New Years Stuff

Sorry Calvin, you're wrong!


So I almost always make new year resolutions, but I also almost always forget them before the month is even over. This is a cycle that repeats itself, so while I'm making the new year resolutions, I'm very aware that soon it will be a distant memory, which makes me take them less seriously. But I want this year to be different. For a while now I've known that there is something very un-joyful about myself. Yes, I smile a lot and generally laugh a good deal, but that does not necessarily equal joy. Real joy is found when you put all of your hope, all of your identity, in God, and He gives you his heart in return--to see through His lenses and shed, no, die, to yourself. It's really hard, but I'm hoping that God will give me the strength to fight for joy. I'm thankful that I read Grace's blog about this, and that a minute later, coincidentally, I saw a short video clip off Jenna's blog about the importance of prayer. Since I know if I make a long list, I won't be able to focus on any of them, I'm going to keep my 2011 new year resolution list short and to the core of things.

1) Have a prayerful life
2) Rediscover Joy
3) Stop slouching.

Notice that for the first resolution I didn't say pray more. I don't want prayer to be separate from life. I want my life to be a prayer such that in everything I do, it wouldn't be just to do for the heck of it, but with God behind it in my thoughts and in my heart. Rediscovering joy involves prayer and doing devotionals, but ultimately asking God to fill me up with His Joy. I think the rest: loving people, serving, wanting to fellowship, etc. can flow from this Joy. and the third one...well. it's just not very attractive, plus I don't want a bad back. Posture is important!

So that's it. Those are my two new year resolutions. Now on to things that I am thankful for, which is a much longer list (Not because I am a very thankful person, because I complain way more than I should, but because I'm forcing myself to recognize the things in my life I should be thankful for).

I am thankful for:

MY FAMILY. I got to spend time with my grandparents, aunts, cousins, sister, and mom in Los Angeles for a week, and it was a blessed time. I am so grateful to have a family who loves and supports me and feeds me good food. Itadakimasu!

FRIENDS. I know I am not a very good friend sometimes, and it amazes me that people still want to be friends with me! I thank God for my current friendships and my past friendships, because through those I learned how to be a better friend, even if I'm sad that those friendships died.

FELLOWSHIP. I don't spend enough time in fellowship with people at school, or people at home. To be honest a part of me doesn't want to sometimes because it can be uncomfortable if I don't know the people that well, and I'm afraid of not belonging. But this is very selfish of me because it's not about me. It's about God. And he does not withhold fellowship so I should believe Him and make myself more available.

MY FUTURE HUSBAND. I've been thinking about this a bit over the last month, and I can't wait to meet my future husband, whoever and wherever he might be. He already has my love even though I don't know him yet! Sorry of that is overly sappy. But I just hope that I'll be patient and not be careless with my heart in assuming/jumping to conclusions as to who my future husband is.

GARLIC & ONIONS & SALT. Oh my what would we do without these three foods? Garlic is delicious and infuses food so yummily. Onions taste so good and smell wonderful too. And salt. SALT! I had completely saltless soup at one point last week and it wasn't so great. So yes, salt definitely makes my thankful list this year.

VEGETABLE PEELERS. I was peeling carrots today and really enjoyed the exact, neat way in which the peeler peeled those carrots. In straight lines, getting the job done so efficiently. I bet that carrot was grateful too. No unnecessary nicking of orange flesh to cause it pain. I remember when I was little and I didn't know how to use a knife to peel apples and pears. The peeler was so easy that even my six year old self could use it!

and of course, I am thankful for Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior, who embraces me each and every day and tells me I am forgiven. I am forgiven.