'Happy' New Year

Now that Christmas is past, prayerfully it stays with us a little longer than one day. We now start saying, “Happy New Year”.  I wonder why that phrase? Doesn’t really matter I guess. But did you know that here in North America, (British Colony) they celebrated the New Year on March 1 up until 1752. After that it was moved to January 1.

What makes it a new year and what is this ‘happy’ all about it? In my own personal life, as I have said before, I try to start a new year every morning.  Most of us approach January 1^st, with the idea of putting away all that happened in this past year. Which when you think about it, can mean we start with a clean slate or a new diary or day planner as they all start with January 1.

As a follower of Christ and just going through Advent, we have diligently endeavoured to prepare ourselves for His coming.  That coming happened on Dec. 25^th. Now it is time to hold on to the new or renewed commitment to Christ.  We take eight days to think and ponder how we will live this next year. On January 1^st we begin to live our lives as if that week gave us time to reflect on how Advent changed us and the experience impacted our spiritual journey and now, we move forward into an new and glorious walk with Christ.

Then we ask, why ‘happy’?  Here is what I read about this; Happy is about good fortune, general wellbeing and contentment.   That’s it! We wish all of this and more on everyone around us. For years I didn’t like saying Merry Christmas or Happy New Year. Might have something to do with my ‘happy’ new year every morning and thinking merry meant the party atmosphere I attributed to the Christmas I saw around me when I was young. That all changed when I realized that both of these are meant for good and for building our relationship with God in Christ that will make a major impact on each one of us.  That major impact is what we do as we take the first step into 2018 with Christ’s hand in ours. Hold on tight, it is going to be quite the ‘HAPPY’ journey.

Something to think about

Happy New Year.

Rob