Another year has reached an end. At 12:00am the gong will strike and 2017 will join its predecessors as a Ghost of Years Gone Past.
I have often seen a year referred to as a chapter that comes to a close on December 31st. While I can understand that, I tend to see each year as more of a book.
Each day of the year is a scene, each week a chapter, each month a part, and each year a book in this series of Life. And each dawn of the New Year, as I close the book on the last paragraph, I store the volume away in my mental library to review later.
Some books are reviewed more often than others. Some are quite dusty from hardly any handling. Some are well used. Some, even when I pull them down, have such faded writing, as to only have certain section visible anymore. 1995 for instance, only has some chapters in legible print. 1992 only has certain pages.
Over some chapters, despite the clear presence of the ink, the pages are difficult to read, because water drops have damaged the paper and made the ink begin to run. The storm left its mark and is sometimes clearer than the actual events accompanying it.
Other pages, mostly pressed together in one sole book, are obscured by so many marks and splatters of dark ink, that it’s difficult to review the words inscribed at all. The mental darkness of those days made itself quite visible on the written page.
Still, though the ink in every book shifts from dark to bright, if I remember to look closely at each page, I’ll be able to see that every word is written in shimmering gold, a reminder that the LORD’s hand is always evident in my life. Sometimes the darkness fades away and the ink shines brighter with age, other times those pages remain dark as ever.
Now, I’m drawing near to closing the book on 2017. The LORD blessed me with many lovely experiences this year. October was one of my favorite chapters. I went on an airplane, I met one of my dearest friends in person, I saw Virginia, visited Mount Vernon, and later in the month, we all attended our church Reformation Party, which is always a highlight of my year.
December was another favorite chapter. Besides Christmas with its lights, music, and celebration of Christ’s birth, my nephew Triumph made an appearance and his whole family spent two weeks at our house.
Other chapters and pages stand out as I glance through the book. I published Presumption and Partiality in November. I manned a book booth at the Homeschool Convention in July. We celebrated my niece’s first birthday in May.
Yes, there are tear-stained pages and ink splattered chapters. I’m not sure I have more than one book without them – just the first, which is honestly so faded now, that I can’t read it at all. Yet, I tend to focus on the sad and darkened parts far too often, so tonight, I’m focusing on the blessings and joys.
As I close the Book of 2017 and let it slip away as a Ghost of Year’s Gone Past, while the first page of 2018 opens with a bright clean slate, I pray this year proves to be one of Giving and Growth, while giving glory to my LORD.
Happy New Year! It’s time to greet 2018 with a smile and with the knowledge that whatever is ahead, our God is sovereign and in control. Enter the New Year praising HIS Name!
To the KING be all the Glory!