When the time of letting the old year go and opening a new year came around, I spent some time thinking about what really matters in our lives.  What can really make our lives fruitful, enjoyable, and meaningful to ourselves and to others as well?

Right after the Christmas eve service, which was the last service I prepared this year,  I enjoyed several days of vacation.  During these days, I could have my favorite kind of time, which was to explore potential music for next year.  While doing this job, my imagination filled with the sounds of music from services and concerts, the happy faces of people, and the glory of the living God existing between us.

As a church musician, I need to work for many different aspects of music ministries; on-going recruiting efforts, monitoring our choir members'  attendance, and checking  the list of names for expected absences during upcoming rehearsals and worship services.  There's also taking care of our music library and attending meetings and church events.  After doing all these things, I found out that I didn't have any time to spend making music itself sometimes,  such as touching the keyboards of the organ or piano or even taking a look at music.  

Making music cannot be successful if it lacks detailed preparations.  But what should the core and utmost important component be for musicians?  I think it is the beauty of music and musicians' love for it. 

When it comes to our Christian life, what should be the first thing we need to be sure of?  A well maintained church building, successful education and choir programs, strong leadership of our pastor and staff, growing membership, and stable financial status should be our goals to achieve.  But, if we don't have our love towards God and the enthusiasm to share it with our church family and people outside, what does everything else mean to us?

I hope that in this new year we'll have time to think about what really matters the most in our lives and try to get it first. Then, we may start our lives in the right direction.  May God bless all of us in this new year of 2016!