For I am about to do something new. Isaiah 43:19

Something to think about. It’s all about “new”. It’s January; a brand new year. Yet no matter the month, I feel like most people, me included, are super focused on new.

“What (new things) did you [do or] get over the holidays?”- is a common question.

“What (new things) have you been up to?”

“What updates have you done to the house?”

Now I’m not against new things. Personally, I like them. And can sometimes become too focused on them, if I’m honest. Yet I’ve been thinking, what about non-material things, like a new day, a new start on a goal, health habit, business, a new relationship or friendship? These are all important.

Or what if we focused on internal. What is new inside of you? What characteristic are you working to develop? Kindness, humility, generosity? What are you trying to tame? Anger, pride, lack of focus? What are you allowing God to work in and through you? Don’t get me wrong, we cannot allow, or thwart, God’s plan, but if we are closed off or hard hearted, he can (and will) use someone else. Yikes- sounds harsh. And I’m preaching to myself here, too.

And what about the old? Isn’t there value there at times? Sometimes old stuff is where it’s at. To tell your kids that “this belonged to your great, great grandmother”, can be very cool. No, it’s not the latest or greatest, but there is history there. What if just because you can buy something new doesn’t mean you should? What if you are meant to fix something instead of just buy something new? Or maybe you are supposed to keep the old for now. Gasp!! Yes, there’s a total cost analysis that needs to happen. Sometimes something old will cost more to fix than it’s worth, or can’t be fixed at all. Or I get that something can be developed that helps organize or function in a better way than what used to be available- I’m all about making life more functional. So there’s that.

And let’s go back to the idea of what if just because you want something new, doesn’t mean you should buy it. What if your money is better used elsewhere? Do you support a charity, sponsor a child in another country, help a family in your community, have money set aside for retirement? All things to think on. (And if you want more info on sponsoring a child, I’m happy to help.) Or just because you have new friends doesn’t mean that old relationships aren’t worth your effort.

So this New Year, let’s focus on developing “new” inside of us, or even repairing or giving effort to something old.

Happy 2022!

Embrace Life