Opportunities Of A New Year

  • Pastor Randy Helm
  • Jan 7, 2010

This past year has been monumental.  The pages of history will record 2009 as historic and significant not only for our nation but for much of the world. 

The magazines and various media outlets will soon be reviewing the year in pictures, highlighting major events and analyzing what took place.  Naturally accompanying these stories will be the look ahead as various experts hypothesize about everything from fashion to finance. We will again be subject to the front pages of tabloids staring us in the face pronouncing the predictions of leading psychics (… did you ever wonder what qualifies as a “leading” psychic? …what is it, a lunatic that was wrong only 98% of the time and lucky twice? OKAY I admit I digress).  

The look back and the look ahead are important as we get a sense of bearing and stability.  However even more important is the opportunity provided us to change.  A new year is a time of reflection but it is also a time of recognizing what needs to be changed and changing what we can.

Determine this year that you will find the opportunities for real change … not hollow change that merely puts off genuine change for another year.

London's ‘Garrick Club’ was once a favorite hangout of England's theatrical and literary elites. Its patrons included numerous legendary actors and writers. The club membership also included the actor Frederick Lonsdale, who was engage in a long running and bitter feud with another club member. The two had once been close friends, but now bitterness kept them apart. It was a New Years Eve party when Seymour Hicks insisted Lonsdale reconcile with his old friend. "You must," Hicks said to Lonsdale. "It is very unkind to be unfriendly at such a time. Go over now and wish him a happy New Year." Finally convinced, Lonsdale crossed the room to speak to his former friend … and said, "I wish you a happy New Year," he said, "but only one."

To be quite honest I find Lonsdale’s wit to be impressively humorous (in a warped cynical way) but I also wonder what the next New Year’s Eve get together was like?

I trust the changes you and I focus on will be true changes that are concerned with long term results.

 

In His Grace – Pastor Randy