I have taken quite a lengthy hiatus from blogging, but Miss Jessica Mahoney recently inspired me to write a new one after reading through her blog, and shortly after I decided to write a new blog, I read Bri Blakney’s blog on her New Years Resolutions, which inspired me to share mine! So thank you ladies for inspiring me to share! :)
So here it goes…. My New Years Resolutions for 2012! (I actually prefer the word “goals” but for sake of staying with the trend, I’ll stick with resolutions)
1. Become more interested in sports.
The first resolution I decided on this year was to become more interested in sports. I have always had a lot of school spirit when it comes to sports, but it was more about my love for my school, and less of the fact that I loved the games. I did love the games, but for different reasons than the normal sports fan. I love the community that sports bring to people. I love the hype, I love the food, I love the spirit, and I love the way it can bring people together. But something that I seriously lacked was a love for the game itself. I had no idea bout rules, stats, scores, players, etc. when it comes to any sport. So, my plan for the new year is to actually watch games, keep up with the scores, understand rules, learn players names, learn about the significance of the games, etc. I don’t have any particular sport in mind because I want to become more knowledgeable about them all, and I guess I will learn as the seasons come. Now, it is football season, and I have already sat in front of the TV and watched two football games in full, which is more than I can say I’ve done in my entire life. And both experiences were successful! I plan to watch many more games and learn a lot along the way!
2. Document at least one thing that I am thankful for in my journal each day.
I made this resolution a little before the year started, and I went ahead and started early because I figured it wouldn’t hurt anything. I am currently on Day 18 of documenting what I am thankful for each day. This was a good resolution for me because it forces me to pull something good out what is going on in my life, no matter how bad, unproductive, or awful may think life is going. It is also good because it keeps me in the habit of journaling consistently. It is a non-intimidating goal to make journaling-wise, because even if I am tired, not in the writing mood, etc., all I have to do it scribble down one thing I am thankful for, a brief description of why, and be done! Depending on how I am feeling that day, I will either stop at the brief description, or I will expand on why I am so thankful, which leads into me journaling about all other aspects of life, which is something I love about journaling.
3. Have constant openness about God to others
After SALT this year, I found myself asking people what they learned in the classes that they chose to go to. After listening to several people share with me what they learned in their classes, and also myself sharing what I learned in the classes I went to, I found myself so excited about the things that all of us were learning! I was so excited to listen, share, and apply all of these things to my life. After SALT, I decided that I was going to start asking people more about what God was showing them lately in daily life, and also make it a point to share with others what God is doing in my life. God is always moving, and He should always be opening our eyes to new things, whether it is because of a TNL, lifegroup, church message, a blog, a book, a song, a friend, His Word, the Holy Spirit, nature, a movie, or quite anything! I want to be able to bring up God ALL THE TIME, and be able to ask my friends what God is doing in them. I have been learning so much lately and I want to always be learning from others. I also want to get into the habit of talking about God with non-believers or just people in passing, even if I’m not sure if they are a Christian or not. But since I am a Christian, talking about God and sharing what He is doing in my life should be so normal, it should be like bringing up the weather, because He is such a deep part of me that I can’t NOT talk about Him.
4. Become closer friends with people I am not already close with.
At SALT this year, I learned about myself that I am very uncomfortable with people being comfortable in their small circle of friends. I found myself getting hurt, and even depressed, that people were not willing to break out of the groups and hang out with each other. I decided that I did not want to be a part of this. My goal this year is to broaden my circle of which I spend time with. I don’t want to become comfortable with the friends that I already have, and the people that I am used to being around. God made all of us, and we are all his children. I have so many brothers and sisters in Christ that I don’t even talk to, and that breaks my heart. I don’t want that. I want to share life with all of my brothers and sisters, and learn about them. I want to share life, listen to them, learn about them, share with them, talk about God, talk about growing, talk about learning, and all of that. I truly want to live life with the people that God has created. And I don’t want to limit that to the people that I have already grown to know and love, because I know there are so many MORE opportunities to grow to know and love people, and that is a beautiful thing.
I am so excited for the new year, and for the things that God is going to show me and the people around me!
