A new year

It strikes me as odd that in my part of the world the new year comes under the cover of winter. It's as if something new has begun, full of potential and promise, but the world around me doesn't seem to know it yet.

2008 finds me sick for the first time this winter, though not severely so. Very little in my life is as I had hoped it would be by this time, and I have been discouraged. Yet, I still find some comfort in being on the very top of this new year. I know it will pass more quickly than seems possible, but for today the year seems full of time, and with time comes possibility.

2007 was an especially turbulent year for me. In some ways I feel like I've just reached shore after being tossed around in a river's rapids—a bit dazed, trying to get my bearings, and facing quite a hike to civilization. Not to mention the wet shoes. I'm not even sure that this year will be rapid-free—actually, I'm certain that it will not be. It's just a matter of how big the rapids are and how frequently they come. The only thing I can do much about is how I handle them.

As we begin this new year, I know I would do well to meditate on these words of Jesus:

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:33–34)

Happy New Year!