A New Lease on Life

I ran into a friend of mine named Harry the other day. He lives by a large lake near where I live and loves to kayak on it. It’s been fairly cold recently (parts of the lake have frozen over) so he surprised me by sharing that he might be donning a wetsuit on January 1st and taking the kayak out for a run. I laughed until he assured me that he was serious. He shared that he likes to start off every New Year by doing something he loves.

I think it’s a worthy tradition.

Many a December 31st during my childhood were spent at my Tia Marta’s house. She and my Tio Juan lived just a few blocks away from Southwest Senior High (my one-day alma mater). What I remember most, though, is what they had in their backyard. A pool. It was a large (for kids) screened-in pool which always beckoned to us from the concrete patio. We spent many a summer afternoon cooling off from the South Florida heat thanks to their hospitality. They would often host Noche Buena as well.

On New Year’s Eve, the family would gather together in the living room to watch the ball drop on TV (Dick Clark was ageless even back then). In the waning minutes leading up to midnight, someone would inevitable pass out either small bunches of grapes, or cups containing twelve grapes apiece. We’d yell out the final ten seconds of the old year and then proceed to gobble up the grapes as quickly as possible.

Things were always more pleasant when they gave us the seedless variety…

Why are we always in such a rush? Why do we get annoyed by the little seeds or trials we face on a daily basis? It’s as if all things are working against us as we rush to the finish line … only to get ready for the next race, the next day, the next season, the next holiday, the next year.

What if, instead of flailing about, we decide to be different this year? What if we look at this year as days to be savored instead of gobbled down (they digest better that way)?

What if we slowed down enough to hear God’s voice in everyday life? Not just on Sundays, or when we kneel in prayer, but all the time? What if we got so close to God, that His Heart became one with our heart?

What would be awakened by such a miracle? What are desires He may have already placed in your heart?

Spending more time with your family? Mastering that gift He’s given you? Mending that relationship? Learning to love yourself and others? Taking long walks with God?

As we start a new year, remember that God holds all of time in His Hands. Time is a gift; what does your time have in store for you?

As you take delight in God, what dreams will emerge from your heart?

Joe


Psalm 37:1-13
Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.
For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
Trust in the LORD and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Commit everything you do to the LORD.
Trust him, and he will help you.
He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.
Stop being angry!
Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
it only leads to harm.
For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the LORD will possess the land.
Soon the wicked will disappear.
Though you look for them, they will be gone.
The lowly will possess the land and will live in peace and prosperity.
The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance.
But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming.
(NLT)