A new year
As the last days of the year are upon us, many of us are thinking ahead to resolutions for the new year – losing weight, exercising more, eating healthy, decluttering that closet (you know the one), doing more of this and less of that. According to a 2013 article in Forbes magazine, 40% of us make resolutions and only 8% of us accomplish them due mostly to a lack of willpower. I can totally relate to that. May I suggest that we remember that each day is another chance to take a small step towards accomplishing that resolution that all is not lost because we skipped a day or two.
The end of a year is also the perfect opportunity to reflect on the previous year. In my Christmas letter, I stated “The word that best describes my 2016 is EVENTFUL. I think that same word may describe 2016 for many whether personally or as a community or even as a nation. Per the thesaurus, synonyms for eventful are exciting, action-packed, busy, hectic, lively, important, momentous. I can say with confidence that the antonym for eventful doesn’t apply to 2016 – dull.” I assigned a tidbit of information to each letter in eventful and thus updated friends on my 2016. Missannsays.com for full letter.
Some years ago, I came across a poem by Minnie Louise Haskins. I think it beautifully conveys a wise way to approach a new year.
God Knows
And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”
So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.
And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.So heart be still:
What need our little life
Our human life to know,
If God hath comprehension?
In all the dizzy strife
Of things both high and low,
God hideth His intention.
God knows. His will is best. The stretch of years
which wind ahead, so dim to our imperfect vision,
Are clear to God. Our fears are premature; In Him,
All time hath full provision.
Then rest: until God moves to lift the veil
From our impatient eyes,
When, as the sweeter features
Of Life’s stern face we hail,
Fair beyond all surmise
God’s thought around His creatures
Our mind shall fill.[2]
Happy New Year Ann!
This past year had its ups-and-downs, yet is was a year full of growth. Happy new year, Ann.