“Okay, Christmas is over. 
I’m ready for summer!” 
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It’s December 26th. For some, today is the feast day of Saint Stephen. For those in the United Kingdom, it’s Boxing Day. In The Bahamas, today is the beginning of the Junkanoo Street Festival. A surprising number of people seem to use this day each year to cash-in on after-Christmas sales. December 26th also provides a good opportunity for a brief reminder from Theology 101: The Season of Christmas. The cultural season of Christmas is over. Santa has vanished from the mall. Christmas decorations will soon be replaced (if they haven’t been already) by Valentine’s Day props. In the Church, however, the liturgical Christmas Season is just getting started and will end on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord in January. Just thought I’d toss that our there.

While some might be able to say they’re ready for summer now, I’m not one of them. There is too much to acknowledge and celebrate between now and then. For starters, 2025 is quickly coming to an end. The conclusion of each year offers an opportunity for us to reflect back on the highs and lows of the year which is ending. It also invites us to think about significant lessons we’ve learned in the past twelve months. A personal year-end review, in which we address the question Where do I go from here? is certainly an appropriate use of our time this week. This will be the topic of my December 29th blog post.

What else is there for us to acknowledge and celebrate at this time of year? Certainly, the possibilities offered to us in the new year are worthy of our consideration. I will begin 2026 the same way I begin every year — with the uncomfortable realization that, more than likely, a number of people I know and love will pass away in the next twelve months. And I’d be deceiving myself if I thought I was immune from such an occurrence myself. We don’t want these things to happen, and we don’t expect them to happen, but they do. That’s just how the game of life is played. Cherishing every moment with those who are important to us should be a priority for us throughout the year.

The new year also brings opportunities. Will I publish another book in 2026? I certainly hope so. The manuscript I’ve been working on is nowhere near complete, but with self-discipline, focus, and grit, I’m confident that by this time next year, my seventh book will be a reality. After more than a year of helping others to publish their books, it’s time for me to get back to my own work.

The end of a calendar year is also a time when many people make resolutions for the new year. I cannot say that I’ve been conscientious about making or keeping these through the years, but when I do set a specific goal for myself, when I make the decision to focus on one particular aspect of my life which needs improvement, I have a pretty good track record. I know exactly what I will be focusing on in 2026. It’s going to be difficult for me, yet I look forward to the challenge.   

So while Santa, despite the stormy weather, might find some time to chill-out at the beach today, I have work to do. Life is good, and while I’m grateful for the many blessings in my life, I am also aware that life can always be better. In fact, I’m absolutely convinced that the best is yet to come.