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Now that Christmas is
behind us and people have stopped asking the question, “Are you ready
for Christmas?”, the next conversation starter seems to be, “So what are
you doing on New Year’s Eve?”. More often than not, New Year’s
celebrations are geared more towards adults and focus on the party than
on the milestone of ending one year and being given the gift of a whole
new year…..a clean slate, so to speak.
You can celebrate the
New Year in your home with your family, either on New Year’s Eve, on New
Year’s Day of sometime in early January. Here are some suggestions I
thought I’d share with everyone, from an article I found on the United
Methodist General Board Of Discipleship website (www.gbod.org/congregational).
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Sort through toys and clothes. Set aside those items that are in good
shape to give to a shelter, a homeless center, or an organization like
Goodwill or Salvation Army.
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Make New Year’s resolutions. Although we often laugh at these and fail
to keep them, the beginning of a New Year is a good time to ask the
following question, “What do I want to accomplish in this New Year?” Ask
each person to come up with three things he or she hopes to do in the
New Year. Focus on a new skill to learn; a good habit to start; a bad
habit to stop. Maybe one of your “resolutions” could be to start to
participate together in a time of devotions as a family. Write down
what you decide on. Then, on the family calendar, circle a date four to
six weeks from when you write these to look at the resolutions again and
find out how each person is doing with his or her resolutions.
•
Celebrate the New Year with traditional food. In our area, the tradition
seems to be to eat Pork and Sauerkraut. Other areas have different
traditions. If there is no tradition for your family, decide together on
a good New Year’s food that you would like to enjoy together at the
beginning of this year.
•
On New Year’s Day, you could begin the year, aware of God’s presence by
trying this simple time of prayer together: Sit together around a
table. In front of each person, place a small votive candle. Light each
candle, saying to one another, “Thank you God for another year of life
and love in our family.” Sing a simple, familiar song of faith together
(if you know one, or have a hymnal) Then have a simple time of prayer
together by asking each person in the family to list one thing he or she
hopes for in the New Year. After each person says what he or she hopes
for, respond together, “O God, we give you thanks.” and end by praying
the Lord’s Prayer together.
May God bless us each
and our congregation as we enter into the this New Year together! Happy
2008!
New Year’s Blessings,
Rev. Betty |
