I am thankful for New Year’s Day.  I am thankful for new beginnings.  New beginnings always means opportunity.  Sometimes it is a chance to try something different.  Sometimes it is a chance to build on something already in progress.  Like making a new friend or deepening a relationship with an old one.

2020 was a difficult year, but it was a year of learning.  There was some amazing progress made in the science of vaccines.  We all did things we maybe thought we could not do, or at least did not want to do.  But we learned of resilience.  Fortunately, the end of the Covid pandemic looks to be in sight.  But some of the things we have learned to do differently may remain.  Working virtually and shopping online will not likely disappear completely.  On the bright side, for many, the shutdown in society has lead to more time with family which is good.

When I think of new beginnings, I think of one of my favorite plants, the Mexican Lilly.  The reason I love this plant is that every morning it bursts forth with a completely new crop of purple flowers.   Every evening the flowers fall off, but then the next morning another crop appears.  It reminds me that God’s mercies are new every morning.

So as 2021 begins, I am hopeful that I have learned from 2020.  Can’t say as I am not glad to see it go.  I look forward to again experiencing some things I have missed, like eating in restaurants with friends, giving and receiving hugs, and breathing freely without a mask.  But whether that comes sooner or later, I am grateful that 2021 has arrived with all of its possibilities.  I am anxious to see what God has in store.

I don’t know what new beginnings the new year holds  I hope for many exciting adventures!  I pray for calm, not stormy, waters ahead.  But though I do not know what the future holds, I know who holds the future.  If you belong to God, remember He is with you always.  Let’s give our worries to Him and enjoy the year ahead!