Can you believe it's a new year? It's not only a new year, but the beginning of a new decase. As I will celebrate my 70th birthday in June, time has an increasing importance on me. I don't think I have one foot in the grave, but I am smart enough to know that there is more of my life behind me than in front of me. For me, that mean how I choose to invest my time becomes more and more important. As we are in the last month of my interim ministry with you, let me begin by saying how glad I am that I chose to invest four months of ministry with you. Carol Burnet, one of my favorite comedians, use to end her TV show by singing, "I'm so glad we've had this time together!" I echo her words and assure you that you will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers long after January is history.

As you make choices about how you will invest your time in 2010, I hope that being a disciple of Jesus Christ will help shape those decisions. Each day is a gift. I would encourage you to let Jesus' words be your guide, as He reminds us that the most important thing in life is to love God and the second is like it, to love our neighbor  as we love ourselves. He said that on these two things hang all the law and the prophets. I would propose that the question each of us should ask is: "What would the Lord want me to do?" Answers are not always easy to come by, but I hope you will join me in the struggle to find the answers each day!