:: resolve ::

A new year brings new hopes that we will achieve that goal we've set out to achieve (usually) before. Like lose weight, get out of debt, work less, spend less money. How many of us have already adjusted our new year's goal? We vow to simply "get in shape" instead of lose weight. My point is that we set new year's resolutions very unrealistically. Then, the 3rd week of January we feel like a failure because we aren't achieving the goal. It is too hard to do what it takes to reach the pie in the sky resolution we set for ourselves. Maybe we just don't know ourselves well enough (maybe we like sweets way too much to give them up). Maybe we think this time will be different. Maybe we are setting the wrong goals.

I think losing weight, getting out of debt, working less, etc are wonderful goals. But, I wonder if goals like this (and you can insert your own...these are just examples) are symptomatic. Do we tend to set goals for the desired result or for the real issue at hand?

My thought is that I should set new year's resolutions that push me toward being who I was designed to be. Some of the goals I've mentioned may be part of that, but the practice needs to start with my own heart.

This year, I've resolved to BE INTENTIONAL. To be honest, I am still figuring out how that plays out. Some ideas...be intentional about my interactions with Paul. Be intentional about learning new things (cooking and photography among other things). Be intentional about diving into relationship with Christ. Etc, etc. This type of "resolution" fits who I am. I think it has taken 30 some odd years to figure it out. But, it is much more freeing than beating myself up because I ate a brownie AND I didn't exercise.