Ugh...now what?

Sometimes I wonder if the week after New Year's is the most depressing week of the entire year.  The build up of the holiday season is done, Christmas and New Years has past, school starts again, and all we have to look forward to is 3 or 4 more months of snow.  Plus, you have to deal with the stress of increased illnesses this time of year, and not getting the Christmas present you wanted!  Ok, so maybe one of those last two are a little silly, but really the Monday after New Years has to be one of the most depressing days of the entire year.
Whoa...did you just read that?  I depressed myself typing it, and I suppose if you look at the year like that you'll be depressed too.  I heard a statistic that made me chuckle on TV.  And, if it is on TV then you know it is true.  40% of adults make a New Year's resolution...8% keep that resolution.  What's worse...that only 40% of adults make a resolution to do something better, which might mean 60% of adults have given up on doing anything better, or that only 8% follow through with the resolution?  I'm one who doesn't make New Year's resolutions, and I haven't given up on trying to make myself better.  I've just found that resolutions are only going to work when I decide to commit the will power into making them work.
Now that I've completely bummed you out to start the year I want to say there is something refreshing about throwing that old calendar away and starting a new one.  You have an entire year in front of you in which you can start fresh if you want, and throwing that old calendar away helps you put the past behind you.  See, New Years isn't all bad.  I think we need a little New Years in our spiritual life too.  We need to be able to let go of past failures and hurts and start anew.  Just like tossing out that old calendar and looking at a new calendar just waiting to be filled.
The good news for us is that Jesus forgets our past mistakes when we ask for forgiveness.  We are the ones who continually hold on to them and can't let go.  Once we've confessed a sin it is forgotten, and we'd do good to remember that some more.  We can have a fresh start.  We can begin to reshape our lives and change our lives with the help of the Spirit.  We just need to be willing to turn that page on our lives and look forward to the life we have ahead of us.  A life that may not be perfect, but a life full of opportunities to live out the love, grace, and forgiveness that Jesus offers to all of us.  So, maybe one New Year's resolution could be to let go of the past and let Jesus help you with the present and future.  I think that one has a much better chance then 8% of succeeding!