How are you doing onNew Year’s Resolutions? I shared with our daughters that while God has given me one word for 2013 (prosperity) and two Scriptures (Isaiah 43:19 and 3 John 1:2), and I am dreaming BIG and making GOALS for 2013, I’m focusing more on CONTINUING with fulfilling my dreams and achieving my goals from the last several years vs. resolutions.
I really like what Canadian Speaker and Author Sheila Wray Gregoire has to say about resolutions in her post What Causes Success in Life?
Here is an excerpt:
It’s funny how our New Year’s Resolutions are often dominated by things that probably aren’t at the top of the priority list overall. They relate to our weight, don’t they? We’ll lose weight. We’ll exercise. We’ll quit chocolate.
But in the end, the most important thing we can do is to stress character, and grow closer to Jesus. That’s what’s key. And maybe your resolutions reflect that, too: I will do my devotions everyday. I will pray more. Good for you!
But rather than just focusing on these simple, obvious goals, I think we need a plan to make sure that our families are moving in the right direction.
For instance, why is it that with our kids we focus so much on academics, and make them spend so much time in homework, but we don’t teach them to cook a meal? Don’t you think the latter is important, too? Why do we berate them about grades, but we don’t make them do chores, which ultimately will do more to help them hold and keep a job than getting good grades will?
We focus on the easy to measure things. We often fail to focus on character issues. So this year, as you’re making your New Year’s Resolutions, try to think in bigger terms. What do you want to stress this year? Talk about it with your husband and kids, too! Who do you want to be as a family? Who do you want to be ten years from now? And how are you going to get there?
For most of us, losing weight is probably a healthy idea. Doing devotions certainly is, too! But what about other things that ultimately will impact your family just as much, if not more?
What about teaching responsibility and character? What about starting a real chore system and sticking to it this year?
I shared with Leah this week that I’d like us to continue working on her learning how to cook and in growing in her relationship with God (among other things).
Focus on character in 2013 – for you and your family. Think in bigger terms this year.
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