By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

Hey!  How are you?  A glorious new year has begun!  You read that correctly.  I said, “Hey!”  And almost immediately in my own mind I heard the response, “Hay is for horses!”

Two words with two spellings but the same pronunciation.  My photo shows several hay bales.  They are lined in preparation for the winter’s feeding of the cows and horses.  You see, the grass doesn’t grow as much (and certainly not as green) in the winter time.  But with the supplemental hay bales, the animals can still munch to their heart’s content.

As we begin this January, we certainly still face many challenges from the previous year and all that it entailed.  However, we can’t continue to live in the past year.  We must live today.  One thing I miss the most in today’s “socially distanced” world is our daily interactions (fellowship!) with one another.  I imagine that most of you feel the same.

So, I have a very simple challenge for each of us.  Practice saying “hey.”  That’s “hey,” not “hay.”  (he he, ha ha).  Every person you meet in your brief but necessary outings has the same longings as you — to be noticed, to be loved, to be acknowledged, to simply hear a friendly voice saying, “Hey, how are you today?”

If all I can say is “hey,” and all I manage to do is put a smile on someone’s masked face, then it has been a good day.

So, Hey, my friend!  You are loved and prayed for.  Thank you for sharing with others.  It WILL be a good year.

Just a thought.