New Year

On January 1st each year, some people make resolutions and then by the end of the month they have forgotten them. The New Year is the great Do Over! It is a “Get out of Jail Free Card” We get to remake ourselves and promise to loose weight, be better people or whatever we want to do. Most of us set our goals way to high and before long, done!

2009 is all but a memory now and for some they will be glad it is over. It is also the end of a decade, and again for some they will be glad to see it gone. It started with such great hope and then life changed for most of us, a change that will be with us forever.

Another good thing about New Years is it give us a chance to look back and take stock of what is behind us. We need to know where we have come from so we know where we are going. We study history so we do not make the same mistakes. This is true even in our own lives. Take some time and review your own history and make plans for the future.

If you make resolutions, and I have not been a great one for making resolutions, but if you do make them realistic, small steps that can be measured and marked. It is the small victories that make us want to move forward. Set goals that can be checked off a list. I like checking things off a list it makes me feel like I am accomplishing stuff. Work on one item at a time and check them off the list.

The other way we can accomplish our goals is to find someone who will keep us accountable. I am a person who works best with a deadline, even if I wait till the last minute, deadlines keep me focused and if I have to report to someone well then I better get busy. In the Orthodox tradition we rely on the Spiritual Father/Director relationship for this accountability. Maybe this year it is time to start spiritual direction. This is not something to be feared and it is not just for the uber-religious out there, it is for everyone. A monthly check up will keep you on track and heal you to reach your goals and keep you accountable.

Fellow Blogger Fr. James Coles, has listed a few resolutions and I am going to borrow a couple of his and add some of mine. Each month I will look back and see how well I am doing with them and report here, and you, dear readers, will help keep me accountable.

So here goes:

1. 1 hour of prayer, reading, writing each day

2. Read through the Bible in one year. Here is a guide and I am already a day behind.

3. 1 day a month that is technology free. No email, blog, twitter, facebook, cell phone, etc. A desert day if you will.

4. Walk outside, for an hour at least 3 times per week for an hour! (This one I will need help with)

5. Be more attentive

So let’s see how we do. What are you resolving to do this year?