It's the eve of yet another much anticipated year - 2015. This means fifteen whole years since the turn of the millennium. Fifteen whole years since my sixteen year old self enjoyed new years eve at the Bradley's with a heap of friends from youth group, the same friends that - when the midnight count down made it to zero flicked the switch in the fuze box (preying on my gullibility) and standing there in sudden silence and instant darkness I was like, 'Wow, it actually happened!'
My Y2K experience quickly ended and we all headed into the new millennium without the much talked about potential craziness. Isn't it funny, the years roll by.
If you're any kind of normal you'll have spent some time over the last couple of weeks casting your mind forward and back, in a kind-of planning/reflecting ping-pong which some people hate (or I'm sure just pretend to), but I thoroughly enjoy about this time of year.
In reflection, this year has been a very unique one for D and I; every year is unique, but this year has been particularly so. As the year draws to a close and prompts me to reflect, it's not the events, the people seen or the places visited that I'm looking back on, it's the growth. I'm looking back in hope to find lessons learned, priorities shifted, change for the better, progress, and ultimately - 'fruit'. And though we could be tempted to think this year has been fruitless, in a strange sort-of way it has been a particularly fruitful one.
And next year, this fresh start, this new chapter spread out before us all - what dreams are you dreaming for it? What are you hoping will fill the pages of your 2015?
If you're like me you don't share dreams, vision - the heart stuff, with everyone, but I do hope you've had the chance to sit down with one of your near and dear, with a glass of wine (or seriously effervescent kefir) and dream a little dream for 2015 together.
In his book Through Painted Desserts, Donald Miller penned some uncharacteristically sentimental but beautiful words that I especially love in light of the tingly anticipation and expectant glow of new years eve:
“And so my prayer is that your story will involve some leaving and some coming home, some summer and some winter, some roses blooming out like children in a play. My hope is your story will be about changing, about getting something beautiful born inside of you, about learning to love a woman or a man, about moving yourself around water, around mountains, around friends, about learning to love others more than we love ourselves, about learning oneness as a way of understanding God. We get one story, you and I, and one story alone. God has established the elements, the setting and the climax and the resolution. It would be a crime not to venture out, wouldn't it?"
So, cheers to venturing out into the next part of our stories! All the coming, the going, the loving, the playing, the growing, the believing, the life that await in 2015. Cheers to a meaningful year of progress and purpose. I've crowned 'Kings and Queens' by Brooke Fraser the anthem for our 2015; in her cute little kiwi accent she simply describes her new song like this, "If this song doesn’t make you move then I do not know what will. We’ve got a long way to go, but we’ve also come a long way, so let's get off our butt and celebrate that!" Ahh, so cute and new-yearsey hey?
Happy New Year everyone! ... Time to go get yourself around (and by that I mean AS CLOSE as possible!) to some seriously spectacular fireworks and greet your new years day!
Job 11:16-19 (MSG)
You’ll forget your troubles;
Job 11:16-19 (MSG)
You’ll forget your troubles;
they’ll be like old, faded photographs.
Your world will be washed in sunshine,
every shadow dispersed by dayspring.
Full of hope, you’ll relax, confident again;
you’ll look around, sit back, and take it easy.
Expansive, without a care in the world,
you’ll be hunted out by many for your blessing.
Your world will be washed in sunshine,
every shadow dispersed by dayspring.
Full of hope, you’ll relax, confident again;
you’ll look around, sit back, and take it easy.
Expansive, without a care in the world,
you’ll be hunted out by many for your blessing.
