Each time the New Year rolls around people start talking about making New Year's Resolutions. Indeed the start of a New Year is a great time to think about what one can do new or differently in the coming year to improve one's life.
Many of the folks I talk with, however, no longer make New Year's Resolutions. I suspect it's because they've made resolutions in the past and found that after about two weeks the resolutions end up being forgotten or broken.
I confess that I will usually think about making resolutions for the New Year, and I may even come up with some great stuff, but I typically resist committing to a resolution because I don't want to feel guilty about not being faithful to the change. And I never share my "proposed resolutions" with anyone for fear I might actually have to hold myself accountable to a change.
I've found, however, that the flip side of my resisting resolutions is that instead of feeling guilty, I worry that I won't commit to anything. I fear that I'll have wasted another year making no real improvement with my life.
It seems to me that the reality of life is that if we aren't intentional about what we do, we'll usually end up taking the path of least resistance; we'll settle for the mediocre; we'll live less fully than what we are capable of living.
So if you've made a New Year's Resolution I hope that you will find the tenacity to stick with it. If your like me and you haven't (or you've made closet resolutions) think about ways to live with intentionality. Start small - one simple act - and then maybe work your way up to a full blown resolution.
PJ
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
And A Child Shall Lead Them
I am just so jazzed about what a nine year old girl from my church is doing!
After learning about the devesation in Washington State from the recent flooding, Alyssa decided to do something about it. She got together with her friends from school and created a group she is calling "Angel Helpers."
She and her friends are going around their neighborhood collecting food, clothing, toys and money to help with the flood relief. She called to ask me if she could list Federal Way United Methodist Church as a drop off place for donations and I said "Of Course!"
The money collected is being run through the church and going to the United Methodist Committee on Relief. The cool thing about this is that 100% of the money collected for flood relief goes to help the vicitims.
Here's the video she made talking about Angel Helpers.
After learning about the devesation in Washington State from the recent flooding, Alyssa decided to do something about it. She got together with her friends from school and created a group she is calling "Angel Helpers."
She and her friends are going around their neighborhood collecting food, clothing, toys and money to help with the flood relief. She called to ask me if she could list Federal Way United Methodist Church as a drop off place for donations and I said "Of Course!"
The money collected is being run through the church and going to the United Methodist Committee on Relief. The cool thing about this is that 100% of the money collected for flood relief goes to help the vicitims.
Here's the video she made talking about Angel Helpers.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Happy New Year!
No, I'm not crazy. (well maybe a little crazy)
In the Christian Church the new year starts with the first Sunday of Advent which is four Sundays before Christmas. Since last Sunday was the first Sunday of Advent - Happy New Year!
While the rest of the world rushes headlong into preparing for the arrival of Santa Claus, Advent is a time for Christians to anticipate and prepare for the Coming of Christ. We understand that Christ came 2000 years ago, yet each year we anticipate his coming anew into our lives. We also await the time when he comes again and God's reign is fully established on earth.
In the busyness of the holidays I hope that you discover a new arrival of the Holy.
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.
Happy New Year!
In the Christian Church the new year starts with the first Sunday of Advent which is four Sundays before Christmas. Since last Sunday was the first Sunday of Advent - Happy New Year!
While the rest of the world rushes headlong into preparing for the arrival of Santa Claus, Advent is a time for Christians to anticipate and prepare for the Coming of Christ. We understand that Christ came 2000 years ago, yet each year we anticipate his coming anew into our lives. We also await the time when he comes again and God's reign is fully established on earth.
In the busyness of the holidays I hope that you discover a new arrival of the Holy.
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.
Happy New Year!
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Out of Step
I'm just a little grumpy today.
I've discovered that I'm out of step with a little over half of the voters in our state on one important issue - supporting our schools.
The ballot measure to change our state's constitution from a supermajority to a simplemajority for school levies looks like it's going to fail, but only by a slim margin. To me this measure seemed like a no-brainer.
It has never made sense to me that we could construct a sports stadium only needing a simple majority of the vote, yet supporting our public schools gets held to a tougher standard.
I wonder what that says about our culture when entertainment is more important that education?
I've discovered that I'm out of step with a little over half of the voters in our state on one important issue - supporting our schools.
The ballot measure to change our state's constitution from a supermajority to a simplemajority for school levies looks like it's going to fail, but only by a slim margin. To me this measure seemed like a no-brainer.
It has never made sense to me that we could construct a sports stadium only needing a simple majority of the vote, yet supporting our public schools gets held to a tougher standard.
I wonder what that says about our culture when entertainment is more important that education?
Monday, November 5, 2007
Ear Worms
Have you ever had a song stuck in your head for days? I'm told that's called an ear worm.
Well I've had this song stuck in my head for a few weeks now. It's by Brenton Brown and Ken Riley called "Everlasting God." The part that keeps playing over and over in my head is the phrase "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord." It also may be stuck in my head because I keep hearing it played on the Christian radio station.
The song has also been a reassuring message for me.
For the past few weeks the church I serve has been in a discerning process, trying to determine the direction God is calling us toward. It's an exciting time and an anxious time for me. This song reminds me that I need to focus first on the Lord and in doing so, I'll find the Lord's strenght carrying me (and us) through whatever comes.
If you haven't heard the song, I encourage you to check it out, but be careful - you just might end up with an ear worm too!
Well I've had this song stuck in my head for a few weeks now. It's by Brenton Brown and Ken Riley called "Everlasting God." The part that keeps playing over and over in my head is the phrase "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord." It also may be stuck in my head because I keep hearing it played on the Christian radio station.
The song has also been a reassuring message for me.
For the past few weeks the church I serve has been in a discerning process, trying to determine the direction God is calling us toward. It's an exciting time and an anxious time for me. This song reminds me that I need to focus first on the Lord and in doing so, I'll find the Lord's strenght carrying me (and us) through whatever comes.
If you haven't heard the song, I encourage you to check it out, but be careful - you just might end up with an ear worm too!
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