Groundhog Day Beats New Year's For Hope

"Well, it's Groundhog Day. Again."

In the immortal words of Bill Murray's character in the eponymous film, this day is NEVER going to end. OK, it will at midnight, but what changes in his character and ultimately makes time move forward again is his view of the world, not the world itself, after months or even years of the same mistakes and the same perspectives.

This is one of my favorite films for a number of reasons, but mostly because it serves as an annual reminder of how faith, love and joy are always able to redeem our lives, even if we've lived selfishly or dishonestly or without a relationship with God in the past.

Also, it shows that if we embrace the good things we tend to take for granted, and have real love and appreciation for them, it changes us for the better.

God gives us a second, third, fifth and seventy-seven times seven chance to know Him. It's a wonderful day to be a Christian.

If you live in the Northeast or Midwest, though, it's too bad, because Punxsatawney Phil saw his shadow this morning...