Newness

Welcome to 2008! Wow, how the time flies and stands still all at the same time. I love the New Year because I love the time of reflection and renewal. Yeah, that seems like a trite or cliche thing to say, but it's true. A lot of people reflect on the year past and feel a sense of renewal--of starting over in a sense. The problem is that the renewal lasts for a day or two or maybe even a week or two--about until work or school or "normal" life kicks back into play. In my mind that is a tragedy--that we wear ourselves out so quickly and lose sight of the greater picture, the hope and joy that we have in Christ, that though life just plain sucks at times, He is faithful and good.

I feel like 2007 was a busy year. I was spare you all of a list of my 2007 accomplishments (because mostly they are boring and unimportant), but I flat out wore myself out. I even feel like I missed Christmas this year. Does anyone know what I mean? I was just so busy that when I was putting away the decorations I thought--did all this just happen already? Is Christmas tomorrow or was it last week? Running here and there and everywhere I missed it. I mean, sometimes I think that is just part of life. You can't slow life down. And that was me this year--there was nothing I could do to slow my life down.

But this week I am resting and doing exciting things that I have wanted to do for awhile now--like iron my curtains and organize my thousands of pages of notes from the semester. Exciting, I know. Today I chilled and as I was riding in the car I heard a great song on the radio. I must admit that, normally, I probably would have changed the station because, yes, it is the typical, overplayed, redundant, bordering on annoying, contemporary Christian song BUT its message hit home today and for me it is my theme song of the new year. It's called Miracle of the Moment by Steven Curtis Chapman--

It’s time for letting go
All of our if only’s
‘Cause we don’t have a time machine
And even if we did
Would we really want to use it?
Would we really want to go change everything?
‘Cause we are who and where and what we are for now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

Chorus:
So breathe it in and breathe it out
Listen to your heartbeat
There’s a wonder in the here and now
It’s right there in front of you
And I don’t want you to miss
The miracle of the moment

There’s only one who knows
What’s really out there waiting
In all the moments yet to be
And all we need to know
Is He’s out there waiting
To Him the future’s history
And He has given us a treasure called right now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

And if it brings you tears
Then taste them as they fall
And let them soften your heart
And if it brings you laughter
Then throw your head back
And let it go, let it go
You gotta let it go
Listen to your heartbeat

I love how it says, "He has given us a treasure called right now, and this is the only moment we can do anything about." What a wonderful thing to treasure day-to-day, maybe even seemingly mundane life. What a wonderful thing to live in the moment. Yeah, yeah, cliche you may say. But true nonetheless. Hold on to that. Enjoy the moment.

And one last thought--

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
1 Corinthians 5:17

Welcome to the new year. May you experience the newness you have in Christ to its fullest this year and may you live in the miracle of the moment. May the Lord bless you and keep you and may His face shine upon and be gracious and give you peace....