happy new year everyone!
i hope you all had a lovely christmas time and a fun new years eve. i spent a lot of time with my family and edd which was really nice.
the first of january is probably my favourite date as it feels like a new beginning, promises new opportunities and smells of new adventures.
i know that many people don't believe in resolutions but i quite like reflecting on what i achieved and what aims i have and what i want to focus my time on. i definitely would like to blog more! let's see how that goes...
a resolution i had last year was to spend more time reading as it is something i really enjoy and that inspires me. and i actually managed to read nearly 30 books (over 10000 pages! - i know this because i created an excel sheet...). one of these books was a biography about dietrich bonhoeffer written by eric metaxas.
i was very impressed by this book and i thought about it a lot after i finished it.
dietrich bonhoeffer was a german pastor and he lived during the third reich. he was part of a resistance movement - it's a long story (you should read it) but he ended up going to prison and was killed by the nazis one month before the war came to an end. he became very famous for his books and he also wrote some beautiful poetry. one of his poems is very fitting for today. it is originally written in german but i found a translation of a some of the verses. i find it extremely powerful especially thinking that bonhoeffer wrote these lines whilst in prison.
i hope it encourages you in these times in which our world seems to be so full of insecurity and threat. how good to know that we have a god who is in control and who is with us.
By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered, and confidently waiting, come what may, we know that God is with us night and morning, and never fails to greet us each new day.
Yet is this heart by its old foe tormented, still evil days bring burdens hard to bear; O give our frightened souls the sure salvation for which, O Lord, you taught us to prepare.
And when this cup you give is filled to brimmingwith bitter sorrow, hard to understand, we take it thankfully and without trembling,out of so good and so beloved a hand.
Yet when again in this same world you give us the joy we had, the brightness of your sun,we shall remember all the days we lived through, and our whole life shall then be yours alone.
Von guten Mächten treu und still umgeben,
Behütet und getröstet wunderbar,
So will ich diese Tage mit euch leben
Und mit euch gehen in ein neues Jahr.
Noch will das alte unsre Herzen quälen,
Noch drückt uns böser Tage schwere Last.
Ach, Herr, gib unsern aufgeschreckten Seelen
Das Heil, für das du uns geschaffen hast.
Und reichst du uns den schweren Kelch, den bittern
Des Leids, gefüllt bis an den höchsten Rand,
So nehmen wir ihn dankbar ohne Zittern
Aus deiner guten und geliebten Hand.
Doch willst du uns noch einmal Freude schenken
An dieser Welt und ihrer Sonne Glanz,
Dann wolln wir des Vergangenen gedenken
Und dann gehört dir unser Leben ganz.
Lass warm und hell die Kerzen heute flammen,
Die du in unsre Dunkelheit gebracht.
Führ, wenn es sein kann, wieder uns zusammen.
Wir wissen es, dein Licht scheint in der Nacht.
Wenn sich die Stille nun tief um uns breitet,
So lass uns hören jenen vollen Klang
Der Welt, die unsichtbar sich um uns weitet,
All deiner Kinder hohen Lobgesang.
Von guten Mächten wunderbar geborgen,
Erwarten wir getrost, was kommen mag.
Gott ist bei uns am Abend und am Morgen
Und ganz gewiss an jedem neuen Tag.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
a very blessed 2016 to you all.
