Happy New Year!

The turning of the year makes me philosophical. Grateful for the old year and hopeful for the new. Our simple celebrations - Chinese take away and family games leave me time to ponder the passing year and make plans for the new one. I am reminded that seasons, days and years are gift. I want to use the days wisely and focus on what matters most. When musing on time and eternity, poets say it best so I'll end with a poem by Madeleine L'Engle:

"Let us view with joy and mirth
All the clocks upon the earth
Holding time with busy tocking
Ticking booming clanking clocking
Anxiously unraveling
Time's traveling
Through the stars and winds and tides
Who can tell where time abides?

Foolish clocks, all time was broken
When that first great Word was spoken.
Cease we now this silly fleeing
From earth's time, for time's a being
And adoring
Bows before him
Who upon the throne is seated.
Time, defeated, wins, is greeted.

Clocks know not time's loving wonder
Day above as night swings under,
Turning always to the Son
Times begun, is done, does run
Singing warningof the morning
Time, mass, space, a mystery
Of eternal trinity.

Time needs make no poor apology
For bursting forth from man's chronology
Laughs in glee as human hours
Dance before the heavenly powers.
Time's undone
Because the Son
Swiftly calls the coming light
That will end the far-spent night."

-Madeleine L'Engle, The Irrational Season, Chapter 1

Happy New Year!