Taking Stock

Well, it's a New Year, and if I haven’t had a chance to say it yet – Happy New Year. It's also the first chance I have had to say a huge thank you to you all for my 50th Birthday celebrations for the end of December. You can see a picture of the wonderful cake you got me, and the gifts were really special – thank you so much.

Normally birthdays don’t affect me – but on the day after I did feel a little low, with the realisation that I'm getting older, and I'm not quite as full of energy as I used to be. But then I remembered all my friends in church and around the town who are still active and making the most of life – and that has helped me to snap out of my New Year Blues.

I suppose that New Year is a good time to take stock of life, and to appreciate what we have around us. We may be a little older, and with a little less energy – and we may need to pace ourselves and listen to our bodies. But we will be a little wiser too – and still have a great deal to offer in lots of different ways.

In February we enter the season of Lent again on 22nd February, Ash Wednesday: which is a good time to reflect on our lives, take stock of what we have done and the regrets we have, and a good time to admit we are sorry.

It's a time to ask ourselves some questions: Have you done something which haunts you? Which makes you feel restless and defensive, every time you think of it? Why not deal with it this month, and put it behind you? Whatever your mistake has been, consider what the Bible has to say to you:
‘Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.’ (Joel 2:12-13)

God is inviting us to come to him this Ash Wednesday. What a wonderful offer! I hope we can make the most of it, and remember how the prodigal son was welcomed back by his compassionate father.