by Senior Minister Rev. John Morehouse
While Jan. 1 is just a date on a calendar, it represents an opportunity for us to take notice of where we are and where we hope to go. Like many of you, I have tried—and failed—at resolutions over the years. I have also achieved several. The most notable was resolving to stop making resolutions I couldn’t turn into habits.
Habits are lifestyle changes that we incorporate over a period of time. The old saying goes that “it takes seven weeks to make a habit,” but that is too simple. A habit is a decision not just to resolve to do something, but to actually do it.
This year, more than any other, requires us to do more than hope that things will get better. We need to practice the habit of making our lives better. It starts with reminding ourselves that we can all make a difference in the world. There are any number of groups, local and large, that need our financial help—including this congregation. But beyond that, every small practice we begin can lead to a new habit.
I have begun keeping a gratitude journal. Every morning, as part of my spiritual practice, I write down the people, practices, and institutions I am thankful for, and why. I believe that intention—that habit—is sending good energy out into the world. I am also increasing the number of thank-you notes I write. I like to write cards as a way to say thank you to you and to so many others for the work you are doing in this pandemic. As the recipient of your thank-yous, I am buoyed in the work I need to do.
So what will be your new habits for 2026, the year of our emerging new normal? In the book Atomic Habits, author James Clear writes, “We often dismiss small changes because they don’t seem to matter very much in the moment.” I am here to tell you: resolve to do one small thing and watch how it changes you and the world.
Our Housing Justice Team delivered food and clothing to those in need. Your gracious gifts to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund helped us hand out hundreds of dollars in assistance this season. Small gifts make big changes.
Even in the midst of so much struggle, our habits of faith are changing lives. As Criss Jami wrote in her poetry collection Killosophy, “As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning.”
So as we start the New Year with more than our usual trepidation, I commend to you the practice of habit-making. We are always just beginning. Keep it small, but make it a regular part of your life, and see how your world changes.
Blessings to you and yours this New Year.