Can anyone tell me what these things are I'm holding in my hand? That's right, these are seeds — flower seeds. Have any of you ever planted seeds?
When I plant these in my garden or in a pot in my house, they will eventually grow into beautiful flowers. This is where flowers and other plants begin — as tiny little seeds.
Beginnings are exciting things, whether it's the beginning of a flower as a tiny seed, or the beginning of a new year. We've just started a new year, haven't we? This is the beginning of the year 1991.
Sometimes grown-ups take advantage of the beginning of a new year to make what they call New Year's resolutions. These are decisions they make at the start of a new year to do things better than during the year before. New Year's resolutions can cover lots of different things: they might decide to go on a diet, or to give up some bad habit, or to begin a good habit. Just as a wonderful flower can grow out of a tiny seed — a small beginning — so some wonderful things can come in the new year if we begin it right.
How can we begin the new year right?
I think we can do it best by choosing to give this year to God. Decide right now that you want to let God live through you this year. You'll spend time with God in prayer, and try to live the way He wants you to live.
Can you think of a better beginning to the new year than giving it to God? Then, just like a beautiful flower grows out of a tiny seed, so a wonderful year will grow out of this beginning. Let's do it together! (JMD)
