New Year Resolutions for Me

Without trying to sound too spiritual, I don’t rely upon New Year resolutions very much. I don't even like to say I make new year resolutions, choosing rather to establish personal goals. Whatever you call it, I do try to make a fresh start at the beginning of each New Year, trusting God, because it’s a good time to refocus my priorities and direct my energies. Here’s my list:

• Renew and reaffirm my commitment to Christ and surrendering to His Lordship.
  
  
• Maintain the spiritual discipline of prayer journaling (my prayers, Biblical insights, spiritual impressions, etc).
  
  
• Read through my Bible two times.
  
  
• Stay Off Sugar. I broke my addiction/craving for sugar last year. That was the main thing – my cravings are gone and I can avoid sugar pretty easily. However, sugar still creeps its way into my eating when it’s hidden in other food products. I’m going to take it to the next level and be more conscious about hidden sugars.
  
  
• Maintain an active lifestyle and become more athletic. I’m in pretty good shape for my age. I run 3-4 times a week, watch what I eat, and recently incorporated strength training back into my routine. This year I would like to get more athletic by broadening my activities to include things like more bike riding, canoeing, running through the trails in Backwater Forest, racket ball, and other sports activities. I’m not a gym guy and I certainly don’t want a “gym body.” I’m more interested in athletic agility and getting lean. I’m interested in having a healthy heart too.
  
  
• Debt free living. Pretty close to being 100% debt free. Just a few more months.
  
  
• Self discipline. Moderation in all things.
  
  
• Gut reduction.
  
  
• Just enjoy life more. Take more time for fun, rest, and play. Maybe pick up a new hobby, attend a theater performance, go fishing, have lots of fish fry’s, and have more people over to our house.
  
  
• Attend the Celtic Woman Performance at the Pensacola Civic Center in February. (Hey, it was Renae’s idea).
  
  
• Take a vacation again this year. Renae and I went on a vacation last year and actually missed a Sunday service – the first and only time we’ve even did that since being at PCC. Can you say, long overdue? It was good for us, and it was good for our church. We’ll do it again. There are enough good competent people to run things in our absence, which is a very good thing.
  
  
• Be more generous.