So here we are again – New Year’s time. At this point, all the fireworks have gone off, the shrimp cocktails eaten, and the differing objects (depending upon your community) dropped. For real, look up on Wikipedia all the items that communities drop for New Year’s. Pennsylvania has the best list. (This is going to be a future sermon illustration.) My favorite may be the stuffed goat, or beaver. No, it is probably the bag of potato chips. 

I don’t have a lot of traditions around the New Year. Our family celebrates New Year’s lightly. Usually there is a good meal involved. Sure, I am Pennsylvania Dutch, but I have no plans to “enjoy” sauerkraut at any point of the year. That tradition did not get passed along to me. This year we had a beef roast. It was browned and then roasted with bacon, onions, carrots, and other deliciousness. On the side – cheesy grits. This may not sound like a combo, but it is good stuff. This meal would destroy any meal you can put together with rotten cabbage or whatever grey plant you decide to smell your house with to meet tradition. 

What does the New Year’s season usually mean to me? The easy thing to say is that it is a time to make changes, adjustments, course corrections, and more. This is true and it is not just about if I ate too much over the holidays. (The answer to that is yes.) I will adjust that and while I am at it, I probably need to recalculate how much time I spend on electronics. This is something that I do and I would encourage everyone to consider. With that said, these course corrections often seem to be minor. And if they are not minor, they often seemed forced to a place where they don’t really happen. 

There is a greater opportunity that often happens in my life at New Year’s. I feel it stirring this year. It isn’t a change as much as it is a motivation. At this time of year, I regularly ask myself what is important in my life. And then I aim, drive, shoot, strive for those things. 

This practice usually doesn’t bring about an initial change in my life. It is more about knowing this is who I am, this is who I want to be, this is what’s important, and this is what I want to see happen this year. 

2023 brought a lot of very meaningful change to my life. It was a great year and some big things changed. None of them happened, started, or were even really thought of at New Year’s. But, the intention was there. The intention that these were important priorities of my life.

• In 2023, I changed up the way I connected with God through Scripture and devotions. 
• I focused my priorities as a husband and father, seeking to add more time and better effort. 
• Eating habits and other diet changes were made that resulted in a 30+ pound weight loss.
• Opportunities aligned for me to return to education and begin a Masters of Divinity degree.

All of these are fairly huge to my life. They could probably be considered semi-life changing. None of them happened from New Year’s decisions. All of them are the result of keeping what is important in life in front of me.

So what am I saying with this thought? We have probably all seen or heard the stats about how most New Year’s resolutions fail within a month. I don’t know if New Year’s is actually the best time for us to be making changes. Sure, most of us ate too much at Christmas, that doesn’t mean we need to dramatically change how we live our lives. 

Make a change or two if you want to, but I would encourage you to do something more valuable. Ask yourself who you are. Ask yourself who you want to be. Ask yourself what matters in this world to you. Discover what your priorities are in life. And then, make 2024 about striving for those things. Make 2024 about living with purpose and direction. Don’t let life drift, live intentionally.

Maybe we do need to make a change or so now. Probably, we just need to be ready, focused, and committed for when opportunity or crisis or clarity arrives. 

Happy New Year’s everyone!