Present
This moment is the peak of time.
On it we stand and we can see
The future and the past stretch out,
Two roads to one eternity.

~ Rebecca McCann (American poet, creator of The Cheerful Cherub)

Welcome, Dear Readers, to the beginning of a brand-new year! Today marks the first of 365, “mint condition,” 24-hour-long increments of time. All at our disposal.

For many of us, yesterday, December 31, was a time to look backward and review the past year. We tallied up our lists of missions accomplished and projects unfinished. We recalled words and deeds now over and done; instances touched by sadness and disappointment as well as moments set apart by gladness and satisfaction. Though some of our dreams were not realized over the course of the past 12 months, many other wishes were graciously granted. We thought about things we’re proud of, things we wish we’d done, and things we wish we could do over. If only we had the time. But, on the stroke of midnight, New Year’s Eve, the final account of the old year had been written. The record now stands for all time.

My friends, the good news is: there’s still time. Though 2016 has now officially entered the hall of history, our “mixed bag” year in review, with all of its pluses and minuses, is not the end of our earthly story. Today, January 1, 2017, we have been blessed with the glorious gift of another full year of time. And just in time, too.

There’s still time. Time to finish old projects and time to begin new ones. Time to start over and time to do better. Time to be silent and time to speak up. Time to notice and time to appreciate.

There’s still time to pray, to hope, to plan, to achieve.

There’s even still time to take time to listen, to understand, to apologize, to forgive, to love.

On this first day of the New Year, we stand, as Rebecca McCann described in her words printed above, at the precise intersection of our past and our future. Both roads are clearly visible to us. From this vantage point, we can look back at the old trail we’ve traveled, but we can also look forward to the new path ahead. The new path on which, with God’s help, all things are still possible.

Time is a precious gift. It is also fleeting, my friends. What’s my point? To be perfectly Frank, I’m saying, “Let’s get the new day going!”

What will you do with your gift of time?