Turning the Calendar

“Lord you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God. … For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night.” Psalm 90.1-4

As the year turns, most of us probably spend some time thinking about the trials and blessings of the year past and about our hopes and expectations for the coming year.

Looking back on 2021, we see that it was a year like other years in which a lot happened - - in the world, in our nation, in our church, in our individual lives. Births of new people. The passing of beloved friends. Illness and anxiety and the common troubles of all humanity. Extreme weather - - Hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, floods and droughts affected so many people. Everyone was certainly impacted by the COVID pandemic that required us as individuals and as a human race to reorganize our lives and rethink our priorities. We are seeing lists of best books, best movies and lots of bests. In our clan lists of best pets (quite a competition).



In my own life in the past year there were great blessings: graduations, journeys, birthdays, family gatherings, even a wedding of our oldest grandson.

I hope all of us can make time to think back over the year and note the blessings and the faithfulness of God flowing through it all.

The calendar turns, and here comes another year! I am not one for New Year’s resolutions, but I do want to be ready for any new challenges that come my way. God does have a way of surprising us with new opportunities to grow in our faith and our knowledge. And new opportunities to care for those in need, and to grow kindness and justice in ways as yet unknown. I hope that I will recognize those opportunities when they arrive in my life, and respond with some wisdom and courage.

We serve a loving and forgiving God who sees all of time; for whom a thousand years pass as a day. And yet God’s care for us and for each of our lives is deep and sure. We can count on God’s love and guidance in 2022 and all the years of our lives.

May the coming year be filled with blessings for each of you and yours.

Pastor Nancy Becker