2008-The Year of New Beginnings?

What does that mean, actually: "the year of new beginnings"?
My charismatic friend tells me that the number 8 symbolizes renewal, but my channels must be tuned all wrong--I still don't get it. I check my Bible and I see references to days to circumcision, and numbers of sons born, how many oxen needed for 4 carts... what am I missing? Is there some gnostic pill I should take at communion that will give me this 'Epiginosko'? Sometimes I feel like such a clod!
Or like when the Prayer of Jabez thing came out, and book stores and trinket sellers made a small fortune, and everybody was looking to enlarge their boundaries, and I'm trying to figure out why I was never taught about Jabez in seminary, or why I can't really remember reading about him each year in my OYB. I find this very confusing, and disheartening, like being assigned to the "slow readers" circle in primary school, except now it's spiritual.
Perhaps I am so jaded that I am blinded by my cynicism; perhaps my shortcomings have caught up to me and locked me into the honorable mention section of the balcony, you know, that little ribbon you get at the end of the competition, because "nobody's a loser", but you know for fact that you didn't get first, second or third most favored?
What makes it even worse is when I read the gospels, and Jesus is saying things like, "Don't be impressed with buildings--those stones are gonna topple," or things like, "I don't own squat on this planet-- come follow me," what do you do with THAT? Sheessh-- talk about confusing.
Maybe the best I can do is get up again tomorrow, bake my little roll of biscuits, sip my coffee and read another day of the OYB as the sun rises... hey, I'm three for three this year as of this morning! I've even had time to pray for friends before riding to work.
Not bad; it's no Prayer-of-Jabez, but maybe it's my 2008.

*OYB--One Year Bible