I Resolve to ...

As a child, we had a family tradition of making new year's resolutions together.  Perhaps it seems strange to you, but these are great memories to me.  My siblings and I would build "resolution booths" out of couch cushions and throw pillows and my father would record our goals for the coming year (seriously, he still has them in a file in his office); I shared a little about this tradition in this post last year.  I wonder if I ever achieved any of my goals?  Probably not, but that doesn't make the memories any less sweet.

Since this is part of my heritage, every year about this time I start thinking about what I should do or not do, what new habits to develop or stop, in the coming year.  This year feels different, because one and a half months into 2012, we will be having a baby.  I've been wondering how I should let this influence the loftiness of my goals.

Babies take a lot of your time, your sleep, ... and your love.  And there are the two others to love and care for, as well.  Not to mention that Colin and I would also like to maintain our relationship!

I guess what I've really been asking myself is, what/who do I hope to be one year from now?  What do I need to do or let go of to move in that direction?


This has led to some major generalities and reminded me of my need to trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding.  Of course, I can think of some specifics for 2012 - projects, life changes, etc.  But this year I'm leaning more toward a short list of things I hang in the kitchen and/or on the dashboard of the car that move me in the direction of  being transformed by the renewing of my mind.  I wanna let God have His way with me in new ways this year more than I did last year; I want to love Him more at the end of 2012 than I do now.

Here are a few things that have popped into my mind:

Remember God's mercies are new every morning - do not live by shame or guilt; I belong body and soul to my loving Father. 

Extend to others the mercy I've been given - this will take a lifetime, but will get at the hard places in my heart for sure! 

Read God's Word - one cannot live by bread alone (though I do really like bread!), I need the life-giving bread of God's Word.

I think that my "theme verse" this new year will be Micah 6:8 -

He has showed you, O man, what is good.

   And what does the LORD require of you? 

To act justly and to love mercy 

   and to walk humbly with your God.

Yeah, that should keep me busy this year ... and for the rest of my life!  What would it look like to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with my God in my marriage, in relationship to my children, with my neighbors, in the church, in my writing, in my personal thoughts that He alone knows?  I wonder....

So, that's what this lady is thinking for 2012.  I think it's fun to think about a new beginning and what the future holds!  Ultimately, it's in the Lord's hands of course, so I encourage you to ask Him what He's thinking for YOU in 2012.  Are there things you need to do?  New ways to step out in faith?  Things to release to Him?  Do you need to choose to follow Him for the first time?  Oh, it'll be a year of transformation if we step into it and walk through it with our God!

I pray today you can look back on 2011 with thanksgiving and ahead to 2012 with hope.

Cheers!

PS  I'm taking January off from blogging.  At some point I'll likely make the blog private until I get some things set up that I'd like to change.  One more post tomorrow and then I'll "see" you in February!