2009

With each new year comes the discussion of New Year Resolutions. A year has past us and it allows us to reflect over the year that was and compare where we came from, where we are today, and where we would like to be. The funny thing about such reflections is that to truly reflect over one's year, there is a need to be still. I have found little time of being still and being silent in my life as of late. When there is availability for stillness, I find myself filling that time and space with the TV or reading or taking a nap...

I believe our McGugan Mailer helped the hubby and I to plot out the things that were for 2008... but I do not believe I've really fully reflected on what all of 2008 meant. I can attest to this without much thought - THE LORD PROVIDED! However, I haven't just sat and reflected over 2008, and asked the Lord to reveal to me what I'm to learn from the past 365 days. We go through things, experiences, events, and should be able to walk away from each with a new take on the way things ought to be. The hope is to learn from the lessons the Lord reveals to us, and walk closer to that of Jesus the longer we go... but it's hard! It's hard to always move forward, and sometimes unfortunately we move backwards instead.

New Year Resolutions come out of such reflections: What should I change? How can I be better? What is my goal for this new year?

My hubby asked me this afternoon, "so what are your new year's resolutions?" and this is what I came up with on the fly:

• To be more disciplined.
  
• This entails both physically (working out and/or eating better) and spiritually (spending more personal time with the Lord). I've learned that when my body is disciplined physically, I am more prone to be spiritually disciplined in my quiet times. I want both of these things in my life to improve and become more constant.

• To be still more often.

• To read more.
• Kelly laughed at this one - he believes I read plenty... but he didn't see how often I read before we were married. I love it... I want to soak up more words on the pages of books this year.

• To work on the house and make some of the dramatic changes we've talked about.

• To practice the discipline of frugality more and save more.

• To speak my husband's love language more often.
• Kelly actually said this one about his own resolutions, and I am taking heed to his great desires... I want to do the same!

• And most of all... LESS OF ME, and MORE OF CHRIST.

It's a new year... a new beginning. In the same way that 2 Corinthians talks about us being a new creation in Christ... the rolling in of 2009 allows for the beginning of new directions. We have the chance to do better this go around with the strength of the Lord beside us.

What is your new year's resolution? Want to make any changes?

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (NKJV)