One of the most significant dates of every year has always been January 1st – well, it is to most of us. To those of you that don’t see it this way, I am sorry for you. There are not many greater gifts that God has given us than a new year. I do mean this in so many ways! One year comes to a close, history is written and the game is over. Hopefully, you have thought ahead and cleaned up all your messes from the years. There is little worse than starting the new year with a bunch of unfinished business! So why do most people think of January 1st as a special day. Also, a new year has begun full of hope, dreams, and possibilities.

I hear the curmudgeon now – “But nothing has really changed – life is just one big continuum of time form the day you are born to the day you die.” Or “I don’t do New Year’s resolutions!” The latter is usually followed by some self-pious nonsense about keeping your word or something similar. I say what Piggy says in Lord of the Flies – sucks to your Puddleglum attitude. Get over yourself and live a little. Don’t be so cynical! Life is too short to live like that. Okay, rant over.

The New Year is a new beginning. The great gift of God is that he gives us an endless string of opportunities to say something like “This is a new day, I will begin again.” We have new days once a day, a new week every week, a new month every month, a new quarter every quarter, and a new year every year. I don’t think it is any coincidence that God, our merciful creator, is constantly urging us to get up and begin again. So, will you take this opportunity to be thankful for new beginnings. Will you wake up on January 1st and recommit yourself to living this life for every drop it has to offer. I know I will. Join me, not literally, but do join me in making your new years resolutions this year – to be a better dad, a better boss, a better churchman, a better husband, a better brother, a better son . . . I think we were “created for more” (Grace College’s motto). Do you?