Each year at this time we look back on all that we did since January and we make resolutions to improve our lives in the coming year. On Christmas Day, my brother Ed, asked me what my New Year's Resolution was. I didn't hesitate. "To appreciate life more," was my answer.
It's always best to have a plan when you make such a resolution. Otherwise your good intentions will have no direction. Most people who make New Year's resolutions give up on them before the end of January. So I decided to write out how I plan to fulfill this new appreciation for the life God gave me.
Take better care of myself
We could all appreciate our health more. The best way to start is to pray for the desire to eat healthy food, exercise and drink plenty of water. I've learned that the best way to accomplish anything is to get God on my side. Sometimes overeating and making poor food choices is a spiritual battle. The closer I am to God, the more willpower I have. The more I pray, the less I want to eat junk food.
Overeating is a sin (gluttony). And God promises in the Bible that He gives us strength to overcome any sin. So why not take advantage of that promise and ask for help from the one who created my body in the first place. Most people don't think of inviting God into their eating habits, but they should. God will give you the "want to" when it comes to eating healthy and maintaining a healthy weight.
The best book about overcoming emotional eating from a biblical perspective is Made To Crave by Lisa Terkeurst.
Take better care of my home
I've never been up for any housekeeping awards. But I wouldn't call myself sloppy. My house is probably cleaner than most. But I know I could do better. The environment we live in has the power to inspire us or depress us. Living in a sloppy unorganized house inspires a sloppy, unorganized life. Our laziness creeps into every part of life. And we feel like a mess.
I really hate feeling like a mess. The effort it takes to keep a clean house is so worth the feeling it gives me. I've lived in some humble apartments, but there was always something charming about them. My apartment in Millersburg had a living room surrounded by windows that let in lots of light. I spent most of my time there. In the summer I spent a lot of time on the balcony that led out from the kitchen.
I made the most of these areas of refuge. I put my coziest chairs there and I kept those areas looking neat and organized. The entire place doesn't have to be spotless, but the rooms where we spend the most time should be clean and well organized, especially the kitchen.
Make an effort to help people
We can't appreciate life without offering assistance to others. Our world would be a different place if everyone made helping others a priority. But how often do we take time for people in need?
I believe that every time I do something to help someone, God blesses me for it. The blessing might be a better job, an unexpected money gift, or the chance to go somewhere fun. I don't always make the connection between my own generosity and the blessing that follows, but God knows what blessings will mean the most to me and He moves other people to bring those blessings to me. If I'm not willing to be the one who blesses, I can't expect to be blessed.
Focus on the good in others and compliment them
We can't appreciate life without appreciating the people around us.
But this one can be tough. Let's face it, some people can make our lives miserable. To focus on the good in someone who is selfish, mean, and hateful is nearly impossible. But we are instructed to love others. And sometimes the demonstration of love toward hateful people can melt their cold hearts.
When I find myself disliking someone, I pray for them and do what I can to fix any wrong doing on my part that might have contributed to the situation. After that, if I still feel that something isn't right, I consider that perhaps this person is someone I should avoid.
God does give us Holy Spirit-led discernment about people when we are living right. And when other Christians feel the same uneasiness about that person, it's a good indication that our discernment has kicked in. God is telling us to watch out, beware, don't trust this person.
But it is possible to love people even when they are phony, mean, or untrustworthy. If we can't stand to be around them, we can still pray for them. And when we are forced to be in their prescence we can choose to be kind.
Be Thankful and say it to God and others
This year I want to make a greater effort to say, "Thank You."
I want to take a greater notice to the blessings in my life. We pass through life each day so busy that we can't even appreciate the beauty and wonder of God's creation. I want to look at the vivid colors of pink and orange in a sunset and thank God for painting the sky so beautifully.
If I had painted something beautiful, I would want people to notice. Imagine how God feels when a glorious turquoise butterfly flutters past you and you don't think anything of it. Or when a hummingbird thinks the red in your shirt is a flower, so it hovers for a few seconds right above your head, wings whizzing so unbelievably fast that they make music on air.
Those moments are reminders from God that He created this world for us. They are proof of His existence. You'll never convince me that a butterfly just flew together by accident in some cosmic big bang explosion. How foolish to believe such a thing.
We need to be more thankful to God and more thankful to the people he put in our lives. If you need inspiration, read One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp.
