Now Is The Time...To Resolve

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(I ♥ Calvin and Hobbes)

Now that I have recapped 2009 and inundated you with my love for music, I can finally post my New Year's resolutions! Surprisingly, this year, I have heard quite a few people voice thier particular dislike for the resi's. Specifically, the comment is this: "I don't like NYRs. If I want to do something, I'll just do it." Interesting! I wonder if it is because we feel that we do not want to set ourselves up to fail...I mean, if you put it out there that you are going to do something, everyone can hold you accountable to follow through! If you don't, what does that make you? A failure, I guess. But honestly, isn't that what we are? I mean, there's a lot of stuff we don't accomplish--a lot we set out to do but don't do. I think that sometimes, we forget our humanity and forget that we are pretty weak and pretty incapable on our own. According to this guy Paul, that's not something that we should be ashamed of, but something we should boast about! Check this out:

"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given to me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." --2 Corinthians 12:7-10


SO THEREFORE, I will make many NYRs, knowing that God is ready to show up. And if I fail, I fail! That is completely to be expected--my victories are in my Jesus.

Tangent...ok...now it's time.

1. Be a woman of my word.


2. Be on Facebook once a week (uhh...yeah, remember that whole failure thing?)


3. Do not talk about how much $$ I do or (more commonly) don't have.


4. Lose weight (FOR GOOD...again...where I am weak, he is strong) by working out 5-6 days per week for at least an hour, keeping a DAILY food journal, and most importantly, PRAY OVER THIS DAILY--discover what I am holding onto that I need to let go of; what stone I need to roll away to see God's glory.


5. Make daily phone calls to my friends and family. Keep a friend journal to keep track of what is going on in their lives and how I can pray for them. Answer phone calls IMMEDIATELY.


6. Drink at least 8 cups of water per day.


7. Begin graduate school for my Master's degree by Fall 2010. This means I need to take my GRE and apply by March.


8. Attend more concerts.


9. Learn so much more about my Jesus by daily spending time in his word and PRAYING ABOUT EVERYTHING.


10. Eat out no more than 2 times per week.


11. Let my life opinions be understated--seek a gentle and quiet spirit.


12. Get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.


13. Blog daily (woo hoo!)!


14. Send out cards/letters/packages every week.


15. Study everyday. Avoid procrastination and stress.


16. PRAY for people when I say I will


17. Develop my own fashion style that represents who I am--PRAY about it, and spend frugally.


18. Love myself enough to care for myself enough.


19. REALLY PRAY for the man I will marry someday--surrender my desires, hurts, stubbornness, bitterness, anger, and sadness to my Jesus.


20. PRAY CONSTANTLY for my unsaved friends.


21. Understand the Health Care Reform Bill (ambitious, I know).


22. Speak less, listen more.


23. Jesus > Brittany
    

Didn't realize it until right now, but I see a theme here, don't you? PRAYER needs to be a much bigger part of my life--PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING!! Did you know PRAYER changes God's mind? How crazy is that!? Our PRAYERS to God reach his ears and MOVE HIM!! PRAYER is powerful, and I need to believe it, which means I need to practice it, and become DISCIPLINED about it. Obviously, God doesn't always say yes--but he always hears us and is always with us! His great purpose for us is to bring our hearts back into an intimate relationship with himself--that is his whole goal! Therefore, we can be confident of the work he is doing in our lives FOR OUR GOOD. Even through the really hard times...he chooses to walk this road with us. Thanks for that, Jesus :)

Ok, SO, my song of the day...Miss Kelly has a wonderful list today and it put it in my head: "Heartbreak Warfare" by John Mayer. Love you all!