A good end to the year – a Gills 3-0 victory, a new baby boy Callum born to friends Mal and Abby, and a party tonight with friends on the theme of racing – I have the flat cap ready!

It’s easy to look back at 2005 and think what a terrible year- and in may ways it was as far as disasters, fear and personal tradegies go. Today, however, the Guardian editorial rightly points out that unless we look we miss the good stuff that happened too. It’s all too easy to look at the negative and forget that great things happened in the world as well:

– England won the Ashes
– London got the 2012 Olympics
– The IRA de-commissioned
– Gay and Lesbians got rights in the form of civil partnerships
– a $100 laptop was desinged to give internet access to the poor
– 2 successful elections in Iraq
– Ellen MacArthur sailed around the world in record time
– Liverpool won the European Championship
– Howard discovered scaremongering about immigration does not win votes
– oh yeah – a third Labour victory!

So … while we still need to hold in prayer those people affected by the terrible incidents of 2005 which will live with them long after we and the media have forgotten; it is also correct to give thanks for the good things that did happen in 2005.

As we welcome in 2006, don’t forget to thank God for the good of 2005.