Newness

It seems strange that this day, as every other, has a morning, an evening, a night. It has snow on the ground, wind whistling through bare branches, and the sound of vehicles and people travelling. 

It's not that extraordinary.

But it is.

It's a new beginning... or as I saw someone put it: "New Year's Day is every man's birthday."

It's a chance to start over again, to go back to scratch, to breathe and try again. 

Yet, it's only a man-made holiday, and it reminds me of how everyday in the year is a Christian's New Year's Day:

"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:21-23 (ESV)

Another thing it reminds me of is the beginnings of this blog, when I plunged into a different way of expressing myself that has morphed into something so satisfactorily freeing. 

I don't know what is coming up this year. Oh, I know what's scheduled to happen, but that's not most likely what I'll remember when this time come next year. Rather, it's the lessons, the experiences, the memories, and the friends that remain lodged in my mind even when the calendar is replaced. 

I don't know what He's wanting to teach me this year, but I do know that it will draw me closer to Him in ways that I don't anticipate this year. 

He's taught me so much about being still... 

- to "be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act"

- to rest in hope when things don't look so good

- to be blessed when He shows reward for waiting

 

and so much more...

There might be a new word/phrase that He will give to me in these next few days, but He may just as well have more to teach me about being still. 

We'll just have to wait and see...