Things Keeping Us Going: Happy New Year Edition

Last updated on: September 7, 2021 at 8:43 pm by Kristen Allen

Things Keeping Us Going: Happy New Year Edition 2021-09-07T20:43:55-05:00 Kristen Allen

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Those of you who have known me a while know that as a career educator who follows an academic calendar, I consider Labor Day the REAL start of the New Year. That this Labor Day falls upon the same day as the start of Rosh Hoshannah, the Jewish New Year, is serendipitous, I think.

Many years, I will draft goals and resolutions over this long holiday weekend. I am not doing that this year. Instead, I am offering up a prayer of blessing for the coming year:

May we all begin this year with a renewed curiousity and excitement to learn. May we experience a sense of wonder about the world around us. May we hunger and thirst for wisdom.

May we recognize the different teachers we have in the people we encounter and the experiences we share. May we especially recognize the teachers who come to us from very different places than the ones who feel most familiar and make us the most comfortable.

May we accept and even love being beginners. While we are still learning, may we have the courage to make mistakes, ask questions, and try again–as many times as we need to in order to master the lessons. May we be surrounded with teachers and classmates who make us feel safe to try, who encourage us, and who support us along the way. May we be teachers and classmates who make others feel safe to learn.

May we be blessed with those “AHA! Moments” when it clicks and suddenly we understand the new concept or have mastered the new skill. May we have people who celebrate those moments with us. May we be blessed to be there for someone else’s “AHA! Moment.” It is one of life’s most beautiful experiences.

May we always keep learning and growing. May what we learn change us for the better. May the things we learn make us do better.

Father guide us through this year of learning, Son accompany us on the journey, Spirit light the way, Mother encourage us, Saints bear with us. Amen.

L’shana Tova!

Things Keeping Us Going

Previous Post

September 3, 2021

Dark Devotional: Silence, the Love Language of God

Next Post

September 10, 2021 Dark Devotional: Get Thee Behind Me, Lord

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Approaching Mystery art Book Reviews Catholic Ghost Story Catholicism community Confession Current Events Dark Devotional Deconstruction Deconstruction Fellow Travelers I Want To Believe Interview Laudato Si Lent Mary Matthew's Letters Movie Reviews Music Reviews Our Charism Personal Essay Pilgrims Pope Francis Popular Piety Prayer Publishing Richard Beck Saints Satan Sheed and Ward Sick Pilgrim Charism Sick Pilgrim Chats Sick Pilgrim Events Sick Pilgrim Travelin' Medicine Show Sick Pilgrimage to The West Sick Pilgrims Small Joys Spiritual Autobiography Spooky Files of Ave Maria Magazine Spooky October Spooky Pilgrim Spooky Pilgrimage Strange Journey The Inklings Things Keeping Us Going Trying to Say God TV Reviews Uncategorized women in the Catholic Church Wonder Podcast Write the Vision

Select a Month February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 October 2019 September 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the first woman?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Sarah Deborah Mary Eve