New Year's Resolutions and How I Kind-Of Cheat At Them :)

"You can do all (God-inspired) things through Christ who strengthens you. With Jesus you are stronger than you think."

Newness of Life! I love how every year God provides for us newness of Life.

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2024! Well, it's gonna be exciting (you'll see) and color me thankful we're going through this together, you and me.

Now. I realize various Christians say the oddest, defeatist, most hopeless things about New Year's Resolutions (and don't include God in them), but that's not me.

I anticipate these Januarys, this making of lists of ways I'm hoping to improve my life. (Call them goals if you prefer.)

Why? Because (here's the cheating part) before list-making, I ask the Holy Spirit to remind me of all the recent convictions He's nudged me with. All the ways He's asked me to 'come up higher', grow-up and behave more lovingly.

Then I simply write those things down. (Frankly, it pleases Him that I'm taking His requests seriously.)

My list from January 2023?

Be slower to speak.   

Complain less.         

Be more excellent in all ways.

Keep decluttering.    

Spend less time online.  Read more books.   

Be more creative around the house.  Fix what annoys you.

Express more gratitude.

Now, why is it cheating to make resolutions this way? Because always, the Holy Spirit shows up to help with whatever He asks us to do.

He --

cheers us on

gives wisdom

saves us time, money, energy

holds us up

instructs us in customized ways--

--so good gracious! With all that, how can we go wrong?

God's goals for us are certainly not impossible, but rather, doable. And since we can do all (divinely-inspired) things through Him, we only fail when we make lists He has no part of. When we attempt things He designed for someone else.

Don't go there, ok? Instead, ask, listen, write. Then move forward humbly believing at the end of 2024 you'll be thrilled how closely your new year's resolutions resemble your present life.

Happy brand new beginning to all my readers!

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever..."   --- John 14:16

“Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.”

― Brad Paisley

Keep it new. Keep it alive. Keep it fresh, interesting and fun.

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Concerned about your 'follow through'? Consider this example: If you're not a bigtime reader, but feel God wants you to read 5 books each month? If you end up averaging just 3 books instead, that's a cause for rejoicing! 

At least you stepped out. You tried something new. You did better than before and hey. Better is better. Always.

And thanks to my friend, Rebecca, for sharing this quote, below!--

"Better to aim for a star and hit a mountain than to aim for a mud puddle and hit it every time." 

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My Top 10 Favorite Movies I Watched In 2023:

Mr. Monk's Last Case 

American Underdog 

Jerry and Marge Go Large

Mayberry Man

The Rocky Movies. All of them.

The Open Road

Leap Year

School of Life

Sound of Freedom

Dreamin' Wild

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And as I shared at Facebook:

One thing I love about our Charlie Cat is that God's used him to help heal our hearts over Daniel's loss. In many ways, Charlie is like Daniel and we greatly appreciate him.

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My Top Ten Favorite Books I Read In 2023 (Some can be found at Open Library) --

The Calico Year by Dorothy Gilman Butters

Shoestring Theater by Nancy Hartwell

Gabriella by Nancy Hartwell

The Brass Keys of Kenwick by Augusta Huiell Seaman

Mystery of the Red Carnations by Mary C. Jane

Truly, Madly, Sheeply by Heather Vogel Frederick

Dying to Read by Lorena McCourtney

The Cider Shop Rules by Julie Anne Lindsey

Death and Decluttering by Nancy McGovern

Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories by Agatha Christie

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And here's a free short middle grade Kindle book for you: Enjoy The Poodle Skirt. Again, it's short, but it made me smile.

And for whatever reasons, I super enjoyed this: Living Big In a Tiny Victorian House. (Though yes, too much stuff! But legit Victorians--like they were--did live that way.)  シ

Unless the Lord builds the house they labor in vain who build it. Be sure to build with God!

"May this be your best year yet! Our God promises to make all things work for good for those who love Him, so let us make our main resolution to love Him more, and experience and demonstrate more of His goodness. The world needs it. We need it, and can do it. Start today!"

---Rick Joyner

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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be.

 

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 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15