HAPPY NEW YEAR

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happy new year

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There are many special days in a year. Days are special to different people for various reasons. Christmas is special to my family because of its significance to our belief in Jesus Christ.

The days of family members, birthdays are special as well. Other special days include Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Presidents’ Day. For some of us every Sunday is special, for others maybe even Groundhog Day. We get 365 days to choose from.

Something feels very significant about the last day of the year. For younger people, it’s a celebration of just the day. For me at this point in my life, is the fact that it’s done, over, no mas. The year is history, it’s behind me, in the past. There is nothing I can do to change whatever happened in the last 365 days.

I can only think about 2010 now. My opportunity to make any difference in anyone’s life including my own has now passed.

A year ago we were with friends at our house. We watched the ball drop on TV. (Not actually on our TV, but the live coverage from downtown) everyone smiled and wished each other, “Happy New Year”! My wife and I exchanged the traditional New Year’s kiss, I said quietly in her ear, “Happy New Year girl.” She always replies, “Happy New Year Babe.”

I can’t say I’ve been happy all year. I’ll never use that word with its modern social implications to describe how I felt this year when my dad was taken home to be with God. In truth, even this Christmas which is usually “Merry,” had mixed emotions due to that fact and some were less than happy.

After six years coaching Lacrosse the reality that it was time to move on was evident, but it certainly didn’t make me happy. It’s been another tough year in business. Happy is the polar opposite of how I’d describe the business climate right now.

I’m not saying I’ve been sad all year. I had some sad days, but I think that is a reality of life. To be perpetually happy, I’d have to be with God in heaven. I know this isn’t the Garden of Eden. The condition of my human heart makes that perfectly clear.

Think about the words, “ Happy New Year ”!–“Happy birthday”! –“Happy Anniversary”! It’s nice to hear those greetings from others isn’t it? Few of us feel like or say, “What’s so happy about it”? Or, “Don’t tell me what to do”! No, we generally say, “Thank you”! Or, “Same to you”!

So what does it mean? If it’s not anything else, it most certainly is a tradition. I believe the tradition started like many other traditions, from a biblically-based action handed down through generations.

Like our term “scapegoat” is used today. Its origin is from Leviticus 16. Aaron was to send the goat out with all the sins on his head into the wilderness. Hence the term “escape-goat”.

Tradition for a Christian New Year’s greetings probably sounded more like “Blessed New Year.” The New Testament definition of “happy” is “supremely blessed. Wow! To be  supremely blessed over the course of 365 days would truly make it a “happy” year.

Although I had difficulties like all of us do over the course of a year. I know I’ve been “Supremely Blessed” this year. That doesn’t mean I go jogging along, jumping up and clicking my heels together all the time. It means I walk through each year understanding that each breath is a gift. That breath is given in order to honor the One who provides it.

We only get a number of breaths.

Our hearts will beat for only a set number of years.

I pray each one will be used wisely according to God’s desire for us.

I hope you get many happy days this new year.

More than that, I wish you a “Happy,” or better yet. A “Supremely Blessed New Year”!