HAPPY New Year everyone! VAT has gone up to 20 per cent. You’ve missed that bargain at the Lakeside sale.

You’ve already failed to keep your resolution to lose weight and get more exercise.

And you only got socks and a jumper for Christmas!

Oh well, at least England managed to win the Ashes, so it’s not all doom and gloom!

Isn’t it so true that we start out on a new year with high hopes and big dreams, but they are soon dashed – often before the first day of the year is out.

The rollercoaster of life means that nowadays we go from highs to lows with increasing rapidity. The high excitement of Christmas is quickly followed by the disappointments of the following year.

The “real family Christmas” the Mitchells are always talking about on EastEnders turns into a tragic death or Nigel Pargetter falls off the roof (if you’re an Archers fan).

Sunny Sundays always seem to turn into damp and dreary Mondays, don’t they?

But God doesn’t see it quite like that.

He writes His love across the story of all our lives and teaches us that the obstacles are just there for us to climb on for a better view. If your 2011 is turning into a bit of a washout, give thanks to God that your story is not written by a BBC scriptwriter!

The One who is Lord of all our years writes – those who went off with heavy hearts will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing (Psalm 126:6).

Enjoy the ride dear friends. Happy New Year! – John.