Well, it's 2008.
It's hard to believe. At least, it is for me. How did it get to be another year already??
Traditionally, this is a time when people reflect on the past year, and look forward to the coming year, and think about their goals and expectations. Some people make Resolutions that are hard to keep.
I thought back on my year, and I was struck by patterns of stress in my life. Recurring themes of frustration. Constant struggles and battles.
Don't get me wrong. I know I have plenty to be thankful for. I am grateful for the ways God provided for me in 2007, and I know He will continue to help me in 2008.
But right now, it seem like the only thing that's changed is a number. We like to believe that a New Year equals a New Start, a clean slate. Yet, we're already one week in, and I'm still wrestling with the same things that plagued me last year. That can be so discouraging. I look back on '07, and wonder, what did I accomplish? Again, the big events that stand out to me are my perpetual battles.
I try not to be a "glass-half-empty" person, or even a "glass-half-full" person. I just want to be realistic. I like to look at things from many angles. So, if I shift my perspective a little, I see another way of looking at this whole thing.
It's only a week in. I have no idea what this year is going to bring me. None. Sure, I have goals and dreams. And I hope '08 doesn't fly by without me accomplishing some things. But there's been a recurring message in my life lately:
One Day at a Time.
Pastor Kevin preached that at the Blue Christmas service. If I'm truly honest, I'll admit that I am no good at that. I'm a Big Picture person. I like to have a "game plan." Something to work on, or toward. Something to measure. How do you measure "one day at a time?" I have no idea. Maybe I'll figure it out by the end of the year.
"Once upon a blog...."
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1 comment:
I guess I'm kid of a one-day-at-a-time person and a big-picture person as well. Most nights before I get into bed I take a last look at my daily planner to see what I accomplished that day, what I have planned for the next days ahead, and to make sure I haven't left anything off my list...or add things to it.
Do I get everything done everyday? NO. It used to bother me A LOT. Especially when we were at COFO.
But now it doesn't bother me as much. I guess because it's not a "Dr. Furman paper due in two days" type of thing.
You know I was a day to day person when we were at COFO. I think we even talked about that one time in your dorm room one evening.
Well, I became more of a big picture person several months ago, and even more so now that I'm in a serious relationship with a great guy named James.
Where was I going with this story? Oh yeah. My advice is: don't worry about the things that weren't accomplished. Most likely they probably weren't that important...otherwise you would have made them a serious priority and got them done. Spend time making sure that your priorities are in the right order, and seriously think about cutting out some stuff that's not necessary for your life. Be happy at the end of the day with knowing that you did do things that were important and that glorified HIM.
I truly believe that God will be better glorified when we accomplished a few things each day rather than us being frazzeled trying to do several things.
I think we put to much pressure on ourselves to do as much as we possibly can because we know "tomorrow isn't promised".
I don't want to sound like I'm condradicting that. I just want to emphasize the spending quality time with God and making sure of our priorities.
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