Toward the end of the year, people seem to look back and wonder:

Where did the year go?

Time goes faster every year!

Why didn’t I finish all the things I set out to do?

We “Monday Morning Quarterback” all the things that went “wrong” and look at why we failed. Or we complain that “they” ruined everything. We blame others for everything that’s wrong with our world.

Time to remember that time-honored quote: Whenever you point one finger at someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at you!

It’s also time to remember the Serenity Prayer: Lord, give me the patience to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

A colleague years ago told me the “short” version of the Serenity Prayer: F&#! It.

We focus on the big things we can do nothing about and forget to embrace the little joys of life. So here are some of my Little Joys:

*Decorating cookies with my granddaughter. Even now that she’s in her teens, she tells me she will never outgrow decorating cookies.

*Licking the rubber scraper after the tube pan is full of angel food cake batter.

*Getting out the Christmas ornaments and marveling at the fact that a few of them have been on our tree for more than 50 Christmases.

*Remembering when I used to catch snowflakes on my tongue.

*And a long-standing tradition in my family—each person making a prayer wish for someone else’s good before we all blow out ONE candle in the center of that angel food cake (for the Light of the World) and singing the Happy Birthday song to Jesus.

Be IN every moment. Soak up the joy. Carry it into the New Year with HOPE.