Every year I always make a goal. It doesn’t matter if it’s to not miss a day of class (unless ill), to eat healthier, to exercise regularly, to forgive without question, or to make straight As for the semester- I always make a goal. Since I’ve been married, Clark has joined in on the tradition, but there’s a catch: we make a goal for us.

Our first New Year’s together as a married couple was spent in Germany. The Germans really know how to celebrate the holiday. It made no difference that it was 2008 there six hours before it was 2008 in the US. In fact, it almost made it more special.

(Us at Frankenstein's Castle soon after New Year's. I didn't have a picture from New Year's, sadly.)

Because we were all dreadfully tired from the trip, we stayed in the house and played games until midnight. Dad bought Champagne for the family and we all enjoyed time together as we waited for “the ball to drop.”

Why in quotes? Well, the ball didn’t actually drop. However, it did sound like bombs were going off around us. The Germans celebrate the holiday with fireworks. Their fireworks for New Years are even better than ours for the Fourth of July! It was amazing. I actually have a video clip somewhere from filming the fireworks. They go on, and on, and on, and on. Finally we were all laughing so hard I had to stop filming. We just stood at the window in the kitchen and watched as the sky was lit up for nearly, if not longer than, an hour.

We toasted Champagne with my little sister’s sparkling cider and said our goals out load to those around us. It seemed to make it more special by sharing our hopes and desires for the New Year with family.

So, Clark and I make a goal every year.

At this point I can honestly say I don’t remember what our goals were for the past few years, but I always feel like we achieved it. Each year we grow more; not only as adults, but as a married couple and as Christians. Yes, our focus always has its moments where it strays from what’s important, but each New Year seems to give us a brand new start. Not even just every new year, but every day.

Our first New Years was especially important, because I felt like it was our first step together. We had gotten married at a time where we both realized that time is short. My best friend’s remains had been found, and it was enough to kick my butt in gear to never take advantage of time. I think it had the same affect on Clark, because it obviously lead us to where we are now.

I have no funny story to share this time or something that might make you smile at our situation. I think this should be more about starting the New Year right. The New Year is not about looking back and wishing we could have done more, but looking forward and seeing the potential in the time ahead. Although people say that there’s “no day but today,” the truth is that we have every day and every year to live and look forward to because we have Jesus Christ in our hearts.

While Clark and I may have seized time to be married and have a life together, we did not do it because we were afraid of dying. We got married because we accepted that our time on earth is limited, but we know full well our days after death are eternal.

I think every New Years it’s important to remember that “tomorrow is another day.” Whether today is your last day or not, you are always going to have a tomorrow through Jesus. Start the New Year right and always remember that everything and anything is possible through Jesus Christ. I think it’s one of the biggest struggles faith puts before us, but Clark and I always try to keep it in mind. New Years, to me, is a day to celebrate our tomorrows because there’s no day, but the first day, to do it.

This year our goal was, no matter the craziness, to put Michael and each other first. We are nearing our "grown-up" goals of finally being able to settle somewhere, and it's so hard to remember that when times get really rough. We have been so blessed thus far and know it will continue to be that way as long as we keep our faith. It's hard to believe April's almost over and we're almost halfway through 2012, but that's how time goes.