Isn’t this a great picture? There’s a clear path forward, but you can’t tell what’s ahead if you don’t move ahead.
It doesn’t hurt to take a brief look back once in awhile, though, to see how far we’ve come. I’m almost embarrassed to say this in the context of the high spiritual message of the previous paragraph, but I did indeed meet my goal of doing 20 pushups by today. They weren’t pretty–there were several pauses along the way. I lay on the floor after doing 18 and thought, ‘I just can’t do any more.’ But I managed to struggle up two more times. So, in theory anyway, I did meet the goal. (We will draw a discreet curtain over my non-attainment of stretching my vocal range.) But hey, if I just stop there and don’t bother doing them several times a week from now on, I might just as well not have bothered. The past only matters as it affects today.
So what’s ahead for the new year? I honestly don’t know. Some items are on the list: Lots of cooking and entertaining, including a re-involvement in the Wednesday-night dinners at our church. Doing an audio version of my book. (But hey–don’t wait for that if you don’t own a copy. Take a look at the sidebar for ordering information right now.) Working on an e-cookbook. Continuing on with Bible Study Fellowship International. Packing my son off to grad school. Getting back into some type of teaching/volunteer work. Gardening. Singing. But you know what? It could all come crashing down tomorrow. I just don’t know what’s over the bend on that bridge.
So here are two resolutions for 2016 that will be applicable in any situation that arises:
1. Raise the bar. I have such a tendency to sink back on the couch, let things go, settle. Instead, I want to challenge myself and push forward, especially in my relationships. Which leads to #2:
2. Quit criticizing or offering unsolicited advice. I am declaring a moratorium on the phrases, “Why don’t you?” and “Why didn’t you?” People never react well to those words. I want to listen, to ask thoughtful questions, to lead by example. And in that regard I just read today, in the “Ask Amy” column of the Denver Post, the principle “Always assume positive intent.” The woman who sent this quotation in to the column said, “It works wonders in my marriage and relationships with my grown children.” Guess what? I have a marriage and a grown son. Maybe this would be a good principle for me to follow.
So here I sit in my still-somewhat-disordered-from-last-night’s-dinner-party kitchen, finishing up this post. We’re planning to go on our yearly outing to the Denver Botanic Gardens Blossoms of Light exhibit this evening. As always, it’s going to be cold. But, as I said last year, “There’s no great pleasure without some some small pain.” I plan to spend tomorrow getting various cleaning and organization projects done, with the idea of starting out the year on the right foot. Time will move forward whether I will it to or not, but I want to do what I can to make this a productive, happy year. What are your resolutions? Drop me a line and let me know.