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By Sue Staton     After a wonderful Christmas with our children and grandchildren my mind is turned to the upcoming new year.

For me, each new year is filled with excitement and trepidation.

I still have to laugh at the trepidation that I felt when we were awaiting the year 2000.

I know I was not alone in that feeling, since so much was said about all that might happen when it turned midnight. It soon became apparent life could go on as normal.

Now, it is hard to believe that it is twenty-two years later. The sad thing is that about half of the people we were at that New Year’s Eve party with are now deceased. We still often look back at the pictures of that camping group and laugh at the memories we all made together. It was some of the most fun times of my husband’s and my life.

On the 31st of December my husband and I will celebrate our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. Wow! How time does fly! We have been there for each other through our ups and downs of life.

I will be once again going through some cancer treatments this new year. Instead of chemo treatments it will be radiation treatments. That is one trepidation for this year.

I also have trepidation as I am getting older, thinking of all my dear friends and acquaintances who have passed this past year. It has been an unusually large amount.

That is why each day is becoming more precious to me.

With each new year I always think of our earth after a heavy snowfall. As my grandson, Hayden told me when he was very little,and I think seeing his first snowfall, he looked out the window and said, “Nana, I think I am in heaven.”

The look of purity after a fresh, fallen, snow has a beauty about it and I loved the analogy he gave of that vision. Until man messes up a snowfall, it looks so beautiful and clean.

A brand new year with each day, a new day for each of us works the same way.

It is up to us whether we mess them up or do our best each day.

With the stresses that is put upon us, it is sometimes hard to keep a great attitude.

However, if we just think how we were blessed just to have another day given to us, it can easily put things into perspective. If we do little else,we should at the least thank God for the day he has given us.

This Bible verse found in Philippians 4:6-7 would be a good one to put on your refrigerator to remind us daily to: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” I know I could be reminded often of this verse.

I would like to wish everyone a healthy, happy, and blessed new year.