For farmers the strong schedules meant that the last few months of 2021 finished up pretty good, giving the year a positive wrap up.
Due to the virus, the last couple of years have been different, very different! Like you, I could easily fill a page with, "Who would have thought?"
Here's an easy one: Who would have thought we would see people here in NZ, out on the highway on their own, in their own car, yet all masked-up? Hey, if you want to do that that's fine with me, I'm happy for you. My point is simply, it's one of the many things I never expected to see here in my lifetime!
Now it's on to 2022. I recall reading, and more than once, that the New Year always leads to a spike in gym memberships. I'm aware the virus may have affected this the last couple of years, but prior to that, it seems like those jolly New Year's resolutions have been the culprits!
No surprises there; if there is no resolute in the resolution, then it won't last more than a week or two, maybe a month. New Year's wishes would describe them better, don't you think?
The sports year got off to a rather rough start for Black Caps' fans as they watched them get humbled by Bangladesh. Now there's another; "Who would have thought?" Nobody, not even the "experts" picked that one!
More seriously, our neighbours up in the nation of Tonga have been devastated by the huge undersea volcanic eruption they experienced on January 14. We have good Tongan friends who, at the time of writing, are still waiting to hear from family. Not a good start to '22, that's for sure.
Life does have a way of throwing some flak at you; it's never always idyllic from start to finish. Yep, stuff happens. Everyone gets to face what I call the "storms of life". For some readers, '21 will have been a pretty good year, for others it will have been really tough, horrible even.
Maybe you had to walk through a relationship breakdown, a family crisis, or the loss of a loved one. Over the years, we have walked with some folk through some pretty ugly stuff. They have come through it, and I believe you can too. They made it through, and you can can make it through too.
I have a good friend who went through bankruptcy a number of years back. For sure, it was a very embarrassing, depressing and horrible experience for them. But they made it through and are doing well now. And yes, they are much wiser than they were previously.
What helped them through their dark tunnel, you may be wondering? Three things really: family, friends, and their faith. They didn't have to do it alone!
Most of '22 is still ahead of us. Surprises are ahead this year. That's just life and the nature of it. We can be well prepared for life's storms, or seriously caught out. The three things that helped my friend can help you immensely too. Each one is truly important, and all the more so when the flak is flying.
So, from me this month, build strong relationships with family and friends. Keep those relationships up-to-date and in good repair. And stay open to finding an active faith if you don't already have one.
Take care and God bless.
To contact Colin Miller email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
