Can you believe 2012 is here? I remember when I was in the 4^th grade in the late 70’s thinking that 1987 will never get here. 1987 was the year I graduated High School. Now, I’ve been out of school longer than I was in. Where does the time go?

Back then, everything seemed possible. The dreams were without boundaries or endings. You just felt indestructible and able to accomplish anything. Ask any young kid what they want to be when they grow up? The answers will be broad; some will be modest, but most will be thinking of doing something that seems larger than life. Ask the same middle aged people today who dreamed of being that astronaut, fighter pilot, doctor etc. and the hope for the future is a bit more “realistic”. The older we get often times shrinks our dreams. Life’s experiences that come in all types of packages, once unwrapped, usually are not conducive to those childhood dreams. We, then, fall into a mindset of “just getting by”, “trying to make ends meet”, or simply “making the best out of a bad situation.” The majority of us have relegated our dreams to the hopes of a comfortable retirement.

I think I could speak for the vast majority of us today that, when we survey our current position in life, we’re not where we thought we would be by now. If I focus on the comparison of my dreams and my reality, life can look disappointing. But, it’s not over yet! Our story is not finished!

Moving from one year to the next carries with it the idea of a new start. It’s like letting go of the past and setting your sights towards new dreams. We call them “resolutions” and while they are not as extravagant as our ten year old mind envisioned, they still lift our expectancy for new beginnings. Something is going on in the realm of the Spirit right now; He seems to be marking this moment and creating a lot of expectancy for the future. I can’t pinpoint what it is but I sense the Lord setting order in this moment to make sure we are aligned properly.

A few things to Reflect upon as you move towards this New Year:

1. See the grace of God in where you’ve come from. When the children of Israel came out of Egypt, they found themselves pinned in between the Red Sea, swamp land and Pharaohs army. When life could go no farther (though it seemed) and their complaints out sung their praises, God moved uniquely. They were led by a pillar of fire in the night and a cloud during the day. This representing the presence of the Lord. When Pharaoh (their past) was about to overtake their present position, the Lord moved from standing before them to standing between them and Pharaoh. This new perspective made a huge difference. Now, instead of viewing the past through the lens of hopelessness, they were now able to look at it through the grace of God. When you and I can reflect and see God’s hand that kept us through those unfulfilled moments, then we can draw strength that He, who got us here, will take us the promise. That’s exactly what happened. As they viewed their past through the grace of God, a wind blew before them, which made a way where there was no way. Something’s blowing, I can feel it!

1. Look back at the moments when you really blew it, then look back a little further and find the cause that created the moment. A lot of our years are simply repeats of the previous one. Looking back, most of them seem to run together. The resolutions don’t reach fruition and the same old life trudges on. Why? Reflection! We all make mistakes but we shouldn’t repeat them. People who live in a repetitive cycle are those who have not taken the life lessons and made changes. Not because they don’t want change, they simply don’t know what to change. Having a bad day is generally the consequence of a previous moment. Things often times don’t just happen, they happen by cause and effect. If you want to break the cycle, you have to know what you’re doing that’s keeping you in the cycle. Reflection helps you discover that. Get alone with God. Set some time aside just to think. You’ll be surprised what you discover. Implement your discoveries and you’ll be blown away with the changes.

You’re not too old or too inexperienced to become the reality of your dreams. Reflection can help you progress beyond the status quo.

-Anthony Daley