On Resolutions

I decided that I really needed to start the new year with new pens, so Levi and I went to Target on Sunday to buy a pack of my favorites. As we were perusing the aisles, it occurred to me that I used to write things by hand every single day when I was in high school and college, and now, many days go by when I haven't even looked at a pen or pencil. This struck me as really strange and inspired one of my resolutions for 2012:

Work with my hands more.

I love using my hands (you know, beyond my pointer fingers and thumbs). It's really gratifying. It makes me feel connected to my humanity. Sometimes it even makes me slow down a bit. These are all good things.

I love new year's resolutions. I know some people don't because resolutions are often hard to keep, and they can make you feel like you've failed, but I don't look at them that way. Resolutions seem very hopeful to me, and I like hope. Hope is good.

Levi and I lead a Bible study every Wednesday night. Last week, we discussed new year's resolutions and came up with some spiritual goals as a group. We looked at this passage:

Summing up: be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving,

be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you,

no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm.

Instead, bless - that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing

and also get a blessing. Whoever wants to embrace life and

see the day fill up with good, here's what you do: say nothing

evil or hurtful; snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace

for all you're worth. God looks on all this with approval,

listening and responding well to what he's asked; but

he turns his back on those who do evil things.

1 Peter 3:8-12

(The Message translation)

How's that for a list of resolutions??!

This is what I want for my year, my life. This is a picture of the woman I'd like to become. I know I won't be able to keep all my resolutions this year, but that won't stop me from making them and from trying. Even though I'll never be able to get it all right, I can get some of it right more often. I can become a little bit more loving, agreeable, humble, compassionate. I can recognize and take more opportunities to be a blessing to others. I can inch towards the woman I'd like to be.

To me, that's the whole point of resolutions: to get closer to your goals, to try, to constantly desire growth and improvement, to constantly move towards the good, to press on, to dream, to change. I never want to get to a point of stagnation. I'd rather always walk the line between contentment and striving for better.