Happy New Year!  I hope you had a wonder-filled Christmas. 

I like this time of the year – not only because of Christmas and the hope that the birth of Christ rekindles in my heart, but also because the New Year follows so quickly on the heels of Christmas, it feels like I have a chance to start all over again.

Do you make New Year’s resolutions?  I do – not lots but just a few that I hope to accomplish.  I might resolve to go to bed by 11:30 except on special occasions or I might resolve to engage in at least 30 minutes of physical exercise every day, no excuses.  Sometimes my resolutions are really goals – for example, this year I am going to redo our backyard.

In my personal life as well as my professional life, I have found that setting goals focuses my energy and motivates me to do things I might not otherwise do.  I invite you and your local unit of United Methodist Women to spend some time dreaming about the organization you would like to be and new things you would like to do – and then set a couple of goals that will move you in that direction.  For example, ‘Our local unit will send two members to one weekend Mission Event’ or ‘Our local unit will hold two evening meetings and extend a special invitation to the women who work outside the home to join us.’   Keep your goals in front of you whenever you meet.  We will be interested in knowing what your goals are – and will join you in celebration as you achieve them.

In church last Sunday, we sang the song, “I am the Light of the World”.  The first verse is:       

‘When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and the shepherds have found their way home,
the work of Christmas has begun.’

United Methodist Women around the world are doing the ‘work of Christmas’!  Praise God!

Peace and Joy,
Connie