Goals

It's a new year. Time for setting goals. Notice I did not say resolutions. There's a big difference between the two, in my mind. Resolutions infer immediate change. Goals imply growth over a period of time. Resolutions are hard to keep because I have to change now! I can get behind the idea of a goal for the year. Over the next 12 months I want to get closer to a target. I can do that. Slow and steady progress.

So my question is, what are your goals for the year? Secondly, what is your plan for achieving them? If you don't have a plan, you're more likely to fail.

Some of you might be thinking, "I've done this every year and I'm out by mid-January. Why even bother?" So my question to you is, what is keeping you from seeing it through? Are you feeling pressure from an outside source to do something you really don't want to do? Do you feel like you need to do something so you can measure up? Is there an emotional hang-up that's keeping you from following through? When it comes to eating healthy, are you an emotional eater? Do you deal with lack of motivation or depression because you have some unforgiveness or guilt in your life? Maybe this is the year to deal with those issues. Take some time to do some soul searching. Get with God and ask Him to reveal things to you that need to be dealt with. If necessary, get help to overcome the issues.

Living a healthy lifestyle requires good mental, emotional and physical habits. Developing those habits takes time. After all, it's taken you this long to get where you are. It's going to take some time to turn the boat around. It's not about making resolutions, it's about setting goals.

What are my goals? Get healthy, hence the new shoes. I've spent the last two years concentrating on getting emotionally and spiritually healthy. Now it's time to get serious about adding physical health. I had my first session with a personal trainer yesterday. I've done this before and given up. But this time feels different. I know I have to change my life. I'm ready. I know it will be hard. There will be times when I don't want to do it. That's why I need Mark, my trainer. I have specific benchmarks I'm working toward and someone who can guide me or kick me in the butt when I'm slacking. That's what I need.

What do you need?

365 Blog

 

I'm trying to come up with a cool 365 blog post for 2012. What interesting thing can I blog about every day for the whole year? I've seen some ideas like, meeting a new person every day and write about it (quite ambitious). One suggestion is take an interesting photograph every day and comment on it (maybe). I could go the Julie & Julia route and make a new recipe every day (not gonna happen ;D) and possibly have a book deal and major motion picture at the end of it (yeah, right!).

The thing is, I could easily sit here at my Mac and talk about me every day, a kind of journal for the world to see. After all, that's what a blog is, a chance for people to say what they want to say. But who really wants to read about me? I'm not being self-deprecating, but human nature dictates that people want to read about themselves. Why do the games like Heads Up/Seven Up and the Quiet Game still work? Because kids get to be picked! They are noticed. Good writers know that they have to create characters that people can relate to. They have to be able to put themselves into the story.

So how can I get YOU into this story? How can I make this blog into something that can connect people in a positive way? How can I make this a place to sidle up to in a comfy chair and with a cup of coffee? Or a place where ideas can be shared and tossed around?

First of all, if you read my blog through a link on Facebook or Twitter, it's time to commit. Click the "Follow" button on this blog so that you can comment. If you are new, welcome! I'll still post a link on Twitter and Facebook.

Secondly, I'll start slowly by posting something each Monday.....a picture, a question or a comment. I have friends who blog, so I might post something they have put up. 

Finally, I want this to be positive. This is not a place to gripe or complain about the government or your mother-in-law. There's enough of that online. I want to be a force for change.

This experiment may be a major flop, or it may help someone along the way. Like someone famous said once, "Let's throw it against the wall and see if it sticks."

So tomorrow, I'll post again and tell you the reason for the picture of my shoes........

New Year's Resolution

Dictionary.com defines a resolution as "the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc." It's an act of the will.

Maybe that's why I have trouble keeping mine. I am weak when it comes to will power. I've often tried to do the right things through my own will.....and I fall short. 

That's why this year, I'm asking God to help me live a better life. I want Him to take control and change whatever is in me that keeps me from making good decisions everyday. I want Him to help me stop with the emotional eating and the tendency I have to hibernate when things aren't going right. I am going to stop trying to figure everything out and just live every day listening to His voice. I'm asking Him to help me make consistently healthy decisions and love the life He's given me.

That's my resolution for 2012: Stop making resolutions. 

Philippians 2:13 "for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." 

Careful!

Anyone else a little more careful this year after two local people died decorating homes for Christmas? One man in Grand Prairie was electrocuted while stringing Christmas lights. My thoughts go back to the past two years when I have climbed the ladder and strung my own lights. (Who else is going to do it, right?) You'll notice there are no lights on my house this year. Not just because of the death, but it justified my lack of motivation to get them out of the shed.

Then a woman in Little Elm fell while climbing up the steps to her attic to get Christmas decorations. Maybe we all need to be a little more careful. Interesting how we don't think about being safe until something happens. Human nature, I guess. Like the fact that ever since I was part of an emergency landing on a airplane, I make sure I know where the nearest exit is when I get on one. For the first few trips after that, before we took off I had to let down my tray table to make sure there were no bomb threats left there. Neurotic or cautious? I'll let the people decide.

We can't live our lives in fear. We can't stop getting on the highway because so many accidents happen each week. We can't stop traveling in airplanes because of the lunatics out there. And we can't stop putting up decorations because we're afraid of falling. Things happen. People get hurt.

Just be a little more careful out there.

Anyway

In 2006, Martina McBride recorded the inspirational song, "Anyway." I recently learned that it was inspired by a favorite poem of Mother Teresa. It was written by Kent Keith and originally titled, "The Paradoxical Commandments." May the text of this inspire everyone who reads it to live the life you were made to live, no matter what the world says about it.

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Week's End

I don't know about y'all, but this week has been tough, physically and emotionally. The change in the weather along with the smoke blowing into our area from the grass fires in South Texas have gotten the better of me. I've been sneezing, coughing and wheezing since Wednesday. I love Texas, but not the allergens.

It's so sad to watch the reports of the fire's destruction on the news. And I know it could hit my community too. 

This has also been the week leading up to the tenth anniversary of the attacks of 9/11. I don't think there is an American who remembers those days who hasn't teared up just thinking about them. Friday, I talked about those events with my fifth grade class. Most of them were one year old at the time. Just telling them about my experience, where I was on that morning, was difficult. I had to stop a couple of times when I was close to choking up. I wonder if I'll ever be able to think about it and not cry.

One thing I remember was that Rush Creek held a prayer service that night, the night of the attacks. I didn't want to go. To this day, I can't tell you why. Something happened to me that day that I can't explain.

I've watched some of the coverage on TV. I've avoided most of it. I want to remember, but not relive.

I was in New York City six weeks after 9/11. I went to ground zero. I smelt the fumes from fires still smoldering. I witnessed a memorial service for a first-responder processing from St. Patrick's Cathedral. I spoke with people who were there. I experienced a bomb threat aboard our flight home and felt the indignation of how someone could put so many more lives in jeopardy.

I look forward to tomorrow, September 12th. Hopefully I'll feel better. I can put this behind me and, along with the rest of us, I'll continue to live my life. We all know we will never be the same again, but maybe that's a good thing. We understand the preciousness of life here and now. We know a little bit better who we are as Americans. I pray we never take it for granted.

And that's why we remember.

Your mission, if you choose to accept it......

I'm struck with the number of people I know who seem to be stuck. Stuck in what my pastor calls "stinkin' thinkin'". We're under spiritual attack but we don't know it. We believe the lies and the opinions the world throws at us every day. We even invite them in. We watch TV, read magazines, the internet and listen to the things the world thinks are important and spend very little time by comparison with what the Maker of our souls thinks. We feel hopeless and we don't know why.

I just wonder what would happen if we took a concerted effort to truly "renew" our minds. Just like dropping a few pounds, we have to make an effort if we are going to overcome the habits that keep us bound. What if we were made aware, for the first time, of areas in our lives that God wants to transform?

So, I'm issuing a challenge.....

For three weeks, 21 days, I am committing to turning off the TV and the computer and opening God's word. Will you join me? Search the scriptures for verses that mean something to you and spend the time you would have spent watching your shows by memorizing scripture. Also, spend time praying that God will help you memorize and that He will open up new meaning of what you are memorizing. The only exception to the TV rule is if you watch Biblical TV. Find a preacher that you like and record it. Go to their internet site and watch their video podcasts. Watch him or her instead of Entertainment Tonight.

Why 21 days? I heard long ago that if you can do something for 21 days, you've just built a new habit. And what better habit than spending time with God? Name one other thing that has the potential to start a life-changing process in you.

I know we're getting into the time of the season premiers, but Satan will always find excuses to whisper in your ear. I'm starting Sunday, August 28th. If you're with me, let me know. Post something here. You may have to "Follow" my blog to be able to post. Or post on Facebook, just don't hang out there. I want to know what happens with this.

I dare you.....