New Years, Smew Years.

I am usually the first one to post about New Years Resolutions. I take a different approach each time. Sometimes I will make definite, concrete goals like " save $___ dollars this year and add the the savings account" or "lose ten pounds." Other times I am made broad goals like "be more patient" or "read more." I often times even track it on this blog, updating it from month to month, keeping myself accountable.

There is just something about the New Years date on the calandar.. giving us all a little push to better ourselves in one way or another. Prompting us to grow, change, explore.. all very good things, but what is it again that makes us want to do this? A date on a calandar? A "fresh start"?

I am a goal oriented person, so resolutions tend to tickle my fancy. Making out a list of things I want to accomplish and slowly crossing them off one by one can be a bit thrilling, I must say. But, often times I found myself doing something simply because it was "on my list." Finishing a book because it was on my list...Going to an exercise class because it was on my list..even going on a trip because it was on my list. Sometimes I wouldn't even enjoy the actual doing of the act as much as I enjoyed crossing it off my list.

So, this year I have decided to take a different approach. It's simple and easy to follow.

I never could get quite over the hype and glory behind New Years- January 1. I have attended plenty of countdown parties, plenty of gatherings, plenty watchings of the ball drop, but at the end of the night (or morning) it was still just another day, like any other day.

Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us that "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness."

This is great news, friends, because it means that we get to have a "New Year" every day. We get that fresh start that we yearn for at New Years every single morning. We don't have to wait for the next New Year to roll around. We don't have to wait for the next month to roll around or even the next week. We can decide to make each day new and plentiful. Full of love, grace and goodness.

That excitement and thrill that we feel on January 1 tells us that the possibilities are endless, that this is going to be our time, our year. But guess what? We can have that thrill every morning because every day is a new day!

Now, this doesn't mean that I'm not making goals this year. Of course I am! I am a "list" woman. I channel Danny Tanner every day as I "make a list of my lists." It just means that I am going to take a step back this year and make one simple list of resolutions:

Live every day as a NEW day, a FULL day and a day to BE CHERISHED.

Happy New Year's, friends. I look forward to seeing what each new day this year brings each one of us.