If you are like me, and I consider myself pretty normal, then the day we call New Year's Day gets some moments of my time! It was a tradition when I was growing up to trek to the hills of northeast Iowa for a very singular purpose. We were off for a visit to the only relatives' home that owned a TV. In those days it was only a black and white picture, yet it was something that our family wanted to watch--the New Year’s Day parades and then a football game or two! The day ended with the kids outdoors discovering ways to play together as only cousins can. The women were visiting together in the main room of the home--the kitchen and dining area. That left the men to watch the sport that was gaining attention in the world--football! But before that everyone was together watching the parades. Today we can see these events in living color. I love the idea of decorating with only the use of living materials, flowers and seeds and bark and grasses. I see these human created floats, to be creations of beauty. I love to see the flowers used in such creative ways. Yet I know that they are pretty sad when I know that our eyes have not seen, nor can we imagine what awaits us in heaven. God has prepared such wonderful things that await us but we cannot begin to find anything here on earth that can be compared--no matter how beautiful the plant or place or animal. The theme for the floats in this year's parade was The Best Day Ever to celebrate life's best moments. I liked this theme. What makes you have the best day ever? One float emphasized that Kindness can give you the Best Day Ever. Another idea was that A Day of Service can give the Best Day Ever! If I am in need, I know that Kindness and Service can really make me have a wonderful day! Still, I am sure that my best day ever is yet to come—when Jesus comes again to gather us all and claim us for himself, rescued from Satan's efforts to keep us for himself.
Around our house are many jobs that need doing. Some we can manage ourselves, others we have to ask for help to accomplish. Those who have given assistance to us—please know that we are so very thankful and truly appreciate what you have done for us in our inabilities. God is like that--He gives help for our inability to do what is needed. Hmmmm, do I remember to say thank you for His help? My husband is glad to give help to me when I need it! But often he is confident that he can do the job—and he really can do it. It just takes longer than we imagined. I often hear him complain that it was supposed to be a five-minute job that ended up taking all day! It was to be a soon done job that he tackled. Then hours later, it was finished. It can seem that way when we talk about Jesus' coming! He said He was coming back soon! But we know that was said many centuries ago. In our human finite minds, soon doesn't seem so soon, does it? Yet, as God deals in eternity, then soon to him is not the same soon that we think about. Jobs that take longer to accomplish are frustrating. Is God frustrated with our slowness in getting the job of getting ready for Him to come back done and finished? I am pretty sure that you cannot hear His frustration the same way that I hear my husband's frustration!
It's easy for the years to fly by. One year ends, and before you know it, we're several months into the next one. It can feel a bit dizzying at times. It seems that I am still learning to write the current year’s number correctly when suddenly I have to learn to write a brand-new year number—2025!!!!
It can be so easy to see the years come and go without the change and growth we want. There's so much value in pausing to reflect carefully on the past year and the year ahead. To sort of recalibrate, to take stock, to savor and relish... Not so long ago, we were coming back from an excursion and headed south for the 45-minute drive home. Our new car has things included with it that we have never used before, and the GPS guidance system was one of those things. My husband is like other men and boys, he likes to discover the gadgets and try them out. This time he did something that turned on the GPS system. Suddenly we had a lady telling us where to turn. Since we knew where we were going, we were not obedient. Time after time our GPS lady kept telling us to turn left at the next road, in so many miles. Then came the instruction to do a U-turn! After listening to her we kind of figured out where she wanted us to go but it wasn't where we wanted to go. Finally, we reached a point where it was impossible for us to even follow her instructions, so she started giving new instructions for some place different. Once again, we failed to follow her instructions for the new location and again, we heard instructions to turn right, do a U-turn, and recalibrating. This went on and on. Until, once again, she started giving us directions to an even different location. By then we were nearing our home. We turned on to our home gravel street. We figured out that we had messed with her computer mind so often that she could no longer recalibrate!!! She immediately told us we had entered unverified and uncharted territory!! We know that our house is in the official records—we have mail delivered and we pay taxes! And we have lived in our home for nearly 40 years! I hope this isn't a commentary on my spiritual journey! That I am unknown to God!
I can use this reflection as a tool to examine the last year, and also to reflect on the year that lies ahead. I think it can be used for Spiritual Direction. The focus is on the 'spiritual dimensions of life' and to focus on the spiritual dimension of life is to reflect on the ways in which God—has been present, revealing, inviting, directing in my life. It is to carefully consider my relationship with God and how that has changed or grown or evolved. It is to examine with curiosity and wonder about our image and understanding of God. It is to seek out the love, light and life of God humming away—sometimes in the background—of your day to day life.
So, here's a tool I found to help guide your own reflection on the spiritual dimensions of your life. Use it however you'd like, perhaps a journal to jot some ideas down as you go. Don't look for 'perfect' answers. Just enjoy discovering Truth.
Imagine you’re walking, you’ve been walking for a while through all sorts of terrains.
Imagine you come across a small cabin. It’s empty, quiet… peaceful.
Imagine you choose to go inside. You know that you could do with a break on your journey.
You open the door - it creaks slightly as you open it. You haven’t been here before, but somehow you know that you’re allowed to be here. For now.
This is a peaceful space of pause for you on your journey.
As you enter the small cabin, let your imagination build out the details of this room.
Perhaps you can imagine the flooring, and how that feels and sounds underfoot.
Perhaps you imagine the lighting, the furniture, the colors and scents in the room.
Perhaps you notice some details of the room: some books lined up on a shelf, the mugs on the kitchen countertop, the candle on a coffee table, the magnets on the fridge.
You notice a comfortable-looking seat. You sit down and take a breath. Your mouth curls up in a slight smile as you appreciate this pause in your journey.
As you sit in this chair, breathing deeply, peacefully, purposefully in this cabin, you know that this space is a link, a joining, between the ground you’ve already covered, and the journey that lies ahead of you. The travel you’ve travelled over the last 12 months, and the journey that awaits in the 12 months ahead.
As you consider the last 12 months:
Imagine the various terrains that you’ve covered: perhaps certain times have felt like wading through thick mud, or climbing steep mountains, or stumbling through weedy confusing forests?
Where have you most noticed God with you? How has God come to you? Is there a fitting metaphor or image for this?
We can notice God in the ‘mountain peak’ moments of life. But we can also notice God in the daily, ordinary events that are often overlooked. How has God come to you in the ordinary?
How has God been present in various relationships in your life? How have you experienced the joy, peace and love of God through others? How have you seen the character of God revealed to you through others, perhaps other pilgrims on the journey of life alongside you?
When did you experience consolation—even in harder parts of the journey? That is, the experience of feeling like you’re walking towards God, or at least facing God?
When did you feel desolation? That is the experience of feeling like you’re facing away from God, walking away from God?
How has your relationship with God, or image of God changed during this journey?
After some deep, slow, intentional breaths, imagine sitting in that chair in the cabin, and thank God for the last 12 months.
Now turn your attention to the journey ahead.
Notice how you feel immediately as you shift your focus to this journey.
What terrains do you think lie ahead for you? Downhill jogging? A leisurely riverside stroll? Hustling through a busy shopping mall?
So often we can encounter God through deep drawing and a sense of invitation. What are you drawn towards? What excites you in the next year?
What are you fearful of or wanting to avoid in this journey?
If you always imagine God in the same way, no matter how true and how beautiful it may be, you will not be able to receive the gift of the new ways he has ready for you.” Do you have any sense of how you might want to re-envision God?
Imagine a bag that you have with you. A travel bag you’ll take with you on your continuing pilgrimage. What do you want to put in that bag? An ounce of bravery? A handful of trust? A bellyful of peace? Do any Bible stories, characters or verses jump out at you that you wish to take with you?
How do you sense (or imagine) God awaiting you in the path ahead?
I cannot foresee what lies ahead for me in the year to come. But I do know that I want God to walk with me, each step of every day of every week of every month for the whole year ahead to come! Whether I am jogging ahead with speed to the future, or strolling leisurely in contemplation with God, or hustling to be ready for Him, I want Him with me!
Maybe I will find a verse to use in my day-by-day life. A good one might be "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine." Isaiah 43:1. Jesus quoted that verse to Mary at her lowest point. I will try to put myself in her place—that‘s nearly impossible! But I can imagine her face when she heard those words of acceptance. At the lowest point in my life, in anyone's life, He gives us the assurance that we too have been redeemed and chosen by Him. We ARE His! He waits for us to follow Him into this New Year and then walk Him every day!
Walking into the New Year—A New Year of walking with Jesus!