Free Bird

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  “. . . A light broke in upon my brain,—  It was the carol of a bird;  It ceased, and then it came again,  The sweetest song ear ever heard,  And mine was thankful till my eyes  Ran over with the glad surprise,  And they that moment could not see  I was the mate of misery.  But then by dull degrees came back  My senses to their wonted track;  I saw the dungeon walls and floor  Close slowly round me as before,  I saw the glimmer of the sun  Creeping as it before had done,  But through the crevice where it came  That bird was perched, as fond and tame,  And tamer than upon the tree;  A lovely bird, with azure wings,  And song that said a thousand things,  And seemed to say them all for me!  I never saw its like before,  I ne’er shall see its likeness more;  It seemed like me to want a mate,  But was not half so desolate,  And it was come to love me when  None ...

New Year's Eve, A Meaningful Time

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This is New Year’s Eve, the day before New Year’s Day. Congratulations, you made it!

 Make this day (and the next) meaningful by taking time for personal reflection. Someone once likened our lives to be like a stirred-up pond--murky, cloudy. When the sediment settles, the bottom can be clearly seen. Perhaps you need to get to the bottom of something with God or with someone else. There is no better time than the present to take care of business, to work toward peace and reconciliation with someone. If you need peace with God, no work is required as He's already made the way by the cross of Christ if you will repent.

  • New Years 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted. What freedoms do you need in your life?
  • While fireworks are a common feature of New Years, some magazine and newspaper publishers burn publications of the past year, really putting behind everything that happened the previous year. What do you need to finally put behind you on the cusp of a new year?
  • Ancient Romans worshiping “Janus” (from which we get the name “January”) gave us our New Year’s celebrations as a time of new beginnings. Some observed by closing and opening doors. The Lord Jesus Christ reminds us that He alone is the one who opens and shuts doors (Revelation 3:8). What open doors can He alone close and open for you?
Celebrate by making change with God’s help.

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