Happy New Year

Dear Friends
 
Happy New Year! I really hope that you have had a wonderful time over Christmas and may all your hopes, dreams and aspirations come true in 2023!
 
On the evening of December 29th and through the night, I found myself in a spot of bother with food poisoning, which made me rather less energetic the next day for our annual Turkey & Tinsel. To be honest, I felt pretty rough and by the end of the day my voice had given up almost completely!
 
However, God came to the rescue with a wonderful team of people who made sure that the “T&T” show went on and that everyone still had a great time despite my not exactly firing on all cylinders!
The next day, New Year’s Eve, I knew I would need to take it easy if I had any chance of seeing the New Year in, so I parked myself on the sofa in the morning and used the time to come up with a little poem. I’ll copy it below and hope that you like it…

 

The fireworks explode, our glasses we raise
But what do you think of as you appraise
The year left behind, the year ‘22
What your reflections on all we’ve been through?
 
Putin’s invasion, the horrors of war
Ukrainian courage we cannot ignore
Famine and floods, the right to choose life
Climate controversy, national strife.
 
Brexit then covid, Westminster fuss
Boris has gone, fast followed by Truss
Will Sunak let ‘Team GB’ go down the drain
As wee Nicky Krankie cries “Freedom!” again?
 
Republican, Royalist, true blue or red
Black, white or Asian, straight, gay or ‘unsaid’
We’re firstly all human, one great rainbow race
Sunshine and storms, forgiveness and grace.
 
Shades of our skin and shapes of our eyes
The varying strands of our common blood ties
Bind us and tie us each one to the other
My father! My mother! My sister! My brother!
 
I pray for a year that will bring us all healing
A Righteous return to that sweet loving feeling
I pray for our King and his wife and his boys
A reign filled with blessings, a season of joys.
 
I pray for your wishes, your dreams and your goals
For love in your hearts and peace in your souls
‘Shalom’ in your life – in all of its meanings
First-fruits of harvest and generous gleanings
 
I pray for your life, may it always be full
Of friends who will sharpen you when you get dull
Full too with people who smile at your name
Those angels that know you… but love you the same.
 
And if there are times when tears fill your eyes
Courage, my friend, for everyone cries
This is my promise and this is my oath –
Don’t worry ‘bout pain, you’ll find it means growth.
 
So here is to you, and here is to me
As we all look ahead to this year ‘23
Let’s also look up, to our Father above
And bravely step out with hearts full of love.