I don't usually get excited about the coming of a new year. I enjoy the celebration of Christmas and all that it brings but I just don't understand the hype of seeing in a new year.
Last night I saw in the new year with a small gathering of friends and my fiancé at his flat. It was nice, we chatted, played games, had food, a lot of booze and we got a great view of firework displays from the balcony. It was a really lovely evening. Once the hugs, kisses and happy new year greetings had ended we got onto the subject of resolutions. What did we want to do this year? What promises were we going to hold ourselves to? I often get quite cynical at moments like this because what's the point? Who keeps their resolutions for more than a month anyway? But I didn't get that feeling. Instead I had a longing and desire within me to make this year count. To gain achievements, to make memories, to just live life differently in some way.
Today we all went for a New Years Day walk. As we talked and laughed our way through the cold and the mud, I began to ponder over what this year could look like. What promises could I make to myself? I haven't formulated a proper list yet but a few things came to mind. One of them is that I want to blog more. I was disappointed with myself for the lack of advent blogs I'd managed to write. Life just got in the way. I want to create time and space for the people I love and the things I love doing. I don't want to get to the end of 2013, look back and see 'life' getting in the way. There are other things too, a bit more personal, that I'm going to hold myself to for this coming year.
Whilst talking about resolutions we also talked about the things we had done in 2012 that were worth noting. I enjoyed remembering the year in this way. I became Assistant Children's Pastor at St Bs, I got engaged, I saw other good friends getting engaged and married and having babies, I became a Godmother, I passed my theology course, I moved house, I launched a new kids group, I preached at church, I got a nannying job, I celebrated turning 28....the list goes on!! At the beginning of 2012 I didn't know half that stuff was going to happen. The year was full of ups and downs, high points and disappointments.
So, as I start to think about my resolutions and wonder what 2013 has to hold, I go into it knowing that the year will have times to celebrate and times to be sad. Above it all though, I know that God has my plan for this year written out, that its safely in his hands and that through good and bad He will be there.
