Is the "Happy" still in the New Year?

The “Happy” New Year

It’s been nearly two weeks since we rang in the “Happy”New Year, and my question is ….

How is the “Happy” part going for you?

I hope there have been happy moments, many of them. But if you live in a fallen world (which we all do) you may have found that just 14 days into the New Year….you have encountered a moment or two in which “happy” was not your primary emotion. If they would have asked me to name the holiday, I would have named it “Joy-filled” or “Hope-filled” New Year”as opposed to “Happy” New Year. In the not so happy moments, deep down joy that transcends the circumstances of this life, and hope...both for future moments here and a hereafter that is much better than our best days here….that’s what we really want. Two weeks into the year we realize that some of our goals were a bit overzealous, that Covid is still around, and that we don’t have the gumption to collect on the guarantees for the Christmas gifts that did not deliver all they promised. The good news is, we have a vaccine for Covid and it is now available for medical professionals and highly immunocompromised folks. That’s a praise, and I give thanks to the Giver of all good things for this, initially it was projected that a vaccine would not be available until at least this coming June. So while some things are the same in this “new” year (ie. we still wear masks at the grocery store, and thanks to Zoom “business casual” still means business on top, casual bottoms), a new year does bring new hope, or at least renewed hope. We are learning how to keep the main things the main things, how to make plans and hold the loosely, how to bend so we don’t break. We are learning that in all seriousness, humor is essential if we hope to stay afloat. As far as the New Year, I hope it finds us happy more than not. Abe Lincoln once said “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be”. And while it is true he never had to deal with a Coronavirus pandemic, I think it’s fair to say that the strain and trial our nation experienced in his day, was much greater than that of our time. I suspect the deep down joy and hope Mr. Lincoln possessed, allowed him to find the “happy” even when circumstances weren’t so. May we allow similar hope and joy do the same for us..

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13