January always feels like a fresh page to me. The Christmas lights have been packed away, the celebrations are behind us, and suddenly the year stretches out ahead, waiting to be written. There’s something both quiet and hopeful about this moment as if God is inviting us to notice the small beginnings of light and renewal. Not long ago, I found myself thinking about eye colour. My husband has blue eyes, mine are blue-grey, and yet our daughter’s eyes are hazel. Someone had told her that it was impossible to have anything other than blue eyes, which obviously caused her some confusion. But that’s the mystery of inheritance. What seems certain can give way to something unexpected, and in that surprise lies beauty. Hazel eyes hover between blue and brown, carrying parts of both but belonging to neither. It got me thinking that life is like that too, not bound by neat charts or predictions, but by the quiet work of God weaving unseen threads. Faith is much the same. We plant seeds of kindness, remembrance, and prayer, not always knowing how they will grow. Yet blessings appear in unexpected hues, a word of comfort and a tradition kept. A hand being held or on a shoulder is an amazing feeling of comfort without words being spoken. My baking skills are not great but for those with that skill, a gift of a cake is always welcome when comfort is needed. Just as hazel eyes reveal hidden inheritance, so too does faith reveal hidden grace. We may not see the full pattern, but we trust that God is at work, bringing forth beauty that surprises and delights us. So, as we step into this new year, let’s look for the hidden graces. It would be good to notice the small beginnings of light in our family, our community, and our own heart. January is not only a time for resolutions, but for renewal I must admit I am not good on resolutions. I seem to be able to break them practically before they are out of my mouth! So, I like to see it as a chance to trust that even in winter’s stillness, God is already creating something new.
This month’s book choice is The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. It is about the idea of making choices.
God Bless
Maureen Kendall