Going forward!

"More on going forward in the coming weeks. As for today, most of us are cleaning up the remnants of wrapping paper, trying to fit leftovers in the fridge, and basking in the afterglow of good family fellowship."

The Christmas season is now over, and it was, well, different. Don't get me wrong, it was wonderful. But at the same time, everyone's uninvited guest, named Covid, decided to screw things up a bit. Airplanes being grounded, stranding thousands of travelers. Some face to face church services cancelled. Some cruise ships being diverted. Football teams being infected, so much so, some games needed to be postponed. One of the college bowl games was cancelled. In the game last night between the Colts and the Cards, the entire starting line for the Colts was out on Covid protocol. Weird.

As we start 2022 in about a week, Covid will still be here. It will be the great spoiler for many a plan, or plans. On the international front, Russia will still be rattling its battle sabers over the Ukraine. Will it, or won't it attack? If it does, it will really start out the year on a sour note. Will it draw the United States into a war? Probably not. But the tensions between Russia and the US will be sky high. And if China makes a move on Taiwan? Same thing. No US war, but tensions sky high with China also.

As far as space is concerned, yesterday, on Christmas Day, the long awaited launch of the James Webb Space Telescope happened. This launch was so complicated, there were a thousand and one things which could have gone wrong. If something had, billions of dollars, and years of effort, could have gone right out the window. But as of this writing, things are still going as planned. It is launched, and headed for the second Lagrange point (L2) to set up its final orbit. As 2022 unfolds, this magnificent piece of technology will (hopefully) continue to make it to L2, and start the process of "coming alive".

Oh yes. In 2022, we will have another election. I sure hope this one goes much smoother than the last one. If there are irregularities in this one, which causes doubt and suspicion by either party, I fear for our country. Let's hope that prior to November, all issues are resolved, so our vote can be respected (and accepted) by all.

More on going forward in the coming weeks. As for today, most of us are cleaning up the remnants of wrapping paper, trying to fit leftovers in the fridge, and basking in the afterglow of good family fellowship. We have also been reminded once again of Immanuel - God is with us. 

The New Year looms just over the horizon. Right now, it is a blank slate, just waiting to be filled in with puts and takes, pluses and minuses, good things and bad things. How will it look by next December? Some of that, is up to us. But we can only control what we can control. The rest of it, we put in God's hands.