September has always been the beginning of my own personal New Year. I've felt that way since I was a child. School always started in September, the first Thursday after Labor Day. With the new school year came new school clothes, new books, new teachers and new friends. Everything was always new for me in September.
September is the beginning of autumn in Michigan where I grew up. The leaves began to turn from spring green in the deep rich colors of fall and the temperatures grew a little cooler. Summer vacation ended with the last picnic on Labor Day and it was time to settle back down to the 'regular' living. For most people, the blaze of fall colors signaled the beginning of the end of the year. In the logic my young mind that never made sense. To me it seemed the trees were dressing up in celebration. You always celebrate the beginning of things not the endings, right? With the trees putting on their best show, the bounty of the harvest and the start of the fall cycle of holidays, the cycle of my life would begin again.
The interesting thing about beginning again is it can also be very hard time especially when you become older. It can be a time of restlessness, looking backwards and longing for what was. This year it has been that way for me. It wasn’t the fear of getting older, it was the fear of losing that which had come before and been precious to me. A few days ago a dear friend reminded me that if my heart is full of what was, there would no room for what would be. I realized I had been struggling to hold onto some comfortable, familiar old things that God had been gently trying to get me to release. Instead of concentrating on what I had to lose He was trying to make room for the shiny new things He knew were coming for me. I had to have faith in His promise that what I would release could not compare to what I would receive. I could stay where I was or move forward into my new year. It was my choice.
After prayerfully thinking it over for a few days, I chose to believe God and let the child in me become excited about the coming of September and rejoice in the glory of a new beginning. So from me to you on this first day of September, Happy New Year! Plan to take some time during September to look around and see what you need to clear out of your life in this season to make room for the shiny new things coming to you. I’d love to hear about them. Drop me a note in the comments and let’s talk about it.
September is the beginning of autumn in Michigan where I grew up. The leaves began to turn from spring green in the deep rich colors of fall and the temperatures grew a little cooler. Summer vacation ended with the last picnic on Labor Day and it was time to settle back down to the 'regular' living. For most people, the blaze of fall colors signaled the beginning of the end of the year. In the logic my young mind that never made sense. To me it seemed the trees were dressing up in celebration. You always celebrate the beginning of things not the endings, right? With the trees putting on their best show, the bounty of the harvest and the start of the fall cycle of holidays, the cycle of my life would begin again.
The interesting thing about beginning again is it can also be very hard time especially when you become older. It can be a time of restlessness, looking backwards and longing for what was. This year it has been that way for me. It wasn’t the fear of getting older, it was the fear of losing that which had come before and been precious to me. A few days ago a dear friend reminded me that if my heart is full of what was, there would no room for what would be. I realized I had been struggling to hold onto some comfortable, familiar old things that God had been gently trying to get me to release. Instead of concentrating on what I had to lose He was trying to make room for the shiny new things He knew were coming for me. I had to have faith in His promise that what I would release could not compare to what I would receive. I could stay where I was or move forward into my new year. It was my choice.
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