Four Things I am thinking about at the Start of a New Year

I’m assuming because I am getting older,  the passing of times seems to come faster than when I was a child. It seemed a decade between Christmases when I was in elementary school. Now it seems to happen about every three months.

I have always tried to do something with resolutions each and every year. Some of course were more successful than others. This past year was one that I have described as being filled with unfortunate distractions.  I should have listed one of my resolutions this year regarding watching out for unruly distractions! My resolutions are the typical stuff: lose weight, save money, be nice, be an encourager, be a good husband, be a good father, be a good pastor, be a good district superintendent, be a good neighbor and so on.  I am also going to attempt not to make too many more people upset with me this year, but hey it seems to happen.

Here are four things I wrote down today in the office:

1          nothing clears the head like a new start. I’m glad that whoever created calendars had an ending and a starting date. Depending on your perspective of the past year, it was either rather long or rather short. Most  would choose the former. Today I am thanking God for a new beginning.  Today seems like a chance for a fresh start.  I want this year, to serve the Lord with a renewed passion and commitment.

2          the year parallels a lifetime. We all had a start, and we will all have an end. Thankfully years have starts and finishes. I am not sure of all the reasons but I am glad for a new start.  It is good in life to put a period at the end of the sentence and to move forward.  Always keep the end in mind, finish strong!

3          this year will be filled with seasons, four to be exact. We are presently in my least favorite season, winter but I must admit there is beauty even in winter time. And the point is rather clear, my opinion doesn’t count for much when it comes to the passing of seasons. The season come and the season go.  Of course it doesn’t stop me from having an opinion, but nonetheless it changes next to nothing. I’m imagining that I will experience both sunny and stormy seasons in 2017. There will be ups and downs, but mostly average and ordinary.  The good news:  Jesus is Lord of all seasons.

4          the only thing I can change is myself. I can’t change time, the seasons, the years, my family, my friends, or much of anything else. Perhaps we spend so much of our time trying to change others and things beyond our control, that we don’t have the time to do the hard work of focusing on our selves? As with all new years I’m trying to make some changes in my life. I have learned rather than trying to make big drastic changes, if I focus on a series of small consistent changes then  before the end of the year they will have snowballed into some major effects.  Because you can’t do everything, is no excuse to not do something.

Well I have no idea what this new year will hold. But I plan to the best of my ability and certainly with a lot of help from God, to live my life to the fullest and to make a difference for Christ wherever I can. I’m counting on His help and assistance this year. I think I always have, but in this year I am more and more aware of my weakness and His great strength. Let’s all have a fantastic 2017