“I’ve been thinking.”
Whenever I say those words to my husband, he immediately responds with, “Uh-oh!” I realize that the thought of me thinking is a pretty big “Oi-Vey;” but, there’s a reason that I’m thinking.
I just celebrated my 61st birthday. Have you ever noticed that birthdays inspire lots of questions? When my husband asked me what I wanted for my birthday, aside from the very-timely-right-now answer of, “World Peace,” (i.e. the election to be over and Covid to be gone) I honestly had trouble thinking of something. I dabbled with the idea of a tattoo, but when I think about it, I really don’t like self-inflicted pain. I also can’t help wondering what tattoos will look like when you’re 80 or so because…you know…wrinkles. I don’t need anything which is a gift in itself. And so, the thinking began. What do I want? I settled on a new screen door. Fall and winter in Florida, which barely exist, are the time when you open your windows and doors. Being a Northerner, it has taken me years to get used to this, but I think I’ve finally conceded to this fact, and so, I got a new screen door. I’m very excited about it!
Anyway, all of that thinking got me thinking.
Most of us think of the worldwide New Year of January 1st, as a day of new beginnings, new promises, new resolutions that we’ll make and, most likely, break. But, if you think about it, January 1st is a world wide new beginning. It’s corporate, in a sense. Everyone all together making new choices for their lives.
Here’s my thought. Individually, our birthdays are the beginning of our personal New Year. A time to reflect on the year that’s passed. A time to think about the year that’s ahead. A time to make changes and decisions in our lives. What do we want to be when we finally grow up? How do we want to be remembered?
And then I had this thought…
Every day of every year every one of us gets a chance at a do-over. Every single day is a chance at a new start!
And so ends my “thinking!”
Happy New Birthday Year to us all!

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” ~Lamentations 3: 22-23