As we all breathe a sigh of relief to see 2020 go, I want to wish you a Happy New Year, bloggy friends!! On this first day of 2021, I find myself recovering from Covid-19, so I decided to loan my web space to Shannon Pugh. Although she doesn’t call herself a writer, she uses words beautifully and faithfully in a monthly newsletter. She and her ministry team mean so much to my family, and I couldn’t wait to share her thoughts on the turning of the calendar with you:
I’m not an anthropology buff. To be honest, I had to look up the word “anthropology” to make sure it actually means what I thought it meant (the study of human societies and cultures). But from what I do know about the history of humanity across the ages, every culture has developed some sort of system for marking the passage of time. Our current system of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, etc. is apparently called the “Gregorian calendar”… I learned something new today! Thanks Wikipedia! At IBC [Irving Bible Church], we observe Advent and Lent, which are part of the Liturgical year that many denominations of Christianity follow.
Not only do we use these systems to mark the passage of time, but we also use them to give meaning to the passage of time. We assign importance to specific dates like birthdays, holidays, anniversaries of important events and even seasons. Again, this is across cultures and over the course of human history. Time is important!
And I think that’s because we know, deep down, that our lives have a purpose. It’s not just about surviving as long as possible and then dying as painlessly as possible. It’s about making daily choices to better the world around us in some way. For me, it’s about making life on earth as much like heaven as it can possibly be. May Your kingdom come, Lord, may Your will and work be done on earth, as it already is in heaven.
There’s nothing magical about January 1st — really, it’s just the day after December 31st (and both of those are just words and numbers that help us mark the passing of time). However, those days have had special importance for hundreds and hundreds of years. Because, although nothing actually changes when the clock turns to 12:00 on January 1st, it’s an opportunity for us to realign our priorities and renew our commitment to make the world around us a better place, one moment at a time.
I, for one, don’t want life to just float by and slip through my hands. But that requires me to be intentional about how I act and react on a daily basis… not just the big events, but the little decisions I make moment-by-moment. So each year I take some time in December and January to look back and look forward. I use a tool that was given to me by a mentor years ago, and I can’t overstate how much it’s changed the way I approach each new year. That tiny, seemingly insignificant difference between 11:59pm on December 31st and 12:00am on January 1st has become a chance for me to try to end each year having done my best to made the world a better place in even just the tiniest way.
If you would like to join me in looking back and looking forward, you can find the questions I use here. Nothing will magically change on January 1, 2021 (as much as we would like it to!) The only thing we have control over is the way we approach each minute, hour, day, week, and month. When we choose to do that with the goal of improving the world around us, it really truly does make a difference!
Shannon Pugh taught special education for 9 years before leading the special needs ministry at Irving Bible Church in the Dallas, Texas area. She has held that role since 2012 – first as a volunteer, then part-time staff and now full-time.
And now for this week’s featured post!
All of my co-hosts on this link up are excellent writers, but I try not to feature them here (although I hope you visit each of their sites regularly). Sometimes, though, their words are too good not to share with you. Heather Hart of candidlychristian.com wrote about the most important part of the Christmas season (really any season) in How to Pray for the Unsaved at Christmas. Praying for and sharing the love of Jesus with those who don’t yet know Him lends others the hope we feel during Advent. And I think everyone could use this kind of hope. Always, and especially right now.
1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.
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We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.
MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
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LAUREN SPARKS
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I don’t do resolutions because they don’t work. But despite that, Every new year feels like a clean slate–a new start. Thank you for your observations.
I agree with you on resolutions. I prefer the word intention to goal or resolution. It feels more like challenging yourself without a pass or fail. No win or lose. Only working towards being a better person.
What a beautiful message from Shannon! She definitely has a way with words! I have long held this same perspective on the changing of the calendar from December to January each year, but I have never been able to phrase my thoughts quite as eloquently. I believe we should approach each new day as another opportunity to do better for the world around us. I hope you all are recovering well, Lauren. I am sure it has been a very strenuous holiday season with a house full of people feeling unwell. Sending you lots of healing thoughts and prayers! Thanks for linking with me and being such a wonderful and supportive blogging pal all year long! Wishing you health and happiness in the new year.
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
You are always so generous with your encouragement. Thank you so much. I am recovering the slowest but feel better today than yesterday! One daughter and husband get to return to the outside world tomorrow.
Shannon, thank you for filling in and sharing. I appreciate your list of questions. And Lauren, I’m so sorry to hear you have COVID. Praying for a speedy recovery!
Thank you, Donna. I think I am rounding the corner. Be safe out there. This stuff is no joke.
I’m so sorry you have Covid, Lauren. I pray God gives you a full recovery. Shannon, I love your focus on making the world a better place even in the tiniest of ways. Love and blessings to you both!
Trudy, thank you for your prayers. I really turned a corner yesterday and see recovery around the next corner.
I so appreciate what Shannon shared here. And the thought that turning the calendar to January 1st is an opportunity to realign our priorities and make the world around us better is spot on. I find that preparing myself for a new year refreshes my perspective. I appreciate the questions she shared. I’m downloading them to use to consider my years.
I’m so glad you found it helpful! I’m so thankful to share Shannon’s words here.
Lauren, thank you for introducing us to Donna and her words of wisdom. They reminded me of the “It’s All About the Dash” poem. You know, the dash between your birth and death dates on your tombstone. That one little dash represents our lives – our hopes, dreams, prayers, accomplishments, and everything else that makes up the totality of our lives.
I am hoping you and your family are feeling better soon! Take care and blessings to you!
I had forgotten about that poem, Laurie. Everyone else is doing well and I really turned a corner yesterday and see wellness insight. Thank you.
I am so grateful for the wisdom Shannon shared in this post. I’ll be thinking on this today >>New Years – “it’s an opportunity for us to realign our priorities and renew our commitment to make the world around us a better place, one moment at a time.”
And I hope you are feeling better and getting stronger, Lauren! Thank you for taking the time to linkup at Let’s Have Coffee!
That made me think too, Joanne.
First, sorry you had COVID, Lauren. I did, too, and what I can tell you is this: It takes weeks to feel like your old self. But you will get there!
Shannon, loved your questions. Thanks for sharing! I especially liked these:
5. Who would I like to cultivate a relationship with? How will I initiate and foster
this relationship?
6. What would I do if I could not fail?
I haven’t really ever thought about making a relationship as a goal. (I took it as a cultivating a relationship with a friend or mentor)
And, I love the question about what would I do if I couldn’t fail. That gets my mind open to all sorts of possibilities!
So thought provoking, right?
Yes! We can’t control what happens, we can only control our reaction to it. This is a lesson I wish they’d taught me in school, oh so many years ago! And Lauren, I hope you feel better soon!
Thank you Anita. I am slowly entering the real world again.
Shannon, the message is great and one I normally do not do. I just seem to move on. Looking at the questions give me much room for pondering and rethinking my time. Thank you.
And Lauren, I am so sorry you got Covid. I will be praying for you.
Thank you for the prayers, Linda. I’m feeling much better.
Great questions Shannon. Thanks for sharing. I looked at a list of similar questions to reflect on 2020 and I liked this one: Who is one person I need to thank?
Love that question too, Yvonne. That’s one we need to ask ourselves monthly or even weekly!