Thoughts on the New Year

From silly devotions and from sour-faced saints,
good Lord, deliver us.

-Teresa of Avila

I woke up yesterday, January 1st, as if it were a Monday on steroids. By 10 a.m. I had made lasagna, chili, and pork with apples, dinners-ahead for the week. I envisioned a productive year of Bible reading, healthy eating, and exercise. By mid-afternoon, however, I was scoring 33% (and that's thanks to the folks at YouVersion.com for my Bible-reading plan.) 

Why do we do this to ourselves? Why should adding a number to the end of the date signal our new ability to accomplish everything we've set out to do every other year for several decades? Are we setting ourselves up to fail? Don't get me wrong. I like resolutions, and I'm a firm believer in hope and perseverance. Past experiences have taught me that piling on unrealistic expectations only produces an ineffective, sour-faced saint.

So I've decided to turn my resolutions into prayers. In 2011, if the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to... (based on Philippians 2:19)

• Show more love to family, friends, and strangers
• Be more present and connected
• Spend regular time with God through prayer & reading His Word
• Make healthier eating and activity choices
• Use my gifts and passions to help others
• Live free from the burdens of legalism, expectations, and condemnation

May 2011 bring us closer to the Lord and kinder to ourselves & others. Isn't that what loving God and loving our neighbors as ourselves commands anyway?