Another New Beginning
Nancyann Laxton
1/1/2012

My least favorite holiday is the combination of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.  If I could go to sleep the day before New Year’s Eve and wake up the day after New Year’s Day I would be very happy.  There are several valid reasons for my loathing of this holiday that I will briefly share but let me start by stating I am not a fan of change.  I like everything to run smoothly with no interruptions or interference.  I thrive on order like when a stream runs into a creek that runs into a tributary that runs into a river that goes into the bay….you get the picture.  I would hate it if things flowed uphill instead of down.

Some of my reasons for these feelings, and believe me I know I am in the minority, begin with the fact that I was raised in a bar, a blue collar working man’s bar.  People were drunk all the time but on this occasion they drank with a vengeance all in the guise of celebration.  When people became numb to their inhibitions there was a personality change that was not for the better, I was both frighten and disgusted by this behavior.  I was about 12 when a man, clearly drunk, wanted to give me a “good New Year’s kiss” which I quickly refused.  He tried to coax me by promising me $5.00 for this kiss, when I again refused the adult who was supposed to be caring for me told me, “it’s just a kiss and you’ll give 5 bucks.”  I didn’t kiss the guy and I wasn’t going to sell myself.

Twice in my life I have been stood up – both times on New Year’s Eve.  If I was home with my family instead of being at my grandmother’s bar at the stroke of midnight my mother made me get on the phone and say to my Nana, “Happy New Year.”  I hated it!  For me there was nothing “happy” about it because every time there was change in my young life (in my entire life for that matter) it had never been for the good.  I had become conditioned that all change was bad, harmful, painful and unwanted and I just knew this “New Year” would continue to bring bad, harmful, painful and unwanted things.

Over these past several months I have been reflecting on many things about myself: Am I all that I can be for God?  Will Jesus say well done….?  Do I please the Lord?  How can I move into a higher level with him?  What must I lay at the foot of the cross?  I want so much more of Jesus that I am willing to, dare I say it – change.

Funny thing about Jesus – if you ask He will answer and guess what He put His finger on!  Yep! He wants my loathing of New Year’s.  It has been a struggle but I am willing and that is the best I can do.  I have invited my closest friends over on New Year’s Eve to celebrate the coming New Year and I will do my best to celebrate what God will do in 2012. 

I read somewhere that if there wasn’t change we wouldn’t have butterflies so as I am in process of change let me sincerely wish you a very Happy and healthy New Year.

Nancy is a wife, mother and grandmother.  She is a member of Heritage Church and is a Chaplain in the
Chaplain Ministry.