weekend.  I went to bed around 12:30 AM last night with the intentions of just waking up on my own but I was violently shaken awake by the alarm clock at 4:45 AM.  That is right, I forgot to turn the alarm off last night.  I did manage to pull myself together enough to realize that it is my day off and turn the alarm off instead of just hitting the snooze button.  Despite my efforts to go back to sleep they were done in vain.  Sometime around 6:00 AM I gave up on this effort and got up.

I decided I would take the opportunity to take advantage of the orange coming through my window and take some pictures.  This was taken December 31st as the last sunrise of the year.  It was a bit chilly out there and the traffic was slow because of the New Year holiday.  As I watched the sun rise in the East, I am reminded of the new beginning we were given as Jesus died for my sins and the rest of the world.  As the year 2008 passes so does our past.  It is time for a new day, a new month, a new year.  We can put the mistakes of our past behind us and start over with a new beginning.  As beautiful as this sunrise was, it pales in comparison to what Jesus has done for us. 

I would like to start this new year being grateful for all that I have.  I have been so blessed that it is hard to measure.  Despite my failures, God has given me a wonderful family, job, home, and the means to live a decent life.  As if all these things were not enough, God saw it necessary to give me a way to have my sins forgiven through Jesus’ death on the cross.  I would just like to say Thank you God.