(from my blog,
http://blog.myspace.com/nathanatx )
Ok, I'm being dramatic, but it WAS a close call.
The evening's events unfolded like this. First, I went to my church's country & western themed New Year's Eve party. That was a lot of fun, they had a pretty good band, plenty of food & "beverages," and a lot of my friends were there.
I waited until the ball dropped and then left to go to another party. The party was at this couple's house out by the lake, two very sweet guys. Their house was great, they had a heated pool & hot tub... the hot tub was in a little grotto... very cool. So I got to hang out with my friends and meet several really great new people.
After a little while, I headed back into town. There was a light mist coming down. Not enough moisture to do any good, but just enough to make the roads slippery.
If you've been to Austin and have been out to Lake Travis, you most likely were on 2222 at some point. It's a curvy, hilly road with lots of steep cliffs. It's beautiful in the daytime, but dangerous in the rain... something I wasn't ever too concerned about, until last night. I was coming uphill around a bend and this big white cadillac was coming downhill. All of a sudden this car jerks and was coming downhill sideways, straight at me! It was all instantaneous. I snapped my SUV out of the way just in the nick of time. The offending car corrected itself and went on it's way and I continued home.
During Friday night's Fuel meeting, the young adult ministry that I lead, my lesson was entitled "Creating Your New Year" and centered on the idea that God is all about new beginnings. His mercy for us is unending, his love for us doesn't have a limit.
Sometimes we have very clear moments when we realize we've been given a chance at a new beginning. Maybe we avoided a bad car wreck. Maybe we survived a surgery or sickness. But I would suggest that most of the time we're not aware of that sense of being given a fresh start. Maybe we're too focused on our busy-ness and the stress of life. Maybe we've made so many mistakes that we don't feel worthy of a chance to live with a clean slate. Most of us, though probably just aren't giving ourselves a chance to think about it... to become present to and grateful for the newness and freshness of each moment of our lives.
I believe that God's mercy and love for us isn't just new every morning, like the Bible says, but that it's new for us every moment... always. The Bible says that nothing could separate us from God's love. Not our busy-ness. Not our feeling unworthy. Not even the hurtful and unloving things we say and do.
When we start to "get" God's heart for us, all kinds of miracles are possible in our lives. When we begin to see ourselves in the same light & love that God sees us, we blossom. We can begin to create our lives with freedom and creativity, not limited by doubt, stress or fear. Let 2006 be your year for miracles. Open your heart & mind to a continual awareness of God's love for you.
Listen to this month's meditation from
http://www.unityonline.org/pray_guidedmeditations.htm.