Good evening brethren and Happy Sabbath!  While we did not have a memory verse last week, our memory verse two weeks ago was Matthew 6:33 (NKJV), "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Look below for valuable clues to this week's memory verse!

It's over...finally!

2020 is over...finally!  And while New Year's is not a holiday we celebrate, it certainly is a marker in time.  And what a time we had with 2020!  I'm not sure that 2021 will be drastically better, but I certainly hope and pray it will be.

One thing 2020 did for all of us was help to be a bit introspective.  Examine what's important to us - what's of value.

What'd you find?

So what did you find was of value to you this year?  The internet?  I say that somewhat tongue and cheek, but the reality is it is extremely important.  Not just for entertainment, but for having Sabbath services, Skype and ordering groceries.

How about our health?  I'm sure we were all a little more health conscience this year.  Not just with wearing masks and washing hands, but watching what we eat so we maintain a good immune system.

And of course, I think we all re-evaluated the value of loved ones.  Relationships were sometimes strained during times of quarantine, pushing families to the breaking point.  Others lost loved ones to COVID.  In either case, the value of one another is clear.

Not all bad

Of course, there were good things in 2020 as well.  Most were still able to keep the Feast, which was a blessing.  We also had two ordinations in our area, which is very exciting and a rare treat!

And then there was the exercise.  Like most of you, I took the opportunity to get out and exercise a bit more, often taking walks and observing nature.  In fact, my son and I plan on building a bird feeder to help enhance our nature observation, not to mention feeding the cardinals, chickadees and sparrows.

What did we learn?

So what does it all add up to?  Did we learn anything from 2020?  Certainly, we learned that things can change quickly - literally overnight.  We also got a little taste of what a worldwide trial might look like.  With that, I think we all felt a renewed sense of urgency to dig deep into God's word, and be prepared for the tribulations the lie ahead.

But there is one more thing that I hope that we all learned this year.  Not necessarily about the things that we value, but what God values.  And when you get down to it, the one thing that God values, even above our precious freedoms, the internet, walks in the park or watching the sparrows - is us!  Let us go into 2021 knowing that God values us far above everything else in the universe!