New Year's Eve

Well, my folks and I had some olie bollen and egg nog, and we watched the ball come down in New York at 9:00 p.m. our time. We channel surfed a little, watched a little of Mary Poppins on CTV and part of a mass on EWTN. My folks have gone to bed, and I may go soon. It's about 11:30 but I don't feel any obligation to stay up till 12:00. I do feel an urge to eat another olie bol, but I am fighting it.

I went to church earlier this evening. It was a communion service. At one point, we wrote down a sin we'd like to be free of a piece of paper, and then we went forward, lit the paper on fire in the Christ candle, and threw it in a bowl to burn. Then we took communion. There was time to think about what to write, but while the pastor was just explaining the procedure I already wrote down three. Yeah, there's that much room for improvement.

Tomorrow being Sunday, there's another church service in the morning.

I felt sleepy around 5:00 p.m., was worried whether I'd stay awake at church (no problem), and then got a second wind from about 8:00-10:00. I'm a natural night owl, which is not a helpful personality quality in the workaday world. But I'm starting to feel a little sleepy, so I guess I should take advantage of it.

Happy New Year to you. We sang this great hymn at church:

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.

Frances Havergal, 1874.