01/01/2017—Unto Us a New Year Has Been Given

I am working this day: and as the second hour of the eight hour shift started; I am praying ‘God help me make it through the day, may all go well.’ I am also thinking—“oh, seven more hours to go and how long that seems to be.”

That is when these thoughts came and quickly written down—for I knew where they were coming from.

“Unto us a New Year has been given. Unto us a New Year has begun. Unto us a new day has also been given. Do you see gift given? Do you see in it just what treasures lie within?”

In the past year, the gift was to show what a priceless treasure my health, my vision was and to be thankful for the sight and health restored.

We also traveled in the past 2 months, visiting with family. Oh how that time away from home and familiar beds seemed to pass slowly, but also quickly and much wisdom came from that trip and staying with families. The trip to Ohio was 15 hours long one way, only five days stay ---but still each day, you think “I will be so glad to be home again.” Then when that 15 hour trip began and we were driving the next 100 miles: “God help us, protect us and Lord we still have another 800 more miles and 13 ½ hours to go yet—and it is 1 degree outside. (Now that seemed to be a forever period of time!!) Thank You, God, for the warm heated car---there are many who have no heat today.”

At the end of December, we celebrated 45 years of marriage. Now where did that time go? “Thank You, God, for that gift of being there and keeping us one.”

We all have been on this journey of time. Time—miles to go---all bring forth thoughts that this time or trip is dragging and slow. We may feel we have wasted also, much time. This day, this week, and this month---each moment brings more sadness, sickness, anger, hate war, and death. These are just some of the ways we look at time and how it passes.

We can see TIME and what is happening as all of that. Or—we can realize that this TIME has been given as a gift and a chance to once more find the Presence of God in all that is happening. Once more we can see with eyes of faith and allow our minds and heart to rejoice for the right reasons. We can choose to celebrate our union with God in our lives and treasure each second, minute, and hour of each day. We will choose to decide that I will be thankful today for all that is for “we enter into His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts and His courts with praise.” Or, I can at least TRY, taking it one moment at a time.

The Serenity prayer comes to my mind just now—and perhaps that is the prayer to begin each day.

The Serenity prayer.

O God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time. Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace. Taking, as He did, the sinful world as it is, not as I would have it. Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever.

It was these thoughts that helped me to see the end of my 8 hour shift and while driving home through fields and countryside, thanking God for His help and grace; I was given the gift of being connected through nature, silence and ‘time’ alone; I was given the complete awareness of “God is with me---right now!” Now that is exactly how we want each second of time to be!! Aware of the Presence of God, and thank God that we have that for all of Eternity!