January 2002

It’s a good thing we begin a new year every year about this time, don’t you think?

If properly approached, the beginning a new year can be beneficial to our psyche, beneficial to our health, and beneficial to our soul.

However, as the years go by, Father Time becomes more of a caricature, and we pay less and less attention to the intention of the season, don’t we?

Without the fol-de-rol of late night parties, New year’s Eve is of little importance to the on-going nature of our lives. We have no ceremony for this time of year, when a youngster may ask, "Why is this night, of all nights, important to us?"

But, maybe we should.

For this could be a teaching moment for all of us.

As I have noted before, most of us carry around way too much baggage.
We tend to tote pounds and pounds of grudges, animosity, resentment, and revenge, don’t we?
(Especially, since September 11.)

And, we know it’s unhealthy.

Doctors tell us.

Ministers tell us.

Researchers tell us.

Some friends tell us.

Our blood pressure is affected.

Our cholesterol is affected.

Our heart rate is affected.

Our mood is affected.

Our relationships are affected.

Our outlook is affected.

Our immune system is affected.

We become more prone to disease.

We become more prone to mental disorder.

We become more prone to grumpiness.

And, our life is not what it could be.

Our life is not what it should be.

Our life is not what it is promised to be.

Rather than make resolutions to carry into the new year – on top of all this baggage – maybe we should stop and consider the load we have already packed and strapped to our backs.
The very worst thing we can do is to go into the new year toting those bags bursting with old grudges, unforgiven acts, or unmerciless attitudes.

So, why is this time of year important?

Why is it different from any other time of year?

As Paul reminds us in Colossians, it is time to put to death old attitudes and agendas.

As we begin a new year, let us take steps to loose our baggage –
to get rid of the baggage we carry – to cleanse our soul.

Then, the new year has meaning.
Then, the new life we are promised is closer to being fulfilled.

In this way, we nurture our soul.

And, when our soul is tended, our health is better and our future is brighter.

Then, and only then, can we truly welcome the new year and the days ahead. For we know them to be the fulfillment of God’s time.

We can lose our luggage and rejoice and be glad in it –

or, we can try to cram more into those overloaded bags and stumble into the days ahead.

The choice is ours to make.

See you in church,