“And so, that was Christmas and how did it go . . .?”
– to paraphrase John Lennon’s famous Christmas song. How it went for you and me
may vary enormously from how it went for many others.
 |
| Original Source uncertain |
Keeping Lennon’s haunting melody in mind, we could go
on at length posing all sorts of questions: “And so it’s the New Year, and what
will you do . . .?” Or, “And so it’s a new year and what will it bring?” and so
on. We can plan for our future, but we have no guarantees of its unfolding
exactly as planned. And yet, surely it’s good to live in hope.
I’m pecking away at the keyboard musing on these
matters on the last day of 2018 – December 31st. Television video clips from around the globe
are displaying New Year Celebrations as the midnight hour successively strikes
in national capitals.
All in all, my wife May and I were blessed with a
pleasant and enjoyable Christmas, and are truly grateful. However, we have
extended family, dear friends and colleagues who will remember this Christmas
and New Year period as difficult and challenging.
 |
| Courtesy: www.DaySpring.com |
This morning I received a call to provide the prelude
and accompaniment music at the memorial service for a friend’s sister. May and
I have also to sing at it. The lady’s death in the closing hours of 2018 was a
shock. My friend (who will officiate) didn’t even know of his sister’s recent
illness. And so, we plan to travel with him and his wife the three-and-a-half
hour trip to the venue.
I don’t mention this to be morbid, but as an
encouragement for us
to live thoughtfully, not recklessly;
to adopt a humility
that’s not boastful
about what we’re going to do,
and to urge a humility that,
while hope-filled,
will cause us to recognize our human frailty.
Along with hope and humility, let us also journey on
with love. Now, that offers much scope, from wholesome relationships to
practical caring about people in our lives and beyond.
May and I recently received an advance invitation to
provide a program in music and word for senior adults in February, on the week
of Valentine’s.
Love is needful for quality of life, for the young and the old;
from our first breath on exiting the womb
and entering this crazily mixed-up world,
until
we draw our final breath.
We accepted that invitation and, in good faith we
plan in hope to fulfil it. Yes, faith.
Will you, will I, see the three-hundred-and-sixty-five
days of 2019 through to their conclusion? Only God knows. Those enduring
qualities of faith, hope and love will journey with us while we traverse the
plains of life, if we cherish them in our hearts and exercise them
daily.
Let us trust in Jesus, the locus and focus of our
faith.
He is the hope of our trusting hearts, and the lover of our souls.
~~+~~
Peter is a retired pastor – well, sort of retired – as he is currently engaged as an associate volunteer pastor. He lives in Southwestern Ontario with his wife, May, and writes a weekly inspirational newspaper column and occasional magazine articles. Peter is author of two books: "Parables from the Pond" (Word Alive Press) and "Raise Your Gaze . . . Mindful Musings of a Grateful Heart" (Angel Hope Publishing). He and May are also engaged in leading nursing home / residential chapel services and music. ~+~
No comments:
Post a Comment