Wow! Can you believe we made it? It is finally 2017, I remember thinking this year was so far away. I was a fifth grader trying to determine when I would graduate. I also remember thinking that the possibility of the rapture happening before then, was a real contender. However, here I am on the last day of winter break, staring down a year of adventures, challenges, and surprises.
Looking ahead at this new year, I am not wanting to miss it. By that I mean I don't want to waste time worrying or fretting over trivial matters. I don't want to overthink things that are out of my control or give up on things that needed me to attend to them. I want to become a better student. Viewing every class as valuable and beneficial to furthering my education. I would like to be more disciplined in my music practicing and more attentive in rehearsals. I would like to actually stick with a workout plan longer than a month and push myself in dance harder than ever before. I want to make sure I really am doing everything necessary to getting my braces off ASAP. One of the biggest goals I have is spending a longer time studying the word or God and deepening my relationship with him. Making him a part of every single decision and seeking him in all things.
More than these daily tasks that I want to improve I want to improve my attitude and demeanor towards others. Speaking kindly to all, having patience with people who push my buttons. That's my issue, not theirs. Finding grace and humility in situations realizing that they are only humans too. Jesus loves them as much as he loves me and I am to love them with Christ's love.
Treating my family as I treat others has to top the list. I don't know if you are like me or not, but my family sees the worst side of me and often get the short end of the stick. As I have gotten older I spend more time away from home. Working, attending extracurricular activities, or sometimes even visiting with friends. This being said when I get home it is easy to drop my bags in the hall, kick my shoes off in the living room, make a snack (pizza, coffee, ice-cream, whatever I am craving. Maybe even all three LOL) then proceed to shower messing up the bathroom and head off to bed. I have now sufficiently destroyed the entire house. More than just not picking up after myself. I am tired. my patience is thin and I am only focused on me. So if I get asked to do anything I don't want to do, I am ashamed to say the response isn't always the sweetest.
Why do we do this? Why do we treat the ones who would bend over backward to help us out, the ones who will never give up on us, the ones who strive daily to make our lives better? Why would we treat them like dirt after spending a day being over the top nice to everyone we met? Because somewhere in the worldly side of our brains we rationalize that it doesn't matter how we treat them or we see them differently or they frustrated us more or they started it even! All of these are lies and excuses to the main problem.
The main problem being we are selfish individuals who want to make sure we are taken care of. Even when we think we are being kind to others in society, we need to check our hearts and look at where our actions are rooted. Are we helping out others because we see a need and want to lend a hand? Or are we using that as a way to gain praise or a reward later on? If our hearts are really doing it to serve others. Why not serve the ones we love the most? Why not do the dishes before your mom gets home, so she has a clean place to cook dinner FOR YOU! Why not take care of the dog because your sibling has been working hard all day too and might want to relax? Why not take care of something on your dad's to-do list so there is one less thing he has to do when he gets home from work? Do little things that add up to a lot. Root your hearts in love.
I am facing a lot of amazing opportunities and adventures this year. I want to make sure I am living in the moment. Enjoying today and focusing on the now. Loving what I am doing and who I am with. Broadening my comfort zones and being more flexible with life. Bending to the curves, climbing the hills and taking pictures of the views. Treasuring the time I spend with others and be looking for something to smile at.
My goals for this year can be summarized in the following.
1. Never settle for good or great, reach for extraordinary
2. Run as fast as you can towards God
3. Think before you speak
4. Put others before yourself
5. Look at life as an adventure
Most of these things your mom told you to do as a child. They aren't radical new years resolutions or even the normal resolutions. Yet, this is the person I yearn to be. 2016 was a wonderful year I grew and stretched myself in ways I never thought I would. But I spent time being unhappy, mad at myself and I don't want to repeat that. You make mistakes they are apart of life, but it's how you chose to rebound and change for the better. You can't do this solo. This sort of change doesn't come from hoping or trying to improve it on your own. You need a divine intervention. Someone stronger than you that says "Come to me all you who are weary and weak I will give you rest." After he gives us rest, he helps us along the way. He opens doors for us, he drowns us in blessings and showers mercy on us like confetti.
We have got the world to explore, change, and enjoy. So what do you say?
Looking ahead at this new year, I am not wanting to miss it. By that I mean I don't want to waste time worrying or fretting over trivial matters. I don't want to overthink things that are out of my control or give up on things that needed me to attend to them. I want to become a better student. Viewing every class as valuable and beneficial to furthering my education. I would like to be more disciplined in my music practicing and more attentive in rehearsals. I would like to actually stick with a workout plan longer than a month and push myself in dance harder than ever before. I want to make sure I really am doing everything necessary to getting my braces off ASAP. One of the biggest goals I have is spending a longer time studying the word or God and deepening my relationship with him. Making him a part of every single decision and seeking him in all things.
More than these daily tasks that I want to improve I want to improve my attitude and demeanor towards others. Speaking kindly to all, having patience with people who push my buttons. That's my issue, not theirs. Finding grace and humility in situations realizing that they are only humans too. Jesus loves them as much as he loves me and I am to love them with Christ's love.
Treating my family as I treat others has to top the list. I don't know if you are like me or not, but my family sees the worst side of me and often get the short end of the stick. As I have gotten older I spend more time away from home. Working, attending extracurricular activities, or sometimes even visiting with friends. This being said when I get home it is easy to drop my bags in the hall, kick my shoes off in the living room, make a snack (pizza, coffee, ice-cream, whatever I am craving. Maybe even all three LOL) then proceed to shower messing up the bathroom and head off to bed. I have now sufficiently destroyed the entire house. More than just not picking up after myself. I am tired. my patience is thin and I am only focused on me. So if I get asked to do anything I don't want to do, I am ashamed to say the response isn't always the sweetest.
Why do we do this? Why do we treat the ones who would bend over backward to help us out, the ones who will never give up on us, the ones who strive daily to make our lives better? Why would we treat them like dirt after spending a day being over the top nice to everyone we met? Because somewhere in the worldly side of our brains we rationalize that it doesn't matter how we treat them or we see them differently or they frustrated us more or they started it even! All of these are lies and excuses to the main problem.
The main problem being we are selfish individuals who want to make sure we are taken care of. Even when we think we are being kind to others in society, we need to check our hearts and look at where our actions are rooted. Are we helping out others because we see a need and want to lend a hand? Or are we using that as a way to gain praise or a reward later on? If our hearts are really doing it to serve others. Why not serve the ones we love the most? Why not do the dishes before your mom gets home, so she has a clean place to cook dinner FOR YOU! Why not take care of the dog because your sibling has been working hard all day too and might want to relax? Why not take care of something on your dad's to-do list so there is one less thing he has to do when he gets home from work? Do little things that add up to a lot. Root your hearts in love.
I am facing a lot of amazing opportunities and adventures this year. I want to make sure I am living in the moment. Enjoying today and focusing on the now. Loving what I am doing and who I am with. Broadening my comfort zones and being more flexible with life. Bending to the curves, climbing the hills and taking pictures of the views. Treasuring the time I spend with others and be looking for something to smile at.
My goals for this year can be summarized in the following.
1. Never settle for good or great, reach for extraordinary
2. Run as fast as you can towards God
3. Think before you speak
4. Put others before yourself
5. Look at life as an adventure
Most of these things your mom told you to do as a child. They aren't radical new years resolutions or even the normal resolutions. Yet, this is the person I yearn to be. 2016 was a wonderful year I grew and stretched myself in ways I never thought I would. But I spent time being unhappy, mad at myself and I don't want to repeat that. You make mistakes they are apart of life, but it's how you chose to rebound and change for the better. You can't do this solo. This sort of change doesn't come from hoping or trying to improve it on your own. You need a divine intervention. Someone stronger than you that says "Come to me all you who are weary and weak I will give you rest." After he gives us rest, he helps us along the way. He opens doors for us, he drowns us in blessings and showers mercy on us like confetti.
We have got the world to explore, change, and enjoy. So what do you say?
Go change the world!
Comments
Post a Comment