SPECIAL MESSAGE! Happy New Years from Chaplain Vivionne Grace

New Year's Eve Reflection

This is a special message from my blog. God is good all the time, and as a chaplain, I often find myself looking for deeper meanings in what’s happening around us. What am I hearing? What am I being introduced to coming to Sacramento? 

There were many ideas and thoughts about what life would look like visiting Sacramento, California again. However, I realized that when I let go of my expectations, I could enjoy the moment, regardless of what was happening around me (weather, things happening back home in Puerto Rico and getting sick).

Embracing the Present

Enjoy the moment! I was able to listen to the sounds—the laughter of children playing, the excitement as they open their Christmas gifts, and the sweet calls of my daughters saying, "Mom!" Witnessing my grandkids grow older is both heartwarming and bittersweet. Enjoying my son-in-law and my amazing new grandkids....I am grateful for new acquaintances, new friends, and new contacts saved in my cell phone.

This New Year, I aspire to engage more fully with life. I want to remember birthdays, be present in the moment, and enjoy life—even when challenges arise. As a chaplain, the things I witness in hospitals sometimes shake my faith. Yet these last two weeks have been amazing; spending time with my daughters has shown me how beautiful, intelligent, and wise they have become. I am incredibly proud of them.

A Prayer for Guidance

Seeing my twin granddaughters and my grandsons reminds me that life is good! As I make decisions that will shape my future, I pray: "Oh Lord, grant me blessings indeed and enlarge my territory; may Your hand be with me to keep me from evil so that I may not cause pain." This prayer of Jabez feels particularly fitting as I navigate these choices.

A Call to Action

As we enter 2025, let us all make it our ambition to let go of strongholds, enjoy the moment, be present, and try things we may not have done before. Let’s engage in positive actions—helping the homeless, serving in soup kitchens, spending more time with family, being open-hearted, kind, and true.

Happy New Year from Chaplain Vivionne Grace!