New Year’s Resolutions. Bah! Humbug!

Every year I make the same New Year’s resolutions, and then within weeks, I break them. It’s depressing. Resolutions like- I will lose 100 pounds this year. I will write the great American novel. I will run a marathon. At the beginning of the year, it’s all “Full steam ahead!”. I’m ready! By the end of the year, I’m filled with excuses why things didn’t work out the way I planned. Hah!

Let’s face it, the snow and the dark days of winter, make me depressed enough. I don’t need the guilt of broken promises to add to my gloom.

So with the help of my wonderful wife, Jodie, my daughter, Jessica, my son, Jacob, and my son-in-law, Craig, I came up with a list of easy resolutions that I can keep. Feel free to join me in pledging to do the following-

• I will walk at least 25 feet each week.
• I will drink a glass of water every day.
• I will not kill anyone this year. (My son came up with this one. Please don’t report us to the police. I have a feeling he wasn’t planning on killing anyone anyways.)
• I will kiss my wife at least once a week. (My son-in-law said this would be a hard one to keep. Don’t tell my daughter or he’ll be in hot water.)
• My Christmas tree will be taken down and put out for recycling before next Christmas.
• Seven out of ten times that I go into the refrigerator, I will close the door when I am done.
• I will remember to flush the toilet.
• Once a day, I will smile.
• When driving my car, I will sit behind the steering wheel.

If you find my list too easy, or too silly, here’s a final resolution you may want to join me in keeping. It’s found in Joshua 24:15 “And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

• I resolve that, each day, I will endeavor to serve the Lord.

You may say, “You can’t possibly follow that. You’ll mess up as sure as you messed up with running the marathon.”

No, I won’t. You see, I’m not promising to be perfect. I’m saying, “I will endeavor…” Each day, I will do my best, with God as my helper, to accomplish the goal. But I will keep two facts in front of me- 1. Sometimes I will fail.  and    2. God is gracious and forgiving.

Let me put my resolution into practical terms.

• In the morning, I will dedicate the day to the Lord.
• Throughout the day I will seek His guidance.
• If I fall I will seek His forgiveness.
• If success comes my way, I will give Him the glory!

Now that’s a resolution worth keeping.