One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year is a little
book called A Child’s Calendar. It’s
a book of poems by John Updike. While I can’t endorse everything Updike wrote,
I urge you to find this collection, as it is delightful. There is a poem and a
beautiful illustration by Trina Schart Hyman for each month of the year. The
pictures show family activities throughout the year, and the poems describe
special moments in life that we all encounter each month.
The poem for December has six stanzas, but I want to share
the last three with you.
Old
carols peal.
The dusk is dense.
There is a
mood
Of sweet suspense.
The
shepherds wait,
The kings, the tree--
All wait
for something
Yet to be,
Some
miracle.
And
then it’s here,
Wrapped up
in hope--
Another year!
Another year! Do these words fill you with hope or dread? I
spent part of December meditating on Lamentations chapter 3. You are likely
familiar with verses 22 and 23, but let me take you to verse 24: “The LORD is
my portion, says my soul, Therefore I hope in Him!” We do have cause to hope
for good things to come. Even if everything else fails, God will not fail. We
have heard over and over recently how important it is to trust in God’s timing,
and I’m here to reiterate that idea.
This book of poetry is one of the many things I lost in the
tornado of April 12, 2020. And now I have another copy! I know it’s a small
thing, but it is a reminder to me that God can and does restore to us the
things he intends to use.
I resolve to look forward in hope. I will trust God to
provide his blessings in his time. Here it comes, y’all---Another year!
--Sherry Poff
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