I
read a post by Jeff Goins – the man who started the 500 words writing challenge
– entitled, “Why You Shouldn’t Bother with Resolutions This Year.”
The
title gave me pause. Don’t make
resolutions? Don’t reflect on how you
want to improve you and your life in the new year?
But
that isn’t what he meant at all…
Jeff Goins clarifies, “This year, a lot of
people will make resolutions and then immediately break them. Why? Because
they’re not really resolving to do anything different. They’re just wishing.”
Now, after I read that, I thought, “Okay.
This is true. Time to stop wishing, Jamie, and start DOING!”
He expounds, “Goal-setting, while admirable,
is essentially pointless. Goals, in and of themselves, aren’t sustainable. They
tell you where you want to go, not how you’re going to get
there.”
This inspired me, so I’ve revised my resolutions and made them
resolves:
1. I’m gonna steal this one from a friend of
mine – Hey, Nicole! Hubby and I will resolve to make one day out of every other
month a day just for Beth or a day just for Hannah. January we will find a day to spend just with
Beth. February we will find a day just
for Hannah… and so on. Connecting with
our children will do my spirit well – I know it has these past two weeks off, for
sure!
2. I will try to finish reading one Christian
non-fiction book a month.
3. I will run 30 mins twice a week.
4. I will run outside once a month for 30 mins and
try to push that to two times a month.
5. I will drink one bottled water a day while
trying to increase that to two.
I’m
happy with these. I could add more, but I don’t want to bite off more than I
can chew in my already complicated life.
It’s
back to work on Monday. I’ve been off for two weeks. Making sure that I accomplish all I’ve
resolved to do will be challenging; however, I don’t mind a good challenge.
Being
a good Christian – it’s challenging.
Being
a good wife – it’s challenging.
Being
a good mother – it’s challenging.
Being
a good friend – it’s challenging.
Being
a good teacher – it’s challenging.
There
is much stacked against a child of God who attempts to do all of these things…
Romans
7: 17-20 But I need something more! For if I
know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps
sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t
have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do
good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it
anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has
gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. (The
Message)
However,
there is hope…
Romans
7: 24 I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m
at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that
the real question? 25 The
answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things
right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my
heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally
different.
Today’s
forget-me-not:
Time to cling to Jesus. He is the power behind godly resolves.
Love it! :)
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