Twenty Eleven

Happy New Year, friends!  I hope this post finds you well and full of turnips and black-eyed peas.  As my grandmother would say, you always eat turnips and black-eyed peas on New Year’s day.  Always.

And something like don’t do laundry on New Year’s day, either.  Yeah.  I like that one. 

Y’all ever heard of Jonathan Edwards?  He’s one of my favorite people.  And back in the 1700s, he wrote a list of resolutions that make me say “me too!” to each one I digest.  They are something good for my soul.  Here’s two of my favorites:

Resolved, Never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.

Resolved, To act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings, as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.

Supposedly, he read all 70 of his resolutions weekly as a reminder to himself.  Surely he did a much better job at sticking to his than I anticipate for myself, but publicly proclaiming ‘em is a start, right? 

So, without further ado, here’s a few of my own 2011 hopefuls, in no particular order:

1. Resolved, to be more diligent in my prayer life.

2. Resolved, to do one load of laundry a day, even if it’s a small one.

3. Resolved, to read more.

4. Resolved, to read more to Sam.

5. Resolved, to have unfamiliar guests over for supper at least once a month.

6. Resolved, to eat and cook more vegetables.

7. Resolved, to run a 5K by the end of the year.

8. Resolved, to listen more and speak less.

9. Resolved, to memorize Romans 8.

10. Resolved, to do a better job of thinking on what is pure, lovely, honorable, etc. (You know the verse.)

11. Resolved, to possibly…maybe…plant a garden in April {does it count as a resolution if you still haven’t made up your mind yet?}.

12. Resolved, to be more than just acquaintances with our neighbors.

13. Resolved, to work harder at my job.

14. Resolved, to make “just because” phone calls.

15. Resolved, to open my hand to the poor and reach out my hands to the needy. (Again, you know the verse.)

16. Resolved, to be more political savvy.  I’d like to start reading the Drudge Report and stuff. 

17. Resolved, to venture further into my  sewing obsession.

18. Resolved, to coupon more.

19. Resolved, to learn more about how to take good pictures. 

20. Resolved, to keep these resolutions to the best of my little ability.  =)

ALSO, one last blabbing: here’s a wonderful article about New Year’s resolutions that I can’t help but mention.  You should read it.  It makes a lot of good sense. 

Here’s to a new year full of new grace!

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are

new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”  Lamentations 3:22-23