New Year, New Goal – Live Selflessly

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Lynn

I was probably as shocked as anyone when I logged onto “Journey Thoughts” to discover that close to 25,000 people had read my blog on one day!  I live in a small town that boasts a population of just under 15,000 people.  That put that number of “hits” that day into perspective and I praised God for the opportunity to write and share from my heart.  It also forced me to pause and consider what God wants of me in the New Year.

I have said that I am not a great keeper of resolutions.  New Year’s resolutions tend to come and go, most of my best intentions are usually broken by mid-January.  Still, a New Year is a perfect time to start fresh, … new beginnings, new goals, new plans.  I am reminded of my life verse: “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”  Proverbs 16:9  I may make my plans, sure enough, but I must always keep in mind that God directs my way.  I am on journey with Him and that requires selflessness on my part to follow Him.

I remember when I was a teenager, I came against all authority.  You might say I butted heads with authority figures on a regular basis because I did not like anyone to have control over me.  Growing up in the seventies, with women’s liberation a battle cry for many of my friends and me, I refused to yield to those who told me I could or could not do something.  Those who stood in my way, I pushed aside.  I was my own boss and it was all about ME.  I was as selfish a young woman as I could be.

Then God got a hold of my life and I realized that life was not all about ME, it was all about HIM.  I learned that selfishness was in direct rebellion against God but to live a life of selflessness was honouring to God.  “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.  Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”  John 12:24-26

It is easy, especially when one has a large social profile as I have to forget that it is not about ME.  Pride can enter into the equation so subtly that I can think I did this on my own and arrogance and selfishness can creep in.  John 12:25 reminds me that I cannot make decisions for personal benefit rather than for God and others.  It will lead to death and separation from God.  Instead I must live life selflessly, giving myself away for God and others.  It means to die to self.

Is this an easy thing to do?

Nope.

But it needs to be done.

So this year I am making a clear, purposeful goal to live selflessly.  It’s not a resolution, it’s a life change.  It’s a decision to say “Yes” to God rather than saying “Yes” to me!  It may mean turning down offers that may be more self-serving rather than God-honouring.  It may mean tough decisions that might cost me personally but will bring Glory to God ultimately.

At the end of this year, I pray that I can sing out even more loudly than I did this past year: To God Be the Glory, Great Things He Hath Done!

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New Year’s Resolutions for All Ages (2)

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Lynn

goals-and-dreamsYesterday I gave a list of Kid’s Resolutions.  Today we continue Resolutions For All Ages:  Age appropriate resolutions that anyone can keep!

The Teen Years:

12 – 13 years old – I resolve that I will learn the value of money.  I said I’d learn the value of money, I didn’t say anything about understanding it, or do anything to avoid over-spending it.  I resolve to sell at least half of my toy stuffie collection.  It will help supplement my allowance.

13 – 14 years old – I resolve to spend less time texting, being online or playing video games.  Instead I will study more, not argue as much with my parents and keep my room neat and tidy.  Hahahahahahahahaha!  I resolve to be less sarcastic.

14 – 15 years old – I resolve to spend more time around friends who tend to build me up rather than tear me down.  I resolve to be that kind of a friend too.

15 – 16 years old – I resolve to stop rolling my eyes whenever my mother makes a comment that offends me.

16 – 17 years old – I resolve to get my driver’s license.  I resolve to not get upset with people when they ask me what I want to do after I’ve finished high school.  I resolve not to get upset with myself for not having a clue what I want to do after I finish high school.  I resolve to finish high school.

17 – 18 years old – I’ve got nothing…well, I suppose I could resolve to figure out what it means to be called an “adult”, even when I feel like I just want to be a kid again.

18 – 19 – I’ve still got nothing but I’m resolving to work towards something.

Adult Resolutions

19 – 25 – I resolve to work hard, play hard, dream big, love big and find someone to share my life with who loves God more than me, but loves ME more than anyone else!

25 – 30 – I resolve to spend more time with those people who mean the most to me and to put their needs first over mine.  I resolve to dream bigger.

30 – 35 – I resolve to spend even more time with those people who mean the most to me and to continue to put their needs first over mine.  I resolve to love bigger!

35 – 40 – I resolve to worry less about money and status and show more generosity and good will to those around me.

40 – 45 – I resolve to spend precious time with my parents and those older adults who have taught me the values of life when I was too young and foolish to understand or care.  Now that I am teaching those same values to my children, I resolve to keep teaching even when they don’t want to listen or understand.

45 – 50 – I resolve to smile in the face of adversity, to lean on God even more than I’ve ever done before.  I resolve to try to do one new thing that I’ve never done before.

50 – 55 – I resolve to laugh, laugh out loud at least once every single day!

Empty Nesters and Beyond!

55 – 60 – I resolve to spend precious time with my children, my grandchildren and those friends who have stood the “test of time” with me.  I resolve to dream even bigger than I ever did before!

60 – 70 – I resolve to pour myself out in service to my Lord, to share my life’s journey with all who will listen, and to love even bigger than I ever did before!

70 – Glory – I resolve to never look back on my life with regret.  I resolve to accept each gray hair and each wrinkle with grace and be thankful for every day that the Lord has allowed me to shine beyond my years!

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New Year’s Resolutions for All Ages

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Lynn

you know it was a good dayThere’s a great Peanuts cartoon that has Lucy and Charlie Brown talking back and forth and Lucy says:

“I counted down the months until Christmas…then the weeks…then the days…then the hours…and then the minutes…

And now it’s ALL OVER!”

Today I’m walking around my living room and I’m still picking up bits of wrapping paper that was scattered on the floor from frenzied gift opening nearly a week ago.  My tree looks a little bedraggled and I’m facing the “deck the halls tear down” in a few days.  Such a big build up and though memories have been made to last a lifetime, I find myself just a little sad that the Christmas season has come and gone for another year.  No sooner has the tinsel been pulled down than the New Year’s champagne is uncorked and yes…the first Valentine’s hearts are seen in the stores.  Wow.

I have tried to make resolutions over the years, but though my intentions are good, I usually fail keeping them after the first week.  Loosing weight is a great goal, but no sooner do I resolve to lose weight than immediately after New Year’s I see all those Valentine’s chocolates hit the store shelves, well…’nuff said.

So I thought about what New Year’s resolutions would actually be practical and that everyone could keep throughout the year, and throughout a lifetime.  I was babysitting my granddaughter, who has just turned three months and I wondered what kind of resolutions she might have if she could verbalize them to me and that led me to writing this list.  Today we’ll focus on the Kid Resolutions.

Resolutions For All Ages:  Age appropriate resolutions that anyone can keep!

Kid Resolutions:

0-3 months – I resolve to make sure that all my immediate needs are met by crying, pooping and eating at all hours of the day and ensuring my new parents get as little sleep as possible.

3 – 6 months – I resolve to bend in such a way so I can successfully suck my big toe without going cross-eyed in the attempt.  I also resolve to sleep through the night at least once a week.

6 – 12 months – I resolve to climb on anything and anyone who looks remotely interesting.  I also resolve to pull the dog’s tail, eat something off the floor, do one perfect face plant while trying out this new concept of using my legs to walk.

1 – 2 years old – I resolve to learn as many new words as possible, especially ones that make people laugh or become horrified when I say them out loud.  I promise to throw something, preferably Dad’s toothbrush, into the toilet several times this year.

2 – 3 years old – I resolve to discover as many new foods as possible that I will then refuse to eat.  Then I resolve to subsist on macaroni and cheese.  I resolve to try to share my toys with the little boy next door, but if he bugs me I resolve to clock him over the head with one of my Tonka trucks.

3-4 years old – I resolve to watch the same Disney movie at least once every single day.

4-5 years old – I resolve to visit Grandma and Grandpa as often as possible and tell my parents I would rather live with them because I have more fun there.

5-6 years old – I resolve to make at least one new friend at school and not clock him over the head with anything if he bugs me.

6-7 years old – I resolve to sit still and not fidget in church at least two Sundays in a row.

7-8 years old – I resolve to make my parents breakfast in bed at least once this year.  I resolve to pay attention when mommy teaches me how to clean the kitchen afterwards.

8-9 years old – I resolve to try to keep my room neat for at least one week…or at least for one day.

9-10 years old – I resolve to do something so epic that it may result in a broken bone…like climb to the top of the apple tree, or jump my skateboard off a step, or balance on the neighbour’s fence.

10 – 11 years old – I resolve to keep my room neat for at least a month…or at least for one week.

11-12 years old – I resolve to babysit my little sister and not complain when she wants to watch the same Disney movie over and over again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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