T’was the night before the New Year and creatures were scurrying around the town, here and there. Well lots of people were out and about wishing all they saw a Happy New Year and wondering what young 2012 would bring to them. Would the economy be up or down, would they have jobs and homes to live in or be forced out. The greetings were happy and bright, the thoughts on many people’s minds were dark and sad. How does one start a New Year with hope? The people had gotten used to Mr. 2011. Yea, he had been rather difficult those early months, with more snow than I have ever seen in one year. Then, of course, there were the temper tantrums he threw in his days of Spring, with tornados, hurricanes, and even that tsunami in Japan. Mr. 2011 had given a quite a scare in those early months, but then he became docile and easy to live with, in the last few months he had become warm and even exhibited lots of sunshine just when we needed it. Now Mr. 2011 was declaring his departure, he was leaving us to start all over again with this New Year Baby. Could we really let him go, we had gotten so used to the way he had done things and now there would be change. But what kind of changes would this new guy require of us? It always seems that each New Year Baby bring new technology, new ways of doing things that we have become accustomed to doing in our own ways, and even new words. Why I remember when that New Year Baby of 1975, I believe it was, brought the new tape player that pushed out our eight track player out of style. Why we thought that the eight-tracks were the height of musical technology. Now, after thirty-seven years of new gadgets and wonder toys, here comes yet another New Year Baby, who knows what wonders he will bring to us. Why can’t he understand that we like things they way they are, that we don’t like to change?
I suppose that there is really nothing we can do to hold on to Mr. 2011. I suppose that New Year Baby will come whether we want him or not. And I also suppose that he will bring new ideas, new challenges, new projects, and even new problems with him throughout his year. But maybe, just maybe, he will also bring new joys, new gifts and talents, new ways to make our lives easier. Who knows, he may even bring wondrous new blessing for us and for our community. I guess the only way to know is to plunge right into the New Year and welcome Baby 2012. We can only hope that he will surprise us with his newness and his wonders. After all he is a gift from God, as is each new year, each new day. Let us take time to welcome 2012 and to give God thanks for the freshness and wide-eyed wonder of this new year. Let’s trust that God is with us in each new year with it’s challenges as well as it’s blessings. Happy New Year! May 2012 be a blessed year of growing and strengthening of our lives and our community.
All Are Welcome
Christ Memorial Church
2440 York Street