I Don't Resolute.

If there was ever to be a New Year's Resolution's Grinch, it would be ME.  {note my mad photoshop skills above}  It all began a long, long time ago...365 days to be exact...when I sat down to write my 2009 New Year's Resolutions.  Yet as I began to write, the bitterness began to rise.  Wasn't Number 4 on my list last year?  And hey, what's with Number 6?  That one's been on my list since '97!  And don't even get my started on Number 2 - that resolution should be BANNED from resolution lists around the world!

January 1st always brings high-hopes of turning over a new leaf, feelings of "this is THE year!", and an energy that could spark a wildfire.  You know what I say to that?  HUM-BUG!  No wait, that's Scrooge.  What does the Grinch say again?  Oh yeah, "Hate, hate, hate. Hate, hate, hate. Double Hate. LOATHE ENTIRELY!"

Speaking from personal experience, this so-called New Year's Wildfire sizzles down to a mere smoke-curl by March...at best.  New Year's Resolutions don't leave room for "progress" - example: My friend decided she was going to stop biting her nails.  For 11.7 months she experienced success...until she got to finals week, freaked out, and bit them all off.  According to her New Year's Resolution, she failed, despite over 11 months of success.  As the old saying goes, "She threw out the baby with the bathwater."

Then there is the typical "health" NYR's.  It's a bit comical {and annoying} how PACKED the workout facility is at my complex for the first 2 weeks of January.  By the 15th, however, you are guaranteed first pick on the line of treadmills and bikes.  It is strange to me that we don't question this phenomenon.  It is strange to me that instead of wondering "What is wrong with this whole 'Resolution' thing?" we begin to wonder "What is wrong with ME?!"  Now don't get me wrong - I'm not against the idea of bettering one's self.  What I AM against, is battering one's self.  Looking at the 99 things wrong instead of focusing on the 1 thing we did right.

So back to January 1st, 2009.  I tore up my list of New Year's Resolutions and instead took a moment to reflect.  I aked God to bring to my mind a word - just one word - that would become my theme for the year.  I would tie no goals to the word.  I would not attach expectations to it.  You see, with a ONE WORD theme, I could constantly ask myself throughout the year, "How are you doing with _______?"  There was no ultimatum of success or failure, just a striving to let this theme infiltrate my life. 

I LOVED it.

The past few weeks I've spent some time praying over what my theme word is for 2010.  After thoughtful consideration, my theme has been selected and I'm so excited to see the ways in which I am changed once again.  But I'm not THAT excited - not like "wildfire energy" excited.  I'm keeping my cool.  Alright fine, I'M EXCITED!