December 27, 2009
Resolve Much?
Every year between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, I think a lot about resolutions. For some reason, I never make one. Do you? I just polled my husband’s family and his mother and sister do (flossing their teeth, taking their vitamins, exercising more, etc.) but my husband does not.
And yet for the past few Lenten seasons, instead of giving something up, I have resolved to change a bad pattern of behavior, like losing my temper or thinking negative thoughts. I’m obviously not opposed to setting a goal for myself and working hard to achieve it. Perhaps though I am only motivated by religious discipline. Or maybe it’s just the shorter goal that feels more achievable.
No doubt making a pledge at the new year and during Lent would be something God would approve of so perhaps I just need to think about New Year’s Eve resolutions as a Lenten-like opportunity. I do think I have gotten better about losing my temper and allowing myself to indulge in negative thought cycles, but there’s more room to grow.
So this year, I’m trying an experiment. I’m going to make a New Year’s Lenten Resolution: conquer my burgeoning fear of flying. I used to be the most carefree flier in the world. Bumps, laughable! Turbulence, hilarious! But the older I get, the more I dread even the slightest jiggle in the skies, particularly on small planes in foreign countries.
And it’s silly, right? If it’s my time to go, it’s my time. I have no control over that and I’m not going to stay at home waiting for it to happen. I love travel too much to give it up. I’m going to find a nice Bible verse that talks about having strength in the face of fear and repeat that, mantra-like, until my mind calms down. Any suggestions?
Are you making a resolution?
i’m making the same resolution that i made (and kept!) last year:
I resolve to not make any New Year’s Resolutions.
I have resolutions like drink more water, and run more, but my biggest resolution is to be more intentional with my time. I feel like I waste too much time on meaningless things, so my goal is to do more, cook more, create more, be more, and live more.
LB I’m going to drink more water too.
Also I’m going to get move involved in the writing world. Winepress is coming out with my mystery in December 2010 and in the mean time, I want to be engaging in all that the “experts” have to offer. So I’m going to Michigan in a few months for the Faith and Writing Festival at Calvin College, and I’m looking for more opportunities to get involved with other writers….
And what about the lilies of the field verse in the New Testament, May?
Joshua 1 has good words to repeat like a mantra. “Be strong and courageous for the Lord is with you wherever you go.” And I like Psalm 91 “He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” (Or your plane into a mountain, I’m SURE.) I make a general New Year’s resolution every year to make it the best.one.ever. I’m very annoying in that way. I always want to make it the year in which I’m the most brave, the most grateful - all that. But on a more sentimental note, my oldest is ten and so tall and growing up so fast, it makes me want to resolve mama kind of things, like sucking the marrow out of my time with him and teaching him everything I can about faith and love, etc
I was going to give you the same psalm Serenity did. Psalm 91. Go for it!
I think the mantra bible verse is a great idea! I was wishing I had one the other day for much the same reason. Ever since I slid out of control in my car down an icy hill a couple years ago, I’ve had really bad anxiety about driving in bad/snowy conditions. To top it off, we’ve had some whopper storms of 20+ inches of snow where I live the last couple winters, and then last week I was stuck in that nasty, nasty blizzard in the midwest while visiting my parents. I was sitting in the back seat of my parents’ Expedition while we drove to my sister’s on snow covered roads with my eyes closed trying to convince myself God was in control. The only thing that worked to get rid of the tension and knot in my stomach was to sing Christmas carols in my head. Funny how many you can come up with when you need to repeat the exercise for over an hour!
That’s an interesting concept…the only time I’ve ever kept a resolution was Lent. And it was an inspiring challenge, as opposed to failed New Year’s Resolutions, which deflate me when I inevitably cast them off.
Also, love that Psalm. Thanks for reminding me of it, Serenity!