Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  First post of 2012...woohoooo. 

A lot of us will face the inevitable question, posed by someone.  "What's your New Year's resolution?  It's often an unwelcomed question too, especially if we haven't gotten around to even thinking about it yet.  Or if we know we haven't yet fulfilled the ones we hoped for in 2011...

So, instead, I want to ask a few other questions.
What's NOT working well in your life?  What would you change? What relationships need work?  What are your worries?  What is your focus, and should it be different?  What gets most of your energy and attention?
What qualities do you admire in others that you wish you also saw in yourself? 

Now, I'm the kind of person who doesn't like to sit around and wait for something different to happen, and frankly, I don't have much patience for people who refuse to change their circumstances, but would prefer to sit and wallow in them.  I think God has given us the will, and the intelligence, to make significant changes in our own lives, and the lives of others. 

For example,  (and many of my closest friends and I seem to share this problem) life is "too busy."  Seems like everybody has that same gripe. 
So do something about it.  Cut things out. Don't allow your children to each participate in 3 activities at once. Don't say "yes" to every opportunity that arises, no matter how "good" it is.  Don't volunteer in 4 different things, and then offer to take a position in the PTO, and then start a non-profit organization, and then take out your frustration on those you love the most.

Clear the schedule.  Make time to just live.  Stop and smell the roses.  Then, when something comes before you that's clearly from God, you may have the right attitude and energy to embrace it and fulfill it beautifully.

Maybe you are carrying around  bitter, or broken heart.  Stop and consider if you've been taking care of it.  Have you allowed people in, who desire to bless and love you?  What have you been "feeding" it?  Meaning, are you surrounding yourself with people and messages that reinforce your hurt and bitterness?  Or have you taken charge of the healing process and chosen to reject self-pity?

Wherever you are as you enter 2012, focus on what you can change.  Pray that you are able to let go of the things that you can't change.  Reject the things (and obligations, and people, and habits, and thoughts, and attitudes)  that tie you down, and keep you from being your BEST self.  Because this is YOUR year.

I love you my sisters. We are all in this journey together.  Let's encourage and pray for eachother, and never stop fighting the good fight.

 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  -galatians 6:9