Thoughts on the New Year

A new year has begun. The nation is in political conflict, 1.5 million Americans are homeless, 27.7% of US children live below the poverty line, and nearly 48% of Americans live at or near the poverty line.

It sounds bleak, and, indeed, positive news and positive thoughts are in short supply. If I were to go from empirical observation I wuld say that less than 10% of the people I have encountered believe that on January 1, 2013 we will look back on the year in positive reflection.

But it does not have to be that way. While I myself have questions and doubts on what the coming year will bring, I can say one thing with certainty: if we all believe that the coming year will be negative, it will be.

I do realize certain things happen that are beyond our control. Sickness, famine, natural disasters, wars. But these things all happen in good years and bad. And while there is a temptation to mourn what we have lost, it is our choice to celebrate new opportunities and new beginnings.

To that end, I am personally making the following declarations for the New Year. Not resolutions, I don't believe in those, but a declaration I can use as a benchmark next January:

--I will be salt and light in 2012. While we may curse the darkness, it is imperative to understand that the darkest hours are when the light is most needed.

--I will endeavor to the best of my ability to embrace adversity for the challenges it brings and not shun adversity for the sake of my own comfort.

--I will work passionately to be the hands and feet of Jesus, actively and passionately seeking opportunities to serve, to build, to nurture and to heal.

--I will not knowingly allow a single person to pass by my door with a need without attempting to fill it. If I cannot fill it, I will attempt to find someone who can.

--I will focus on others and not self in the coming year. While I will not focus on self denial, I will place my wants below the needs of others.

--I will work diligently to encourage others to maintain a positive focus and work to make a better and brighter future.

In closing, I would like to leave you with the following words of encouragement:

3 Not only so, but we[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. --Romans 5:3-5 NIV

Be blessed and let's embrace every day we have as a challenge that we will rise to accept.