2019 has just arrived. I guess I'm getting old, because I seldom stay up till midnight any more to see the new year in, I just greet it the next morning when I wake up and so far, each year has been satisfied with that reception.
Of course, there is only one January 1st each year, but then again, there is only one April 6th and September 20th too -- same as most of us only have one birthday each year (one is plenty). The point though is not on the year, but on the new aspect of it. It is a blank sheet of paper, a notebook, as yet with nothing written in it.
Looking forward, the pessimist in me wants to say that there is no reason for optimism. Surely 2019 will be the same as most years. It will have good things and bad in it, but surely I will remember the bad more than the good.
I don't think the questions I should be asking are things like, "How much will other people bless me this year?" or even "Will 2019 be a good year for me and my family?" If that's what I'm thinking about, certainly 2019 will be a mixed bag at best.
The real question is "How much can I show love to others this year?" Because by God's grace, I can be successful there.
There will be times that I find myself discouraged with the behaviors of others. There will be moments when my children don't behave well or break something that I wish they hadn't broken. There will be times (like last night) when my son gets the stomach flu and clean up duty is in order at 3 am. All of those things are guaranteed (and a bit depressing).
What is just as guaranteed is that I will have ample opportunity to bless others, just as I will have multiple ways in which I can draw closer to God.
So much of how I feel about the new year will be related to what my expectations are of it going in. I would rather have those expectations be oriented around my relationship with God and how I can minister to the needs of others and with that, I believe I can expect a wonderful year.
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