But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Boxing Day has always been my favourite day of the year.

You have all the great food from Christmas Day left over, minus the need to be attentive at the table. Instead you can just sit on the lounge watching the cricket… whilst eating the very tasty leftovers from the day before.

Well, that’s what I always did growing up. It was always good down time after Christmas. A chance to stop, pause and let your mind wander.

Mary knew that Christmas was a good time to ponder. With all the hurly burly of the weeks and months leading up to Christmas it was a wise move she made to stop, be present and reflect.

I also like to take this time of year to reflect on the past 12 months.

I find the time between Christmas and New Year the perfect time. There’s quite a lull in energy (other than the cricket) going on around town. I like to take the time every year to reflect on what I achieved in the past year, what I worked towards and what’s still yet to be achieved/started. I also like to reflect on how my relationship with God and others are tracking and if there’s anything I need to alter in my thinking and behaviour.

However, whilst I start this reflecting just after Christmas, I more associate it with New Years. Because New Years Day is the day of renewal, when everything becomes fresh again as though nothing bad or ill had ever happened before.

Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

Now, I’m living in reality. I’m also living with a God that can do all things.

Christmas is evidence of this because Christmas is the time that Jesus came into the world, to live a perfect life that ultimately led to death on a cross.

And it is through that death and resurrection that we can experience renewal. All our sins can be erased and we become fresh again, just as if we’d never sinned in the first place.

This is good news. No wonder the shepherds glorify and praise God for coming through on the sign that they were given.

They tested the sign and it held to be true. For this they praised God.

What about you?

Has God said something to you that seems too good to be true? Has he given you a sign about something? Perhaps he wants you to go and check that it is true. Then may he pour out his blessing.

And when he does there will be great cause for rejoicing. You might even start singing:

Dark has turned to light and I will celebrate
All my wrongs made right, everything has changed
My sins have been erased and it feels like New Years Day
Yeah, it feels like New Years Day

Yours on any day of the year,

Alison