2011

Well, it is that time of year again.

Time for a New Year- and New Year's Resolutions.

I am a little wary of New Year's Resolutions, because frankly I am pretty much a failure at them. At least the ones that take more that 3 weeks to accomplish.

But I started thinking about last year. Last year I put my goal up on this blog and this was it:

It is this: I want to abide in Christ.
That sounds like a funny goal, even to me, and I am the one who wants to do it. I think it is that I want to go past knowing what I need to do and go to the place of doing it. And I want to go beyond doing and go to the place of being. I want to be so connected to Christ that I will decrease and He will increase. And I want to do it by His power, not by my efforts in the flesh.

Funny, but now, looking back on last year, and all that it entailed, and all the heartaches, and all the disappointments, and all the.....well, you get the picture...but looking back on all that and reading what I wrote when I thought everything was going so well, I think God was providing me with the mindset I needed and the heartset I required in order to walk through the fires He was lovingly allowing.

And all of the, um, well, let's just call it "stuff" (at home I call it "carp" because a bunch of old dead fish smell very bad, and bring flies, and generally are something you don't want around. But I didn't want to put that because you might accidentally switch the letters around in your head and it would say something I didn't mean!). But back to the stuff. All that stuff has made me so clearly aware of what I want.

I want Jesus.

I want all of Jesus.

I want to serve Him. To love Him. To reflect Him. To proclaim Him. To value Him.

Because, in the end, He is all that matters.

Because, in the end, everything else will pass away.

And the "stuff" has also made me aware of what I don't want.

I don't want lies. And I don't want false. I don't want the fake and the phony. I don't want to settle. I don't want the world.

So after having been through 2010, I approach 2011 with a little bit of trepidation. And yet with hope.

And I approach my "resolution" with trepidation as well. But having said that:

I want this to be the Year of Now.

Now is the year to give. Now is the year to invest. Now is the year to write. Now is the year to teach.

Now is the year of Whatever Lord. Whatever. For You Lord, whatever.

And here is my desire from one year ago. And it is still my desire.

So here is my non-specific, un-measurable, without a plan New Year's goal- or maybe it is better named plea- for 2010: (and now I add 2011)

Help me abide in You, my dwelling

Help me keep my feet on You, my rock

Help me be attached to You, my vine

Help me survive on You, my bread

Help me go through You, my door

Help me rest in You, my fortress

Help me obey You, my King

Help me follow hard after You, my shepherd

Help me born anew in You, my resurrection

Help me see by You, my light

Help me not get lost from You, my way

Help me learn from You, my truth

Help me breathe with joy in You, my life