There is a soft wind rising over the sea.
It is a song without words, the whisper of things
yet to be.
I do not need to know all the answers;
I do need to listen to the song.
It is a song that brings me back again and again…
How lovely is this world of sand and sky and sea!
It is like the door of heaven opened wide, full of light,
full of wonder.
The door is open, light exploding in waves of grace,
the softest wind rising for us all.
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10.
Happy New Year!
It is a New Year, full of promise, full of hope! Amidst the chaos of all that goes on in this world, God is still our refuge and our strength. Psalm 46: 1-2: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.” Anything is possible with God’s help. In that respect, the New Year 2025 is a brand- new canvas, full of possibility.
We can’t plan too much into a day, a month, or a year! And, it isn’t supposed to work that way. The best days include times for rest as well as work, times for play, times to relax. If we never take a break along the way to appreciate the view, the mountain climbing of life becomes a lot less fun.
When I think of the happiest moments of my life, it is usually about time spent with someone I love. It is also about spending time doing the things I love to do. When I begin my January list of New Year’s resolutions, I have to be careful that my goals reflect what honestly brings me joy. It is so easy to get wrapped up in doing all kinds of things we think we should be doing, that maybe are not a worthwhile use of our time.
Time is precious. It is a gift from God, and how we use our time matters. I do believe that God wants us to have joy in our lives…every day, even in the midst of whatever else is happening in our lives. Joy is God’s gift to us.
We spent New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day at my sister’s mother in law’s beach house in Hatteras, North Carolina. It was the perfect place to ring in the New Year 2025!
Wishing you New Year’s blessings…
Beautiful, Linda. A wee interlude from winter in Iowa, a welcome one!
Thank you! We are preparing for a winter storm in Virginia! Often, we have ice storms instead of snow storms. I love the snow, but I am not crazy about the cold. We often lose power if there is an ice storm…Anyway, we do have our fireplace and firewood ready!!! Happy New Year!
A profound and joyful reflection Linda. I agree that life is more than tasks and events. I have kept your words to follow me into my day:
“The best days include times for rest as well as work, times for play, times to relax. If we never take a break along the way to appreciate the view, the mountain climbing of life becomes a lot less fun.”
Each day has its own gifts! I think if we celebrate the little things, it makes the harder things easier to deal with. We do need to pause and notice all that is good in our lives day to day. We all have our own mountains to climb, and with the help of God, we climb them. But, with each and every step, we come to a new place, full of possibilities. If we don’t pause from time to time, we miss it all. Then, all we will remember is our tired feet! 🙂 I do believe God wants more for us than that…
Well said Linda. I’m glad we were created with the ability to experience joy. No matter the circumstance, God give joy with his presence. We would do well to keep close to our joy-giver.
Yes! Keeping our joy-giver close is the key! Wishing you much joy in this New Year 2025!
Thank you for the new year’s blessings, Linda. I love your poem. It’s perfect to guide us into a new year.
Thank you, Liz! I hope your New Year is off to a good start! 🙂 🙂 🙂
You’re welcome, Linda! So far, so good with the new year.
We true, Linda, indeed we cannot plan that much but hope in JESUS and what is important is spending time with our loved ones/family. A blessed NEW Year to you and your family! Maligayang Bagong Taon 2025!
Wishing you blessings also! Thank you so very much! 🙂
What a lovely way to spend New Years! And I agree that God wants joy for us, and it is there…we just have to open our eyes and see it. Happy New Year to you and your family!
Happy New Year, Ann! We are in a winter storm watch and are expecting snow later this evening. The grandchildren are excited! 🙂
Oh my, your poem and your additional insights are beautifully written and profound. Thank you! And may this new year bring you many joys.
Thank you! I wish you blessings as well in this New Year 2025! (We did get a sprinkle of snow, and I hope we get a bit more tonight.) I do thank God for the sprinkle…so beautiful! We don’t get a lot of snow, so even a dusting is a lovely thing. 🙂
It’s a wonderful thing to be able to welcome the new year in peace and quiet, even more so in a place of beauty such as where you were. It makes it that much easier to let things go and to allow God in – so important to do for each new year.
My parents always took a walk on the beach on New Year’s Day. I thought it was a wonderful tradition. My mother said it was a ‘happy thing’, a fresh start. The New Year is a fresh start for each of us…a celebration of things to be, and a thanksgiving for all that has come before. A long walk does give us time to contemplate and pray…a time to count our blessings.
Beautiful photos, Linda. That rainbow is so vivid. And what a lovely poem for the new year. Wishing you all the best in 2025.
Thank you! It was a double rainbow! And then, oh so quick, it vanished! (We did get a lot of pictures though!) Happy New Year! 🙂
That poem filled my sails with hope and expectation for the year ahead, Linda, especially this line: “The door is open, light exploding in waves of grace.” God’s light does indeed explode upon each day with waves of grace as he provides strength, purpose, joy, peace, and more! How delightful to ring in the New Year at the beach. Your photos bring back lovely memories of our times on the NC coast.
It is a beautiful place! Yes! Time to set the sails for a New Year! I love that you wrote, “God’s light does explode upon each day…” Each and every day, God’s light does shine upon us!