Is it just me or did schools used to encourage the writing of lists and essays dedicated to our New Year's resolutions once we came back from Christmas break? I never hear anyone mention this anymore unless it is in a joking way - like, yeah, I'll really stick to those resolutions! What a missed opportunity to renew your life by reviewing your past and present while making some goals for your future. I don't think God wants us to sit on our rears and watch tv for hours on end, for example, when we could be dong something so much better for ourselves and our families. If you do pick some things for your new year's resolutions, I suggest picking a small amount. Otherwise, you will just burn out and give up.
What are my resolutions? They might seem strange perhaps. The first is to write - handwrite - a letter to someone once a month and send it via snailmail. We, as a society, are losing our writing skills and our correspondence skills...myself included!!! And anyway, who doesn't love seeing an actual letter in the mailbox rather than junk mail or magazines? Secondly, I am going to keep my cell phone in my purse in the back seat of my car while I'm driving. That darn cell phone is just too tempting to want to see what new email just came in and made my phone ding, or new text, or just to want to peruse facebook at a red light. It is a perilous piece of equipment in the car, and I am responsible not only for my own life and the lives of the other drivers, but also the lives of my children as I drive them to and fro each day. Thirdly, I will exercise more outdoors while with my children, whether it is walking with them, pushing them in a stroller, playing frisbee or soccer or basketball, or whatever. That is some serious bonding time! Lastly, I will visit adoration once a month. What a precious gift the Catholic Church has. No other church has this. Jesus is there waiting for me; waiting for all of you in adoration. I will visit him. I will show up. It's tough to get away when you have little ones, but it is not impossible.
My last thought is how cool that as Catholics, we will get to review our lives again during Lent. The calendar year has many times of renewal - the New Year, Lent, the first day of Spring, the end of the school year, etc. Of course, you don't have to wait until any of these times to begin anew. Every day is a chance to begin again. Take these opportunities to take stock in your own life. It has been given to you as a precious gift by your Creator. Find our why you're here. What are your talents and gifts and are you using them for the glory of God? May God bless you all in 2013. Cheers!
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