New Years Around the World

Historically, I've had some great New Years.
God has blessed me to experience some incredible things in places all over the world.

In Afghanistan, I got to celebrate Persian New Year (Nao Roz). It happens on March 21 every year.

On the New Year in the courtyard of this mosque/shrine they raise a flagpole. It is said that the way the pole goes up will be indicative of the year to come...if they raise it with difficulty, the year will be difficult. If it goes up easily then the year will be a prosperous, good year. People gather by the thousands here because they also believe that God will grant healing to those that come on this day and visit the pole. In Perisan New Year, there is hope and an expectancy towards God. 

I have celebrated Chinese New Year in Taiwan the last three years. It happens according to the lunar calendar but usually falls the end of January/early February (one year it was even on my birthday!)

Last year my friend April (far Right in the photo above) invited me over to her family's home for Chinese New Year. Before we came over their family had offered the food to their ancestors and had done worship to receive blessings in the new year. We had dinner with them and enjoyed the fellowship with the family. The soup on the hot plate in the photo, translated into English has a meaning of "buddha jumps out of the wall" meaning Buddha would come from his position to eat this soup it is so good....and it was tasty. Another tradition is the giving of red envelopes with money in them. 

This year I got to experience Korean New Year visiting my friend and her family in Seoul, South Korea. They celebrate the new year on January 1 (though Korea also celebrates the Chinese New Year as well). 

For Koreans they consider you a year old when you are born, counting conception to birth as your first year of life. Then when the New Year comes, everyone turns a year older together. So, if you ever ask a Korean their age, you will see them hesitate figuring if they should give you their Korean age, or the age according to the system most of the rest of the world counts. But on New Years day there is a soup that you eat that after you eat it you are considered a year older then. This year I got to eat of that soup (so I officially reached my Korean age of 34!....I might stick with 32 for another month!) and I learned a traditional Korean game (pictured above) with my friend and her family. 

Another tradition I got to experience is when the generations of the family gather together, the younger generation kneels/bows to the older one in respect and then the older generation speaks blessings over the younger generation, and gives them an envelope of money. I thought it was a very meaningful tradition. 

Looking forward to 2013!

So as the year begins, I can't help but have excitement in my heart. I love new things, new experiences, new phases of life. This year is definitely a transitional one for me as I say goodbye to the wonderful nation of Taiwan and the incredible YWAM community I've gotten to be a part of here (in May...not quite yet). I'll be heading back to the USA for a season with my sights set on transitioning to India to work with Afghan refugees in the near future. 

And there are some great things ahead this year. There is more to share, but that will come at a later date. :) 

But one thing I can say is that I have lived a blessed life and can't believe all the places God has taken me and all the incredible people he has allowed to become part of my life. This girl from a small town in Minnesota truly has the world in her heart. I never would have imagined it was possible. I can't complain one bit about my life. God has been so good and he will continue to be good. 

I pray your transition into 2013 is also filled with gratefulness....even if it is filled with difficulty, pain, uncertainty. Remember, God is in it all and he grants us our seasons to draw us to him and to show us his glory in ways we may not have otherwise understood. 

Happy 2013!!!