The end of the calendar years gives us pause to look back and encourages us to look ahead.  That exercise can be long and exhausting, and not always fulfilling.  I want to focus on living in the present moment, with recognition that the Lord desires to be our day-to-day Companion through the ups-and-downs that life brings.  The beautiful passage from Isaiah 9:1-6 which was the first reading at the midnight Mass, speaks of the long-awaited Messiah as being Wonderful-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.  What a blessing it is when we let Jesus be all these things and more each and every day.  When we "live in the moment" with Jesus, we don't let stress, worry and other negatives get the best of us or even completely overwhelm us.  Let's make our prayer, early in the new year, reflect our heart's desire, that "Christ be beside me, Christ be before me, Christ be behind me, King of my heart . . . ," confident that it will assuredly make our future bright.  God bless you all in the coming calendar year 2013!  (The song quoted was "Christ Be Beside Me" by Laura Wasson).