In my last post, I promised to share my 2020 Good Things. Before I share the list, here’s a peek into my process.

Why I Call Them Good Things

What about blessings, treasures, delights? I’m a word geek, so I dove into my Bible and Oxford English Dictionary. My brain got completely tangled, and I decided good things is good. Simple. Understandable. It fits.

Then there’s this. My hunt in the Bible uncovered David’s words:

“I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;

apart from you I have no good thing.”

Psalm 16:2

That settled it. My list would be called Good Things.

Why I’m Sharing

I am not sharing to invite applause or comparison. I have to guard my own heart against those temptations. The world is too full of people saying Look at my lovely life. The ugly comparison beast must be shut into its cage. It won’t go away completely, but it can be quieted. So I pray you won’t compare.

I am sharing to help you write your own Good Things list for 2020.

Or for 2021.

I don’t know what your 2020 looked like. I’m pretty sure it had the good and the bad and maybe even the ugly. But maybe you didn’t notice the good because they got buried in a heap of ugly. (If so, please, please, please read all the way to the end of this post.)

I offer words to help you pray, ponder, plan, and play.

I hope this serious and not-so-serious list helps you do all four.

1. Lycra. Thank you to whoever invented this. I cannot imagine life without stretchy comfortable clothing, especially this past year when so many other things were uncomfortable. (I pondered my love for yoga pants here.)
2. Idea parking lot. I’ve been doing some form or another of this for years. It’s simple. I grab paper and pen and then scribble away. I capture all the loose stuff swimming in my head. It’s great for to-dos, writing projects, chores, the wanna-dos. This list usually goes in my planner, so I always know where it is. It helps me think. Clearly.
3. Light-up pens. When I wake up in the middle of the night and begin the inevitable tossing, one of the things I do is grab my light-up pen—thanks to a good writerly friend—and jot down my brilliant idea. It doesn’t always look so brilliant in the light of day, but you never know.
4. A magnifying glass. It’s been buried in the junk drawer until recently. If you stretch your arm to read small print, then you understand how valuable this could be. I’m considering buying a second one to have in the bathroom since I recently applied a facial mask instead of lotion. (This is part of the whole aging thing and Who Is That Old Lady in the Mirror.)
5. Fresh citrus. I love citrus anything. Lemons, grapefruit, limes. I learned from my chef-son-in-law that a squeeze of lime takes some dishes from so-so to amazing. I also realize that it’s a 21st century dream to live in the Midwest and still indulge in this delight. I do not take this for granted.
6. Bible reading. This has been my morning practice for a long time, daily reading through the entire Bible with a devotion. This year my husband was home from work for months, and we started doing it together. That has added a beautiful blessing to it all. When he’s gone—since he travels for work—we do it on the phone. Who says you can’t teach an old couple new things?
7. Tapping the time on my phone. This is a super efficient secret. And I am all about efficiency. When you find yourself scrolling to the top of a series of texts or a long list of podcasts to get to the first one, just tap the digital clock in the upper left corner of your screen. I’m not sure if it works on every phone, but give it a try.
8. The one-in-one-out rule. I’ve never done this officially until 2020. Now it’s official, and I love it. One new pair of walking shoes. Goodbye old sneakers that have no support. A new mug? So long old faded one. I’ll find them new homes. I wish I were this smart when my kiddos were young, but I am still their momma. And I can still teach them things.
9. Writing the Psalms. I started this devotional practice last spring with the lockdown. A wise sister in Christ (Donna Snow) mentioned it on social media. I started March 30 with Psalm 91. It was a perfect place to begin. I didn’t continue as I’d have liked, but reflecting on it now, this is a practice I want to return to in 2021. I write with pen and paper in a pretty notebook. Slowly. Thoughtfully. Prayerfully. I don’t know why it surprises me when I read passages for the umpteenth time and God shows me something new.
10. Jumping. I use a rebounder for some of my exercise, especially when it’s crazy cold outside and the wind is howling. (I got a hugely discounted deal on this one when a local gym closed because of the pandemic.) I haven’t had this much fun since I was a kid jumping on a trampoline. But this is a lot safer. When I’m writing and editing at my desk for hours and hours, I take a break and jump!
11. Saying no. I keep having to learn this good thing. When I say yes to too many good things, I am saying no to other good things. And those things might be super important to me, but they get all crowded out. It’s all about choices, right? In 2020, I said no to several tempting work and volunteer activities so I could say yes to my writing, my family, my home.

There you go. 11 Good Things for 2020.

Many years ago, I was a gymnast. (I also got the Dorothy Hamill haircut, but that’s another story.) A perfect score was 10. Last year felt more like an 11 for one reason. “You are my Lord; Apart from you I have no good thing.”

With You, I have all good things.

My prayer for each of you reading this — today and into the future — is that you might know the only Good Thing that can never be taken from you. Christ alone.

Looking for more devotions and reflections on faith? Click here.

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