Resolved

Prior to last year I was never big on the whole New Year's resolution thing. BUT in 2011 I set one. Granted it was something that I shouldn't have had to resolved to do in the first place, but after the way 2010 went it was something I needed to work on. Now for you that know what this was you probably think this is pretty funny, but if you don't know, well let's just say I managed to make it the full year without breaking the resolution (although there was one time that I almost slipped, but it worked out that I didn't).

So with this successful attitude I am setting a few more this year. I will share them with you.

I have several friends that have done or are doing this 1000 mile running challenge. I hate running, I really want to love it, but I really don't, but I do love to walk long distances, therefore I am setting the same challenge. I am already 6 in. I figure if I do three miles a day, which is my norm then I will not only successfully complete this challenge, but actually have 32 days throughout the year free.

Next big thing: fix my house. There are a lot of things that need to be done around here and it needs to be where people can come over. I have kind of let it go so that people couldn't come over and I think that was because in 2011 I really liked being a hermit. Now that it is 2012 I need to get out of the hermit mentality and become a people person again. Of course I need to keep plenty of "me" time, but I want to be in a place that if someone stops by unexpectedly I would let them in and have food and drinks to share with them! Or feel comfortable inviting someone to come visit for a weekend.

The biggest thing, however, is that I want to strengthen my relationship with God. I have an amazing faith, if I didn't there would be no way I would be where I am now, but I want a deeper, more personal relationship. I have started several different things that are completely "doable" for me and that on day two of the new year are already speaking volumes to me. It should be a pretty exciting journey and I'm really ready for the challenge.

In relation to that I am taking on a more active prayer life. I am resolving to pray for certain people in my life every day, no matter how frustrated or angry I may be with them on a given day. There is at least one person that this is completely for. It will be interesting to see what happens after a year of deliberate prayer for them. It might be interesting! I will probably pick up others along the way, but there is one in particular right now that I think needs it.

I am also going to focus on worrying less and living more. Yesterday at church the sermon involved two videos. Both were great, but there was a line in the second that spoke volumes to me:

May God grant me the ability to seize the day; to seize every second and unravel His purpose, His potential for me.

This is my prayer for 2012. I tend to rush life and not enjoy the moments I'm living in. Ironically the study I started for quiet time focused on contentment for the first chapter (pretty sure I picked the exact right book for me). I need to live in the moment more and realize that the future is yet to be, but when it is it will be amazing. I think reflecting back on my past has shown me that as well. I've been thinking about high school a lot for various reasons and as much as I loved it I was always ready to be done. In retrospect I wish I had taken more pictures and done more things and kept in contact with people better. Since I can see that now I pray that I can take that and do it now so that in another fifteen years I'm not thinking that about this season of my life. Life is too short as it is to go wasting it waiting on the next big thing.
I don't see that any of these "resolutions" or goals or whatever you want to call them are not attainable. Some will take more work and focus than others, but if I can manage to follow them I cannot even begin to imagine how amazing life will be.