Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Dr. Rich Bimler, Lutheran Life Communities –
Here are three ways to begin the first month of 2013:
1. Look Back 2. Look Ahead 3. Say YES!
Look back to last year and recall your experiences, both good and bad. Instead of dwelling on the not-so-good days, give thanks that you have moved beyond them and are ready to begin a brand new year. Also, recall things you may have learned about yourself, others, and the environment around you.
Look Ahead and dream what “might be” in the new year, for you and for others. Make a list of things you wish to accomplish, learn , change, and test out in these coming months. No doubt you have carried things over from last year, such as health issues, family concerns, new surroundings, and other future plans. Great ! This is right where the “Say YES!” comes in!
January is a perfect time to encourage yourself to greet every new day in the Lord with a YES! YES to life, YES to vibrant living because you and I know that the Lord is with us every step of the way. YES to both the challenges that need our energies as well as YES to the unknown days that lie before us in this new year.
As you may recall, the month of January was named after the Roman god Janus, who was to “preside over the gate to the new year.” Janus was revered as the God of Gateways, of doorways and “of the Journey”. He had two faces, one looking forward and the other backward. He was able to “cast out the old and welcome the new”. Quite a god, eh?
But not as good as our Lord ! Our Lord, the One whose birth we celebrated again last month, is not only the Lord of history and of the future, but He is the Lord of NOW, today. That is exactly why we are able to say YES to life, even in the midst of all of the NO’s that continue to bombard us.
Janus, the two-faced god, is no match for our Lord, who faced death Himself so that you and I can face life each day, in Him!
The Arlington of Naples, being developed in the Lely Resort area of town, also continues to 1) look back; 2) look ahead; and 3) say YES! We “look back” and thank the Lord for the exciting opportunity to build a new faith-based retirement community in Naples! We look ahead in the coming months when ground will be broken to begin the brilliant building of this new project. And we Say YES! right now as more and more people are deciding to become part of this vibrant, Grace-filled opportunity to celebrate life across all generations!
Blessings on your Joy-filled Journey through January ! Enjoy the winter guests, enjoy God’s sunshine and sand, and continue to enjoy God’s YES to you each day, as you look back, look ahead, and Say YES! to life in the Lord!
