Where has the time gone? It is hard to believe that in just a few short hours another year will have come and gone and will have taken its place among the annals of history. It seems that with each passing year, though the amount of days and hours remain the same, the hands of time seem to move at a much swifter rate. With all of the incidences that occur in life over the course of a year, sometimes even the swiftest runner in the race can find it difficult to maintain a steady pace.

As a new day dawns on the horizon inviting the beginning of a brand new year, what will the pages of history record as a descriptive summary of the year that we are about to bid farewell to? Perhaps the words from the opening paragraph of Charles Dickens' timeless classic "A Tale of Two Cities" could be used to put the cap on the pen after the final words of this, another chapter in our lives has been written. Describing the times about which he was writing, the English novelist wrote:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
 As I reflect upon the events that have occurred in my own personal life during this past year, I could honestly surmize that the days now gone by have been some of the best of times, as well as, some of the worst of times. There have been many mountains to climb and many rivers to cross. There have been some lofty mountain top experiences, and there have been some seemingly cold and lonely nights spent in low valleys. There have been times of laughter and great rejoicing, and there have been times of tears and great sorrow. But, through it all, I have been blessed and sustained by the tender mercies of the Lord. I am ever mindful of the words of the Psalmist when he said, "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30:5).

Sometimes, if I allow myself to focus on only the negatives, it can seem as if there is no joy to be had. It becomes easy to immitate Ophelia from William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and find myself crying, "O, woe is me, To have seen what I have seen, see what I see!" However, I choose not to focus on the negatives. Instead I see the negatives - the challenges that I often face in my life - as stepping stones that eventually lead me to greener pastures where I have a chance to sit and rest beside still waters as the Lord restores my soul.

Tonight is New Year's Eve, and of this night, Hamilton Wright Mabie, an American essayist, editor, critic, and lecturer once said:
New Year's eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights.And it was Hal Borland, a well-known American author and journalist who said, "Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us."

With the new day dawning, and as the Lord allows me to go on, and as my thoughts are turned heavenward, I resolve to continue to "lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. [For] my help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer [my] foot to be moved: he that keepeth [me] will not slumber" (Psalm 121:1-3). I further resolve to "be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season" (Psalm 1:3). I know that as I delight in the law of the Lord, and meditate upon His law by day and by night, the leaves of my tree shall not wither, and whatsoever I do shall prosper. (See Psalm 1: 2,3) And I also resolve to forget those things which are behind and reach forth unto those things which are before, pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (See Philippians 3:13,14)

As the new day dawns, we will open the book to a brand new page to begin writing a new chapter in our life. How will we begin this new chapter? No matter how we choose to begin, the words that we write, and the story that we will tell will be our own. As we begin a brand new year let us be reminded of the words of wisdom of English author G.K. Chesterton who said:
The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective. I wish for all of you a bright, productive, and successful New Year. God bless!

~ Keith Lionel Brown, Annapolis Maryland, 31 December 2011
Posted by
Location: 908 Primrose Rd #203, Annapolis, MD 21403, USA
Labels: Challenges Faith New Resolutions Year
0

Add a comment

I do not mean to come across as being callous, cruel, or mean-spirited, but the older I get, the more discouraged and dishearten I become as I watch some of our young people - the future of our world, place themselves in a proverbial box called defeatism.

Where has the time gone? It is hard to believe that in just a few short hours another year will have come and gone and will have taken its place among the annals of history.

Wise men of old came from afar asking the timeless question, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" (Matthew 2:2). Following the star that they had seen in the east, they were led to where the Christ Child was.

The tiny babe who in Bethlehem’s manger lay was no ordinary child. Some people called Him the son of David. Others called Him the son of Joseph. The scriptures call Him the son of David, the son of Mary, the son of man, the Son of God.

Every year, 11 November is set aside as the day that we celebrate Veterans Day.

The Apostle Paul Preaching At the Areopagus (Mars Hill)

While on his second missionary journey, the Apostle Paul visited the city of Troas on the Mediterranean coast. While in Troas, a vision appeared to Paul in the night.

I know that someone is going to read the title of this article and their first thought is going to be, "Keith, I think that you might have that a little backwards.

The word “service” can be defined as the action of helping or doing work for someone. “Service” can also be defined as someone’s contribution to the welfare of others.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

This talk was given on Saturday, September 03, 2011, on the occasion of the baptism of Andrew Jerry Calabrese.

With Hurricane Irene now behind us, I would like to use the analogy of a ship caught in a raging storm at sea to share my personal reflections and thoughts on how we as a family and as a Church should care for and protect one another during a time of crisis.

My father, the late John Wallace Brown, began working as a short-order cook during his High School years and continued working in that profession up until the time of his death on 20 November 2006, at 71 years of age.  He would be promoted during his career to Kitchen Manager.

This is an open address to the students of today and the future teachers and leaders of tomorrow to give them some food for thought as they begin a brand new school year.

Good morning. I would like to begin my remarks today by asking each of you a question.

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the clarion voice of the American Civil Rights Movement, was assassinated on the evening of Thursday, 4 April 1968, at the young age of 39 years, while standing on the balcony of his room (room 306) at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis Tennessee.

I am but a young man of 52 years. However, within my short life time I have slowly watched the world spin out of control on a downward spiral. Many of the nonsensical things that are occurring in our day and time would have never been thought of or heard of when I was a young lad growing up.

All of us are probably guilty at one time or another of participating in idle gossip and hearsay. How many times have we been a part of a conversation that begins something like the following: “I don’t know if it is true or not, but I heard that ____”? And we can each fill in the blank.

In the twenty-second chapter of Matthew, beginning at verse 34, we read of a Pharisee, who was a lawyer by trade, who asks the Savior a question by saying, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" The Savior answers him by saying, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and

My father, the late John Wallace Brown, was a hard working man. As a young boy growing up it was not uncommon for my father to work two or three jobs just to pay the bills, keep food on the table, and a roof over his little family’s head.

This talk was given on the occasion of the baptism of Josephine Mae Hunter on 11 June 2011 in Annapolis Maryland.

“God does not send thunder if a still, small voice is enough” (Ensign, November 1976, p.14) - Neal A. Maxwell

President Howard W.

Someone once said, "The person who really wants to do something finds a way; the other person finds an excuse." Some people seem to have a knack for always having an excuse as to why they cannot do something, no matter how simple or difficult the task at hand may be.

I am sorry - three little words - eight letters - and yet one of the most difficult things for some people to say. Perhaps it is the word “sorry” that some people seem to have so much trouble with, for as Sir Elton John, the singer/songwriter says in his song, sorry seems to be the hardest word.

Alma 26:8 - "Blessed be the name of our God; let us sing to his praise, yea, let us give thanks to his holy name, for he doth work righteousness forever."

Traditionally, every third Thursday in November is set aside for the celebration of Thanksgiving Day.

I have always enjoyed listening to the music of the late James Joseph Croce, better known to the world simply as Jim Croce. His was a very unique style of music, especially the ballads that he wrote and sang. Two of my favorite songs by Jim are “Time In A Bottle” and “Photographs and Memories”.

Growing up as a boy on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, in what was at that time known as the little town of Salisbury; I can recall the good times that we had as a family gathered around the family table.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

President Gordon Bitner Hinckley
President Gordon Bitner Hinckley
President Gordon Bitner Hinckley
In Loving Memory Of A Prophet Of The Lord
Getting to know me. . .
Getting to know me. . .
Loading