A word for 2021

 

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Well, Christmas has been all pulled down here in the casa.  These are the inbetween days.  You know the days I mean . . .  its not Chrismas any longer, New Years isn't quite here . . .  you have lost the ability to remember exactly what day of the week it is. 

 

Every day feels like Sunday. You are tired of turkey and Christmas cookies, but that might be because the only cookies which are left are the ones stuffed with turkish delights. All the really good ones are gone. 

You never got all of the Chrismas movies watched that you wanted to get watched, but somehow even those have lost their savour, and you no longer have the taste for them.

Life becomes more about looking forward rather than backward and we all start thinking about our goals for the coming year. I don't know about you, but I am just grateful to have made it this far. 

 

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And really . . .  to still be here at the end of 2020, the year to end all years, is no small accomplishment.  If we can say that and if we can say that we have not lost any loved ones to Covid, then we are well and truly blessed. 

No looking back, but this is the year I realised I am a heck of a lot braver and stronger than I ever thought I could be.  I have had my faith stretched to the limits and beyond, and lived to tell the tale.  Well, not to tempt fate or anything but we still have a day and a half to go. Barring any unforseen tragedy that is, and we all know that life can turn on a dime and frequently does! 

Most years about this time I try to sort myself out a word for the year ahead.  What will be my mantra, so to speak.  I have been giving that a whole lot of thought these past few days and here is what I have come up with.  

HOPE 

 

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My word for 2021 is Hope.  And boy, don't we all need us some of that! 2020 has left most of us feeling more than a bit shell-shocked and in need of a little/lotta hope. 

Hope that somehow, someway . . .  2021 will be a lot kinder and gentler with us.  That we can return to a more familiar way of life. That these vaccines will help us to do just that. That we can begin to gather again with our loved ones without feeling afraid that we might accidentally gift them with something that nobody needs or wants. Hope for peace, and happiness, for good health and stability, for security. 

 

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hope

Noun - a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen, a feeling of trust

Verb - want something to happen or be the case 

Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's life or the world at large. As a verb, its definitions include: "expect with confidence" and "to cherish a desire with anticipation." 

And on that note, I need to end this now.  My father has just called and he is not well at all this morning. We need to take him to the hospital.  Yes, life can certainly turn on a dime.  Please keep us in your prayers and employ that word "hope" on our behalf. We can use some of that this morning. 

PS - UPDATE - We have picked Dad up from hospital now. They couldn't find anything outwardly wrong with him, but he has had many hours of testing done and hopefully all will be okay!!  He is feeling much better. I think sometimes fear makes us feel worse than we really are.  He kept saying he was on his way out. It has been a rough month for him, having lost two of his siblings in close succession.  God willing he will be with us for many months and years to come! Thank you so much for your prayers.