I am happy to report that I’ve never seen a dead horse, so suffice it to say I haven’t beaten one either but when it comes to politics and the folks getting along and working together, there seems to be an abundance of dead horses waiting to be beaten.
Today as I watched the morning unfold, all kinds of thoughts swirled in my head. Another sad week of children and families dying in apartment fires, celebrity deaths, people stranded in harsh weather and traffic mishaps, confusion around COVID protocols, mask and vaccinate or not—it was tough to stay focused on the gorgeous sunrise.
January 2022, a new year, and another opportunity to greet what’s in store. Like the McDonald’s commercial, “I’m loving it!” The wonderful thing about this first month of the year is the fresh outlook it offers, the chance to finish what we’ve started, and to chart a new path.
As 2021 swirls rapidly to an end and we prepare to greet another new year, it’s important that we pause and show some love and respect for all we’ve experienced, endured, and overcome the past 12 months. Most of us probably expected a pandemic-free year and a return to some sense of what we call normal.
Every time I hear Stevie Wonder sing “Someday at Christmas,” the classic penned by Bryan Wells and Ron Miller, I get misty eyed at their hopes and dreams for a world where there are “no wars, when we have learned what Christmas is for,” and “…when we have found what life’s really worth, there’ll be peace on earth.”
I think December 10 should be declared a red-letter day—where mail delivery stops and federal offices are closed—and here’s why: it’s National Human Rights Day and it could be a gentle reminder about the importance of treating everyone around us with respect, dignity, and kindness no matter their gender, age, race, political views, or social status.
When December arrives, it means three things: the Christmas holiday is coming soon, it will be followed by a new year, and then, if we’re not careful, we’ll begin again doing more of what we did in 2021. How the next few days play out is strictly personal—if you loved everything this year, doing more of it next year works. If you’d like to make changes, that, too, is up to you, however, please allow me to offer a few suggestions as we move forward.
“In everything, give thanks.” These four simple words from 1 Thessalonians 5:18 speak volumes, especially as we pause to give thanks for our blessings. This is National Family Week and as we celebrate Thanksgiving and the beginning of the official Christmas season, let’s begin at the beginning.
My birthday, one of my favorite days of the year, is fast approaching and since we’re supposed to get wiser as we get older, I thought it important to share some of the wisdom I’ve gained over the past 12 months/65.96 years. I learned some wonderful new lessons, but I’ve also realized the value of the old tried and true ones, so here’s what I know:
Every vehicle I’ve ever owned said it would do at least 120-140 miles per hour. My current one says it’ll do 160. Ask me do I know that for a fact, and I’ll happily say I’ve never tried to see.
