“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”~Edith Lovejoy Pierce
It’s the first Sunday of the first month of a New Year. 2022. All those twos. In a couple of hundred years people will be able to write all twos. 2222. That’s sort of weird to think about but once upon a time a thousand plus years ago, people wrote all ones. 1111. Sometimes my thoughts just slide off the track and run off down some rabbit holes. Oh well, let me get my fingers back on track here.
Since it is a first Sunday, it’s time for some First Sunday Devotional thoughts. And this being the second day of a brand new year, new resolutions to live a better life come to mind. Have you made any New Year’s Resolutions? I haven’t. None especially for right now. I have plenty of goals, things I want to accomplish. Things I need to do better. I could make that commonly popular resolution, made by many people, to lose those pounds I have added that I didn’t need to add. I could resolve to exercise more, eat less sugary stuff. Even more important I could resolve to be a better wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend. So many ways I could be a better me. But I don’t have to wait for a New Year’s Day to make those sort of changes.
“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt
Still the taking down of an old calendar and the hanging of a new one does make one think of new beginnings. Of how it’s a great time to resolve to do some things better, to do other things less, to walk a path of personal improvement.
“Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” ~Carl Bard
Sometimes we don’t have ways to change our situations, but we can change our attitudes. Helen Keller faced difficulties that are hard to imagine and yet she resolved to keep happy and to have joy.
“Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” ~Helen Keller
If we can keep that joy she speaks of and move into a new year hanging onto our dreams and believing our goals are within reach, then more than likely, those dreams may be realized and those goals met.
“What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year.” ~Vern MacLelland
So, may you begin this New Year of 2022 with hope and faith and the belief that you can embrace the opportunities that come your way and live life to the fullest.
“Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous new year by believing.” ~Sarah Ban Breathnach
But along with that faith and hope is love, what the Bible says we need most of all.
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. …1 Corinthians 13:13 (NKJ)
May you have a year overflowing with blessings coming your way and may you be a blessing to those around you. You all are a blessing to me.
Have you made or are you making any New Year’s resolutions?
P.S. The snowy bird picture is from several years ago. No snow around here yet.