Whether we share an entry from yesterday, or last month, or even one from several years ago...we just share what's on our hearts or in our journals!
This year, Dawn is adding a few prompts to be used in place of an entry from our journals, if we prefer to respond to one of the prompts instead of sharing our journal entries.
So, to begin yet another new year - 2016 - I have gathered a few entries from the beginning of several different years; and look at the Resolutions - or lack of - for that particular year!
December 31, 2002
"New Year's Eve, and what do I find myself doing on this New Year's Eve? Well, winding down and relaxing; the usual...
"But, I don't usually do New Year's Resolutions but thought I'd give it a try..."
And I proceeded to list out eight resolutions to attempt for 2003.
January 1, 2006
From the church bulletin today: "The God of all times and yet beyond time, calls us into a new year. God helps us travel with faith and expectation. God guides us in a new adventure. Let us give our time to God. Let us boldly witness to God's presence in our future. We are grateful for the present of God's presence. We are confident of God's presence in the present."
I wrote: "It is a new year - another year to start over, or begin anew...
"So...New Year's Resolutions! Well, I don't do them. Last year I did, but certainly didn't get very far with them! I think they were more like 'goals'..."
And for 2006 I proceeded to list out about four resolutions, or goals! {Check out the above entry...I had listed out eight! Guess after a couple of years, I decided to reduce the list!}
January 1, 2008
"So, another year; another set of New Year's Resolutions. I didn't do very well last year...
"But, it is another new year; and time for new resolutions. If I were to put a 'theme' to what I resolve for 2008, it would be Family!"
And I listed out four resolutions once again!
December 2010
"It's that time of year when we think about our New Year's Resolutions - and I haven't!"
I did write out a few things that I wanted to try to accomplish in 2011...and shared this "My Wish for 2011" posted by a friend:
"May peace break into your home and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple words...
"May 2011 be the best year of your life!!!"
December 31, 2011
"Well, New Year's Eve - goodbye to 2011 and welcome 2012! No New Year's Resolutions, yet!
"So now that the first day of the new year is nearly gone, I need to think about resolutuions - or do I?!"
And, I listed out yet another five resolutions!
January 1, 2013
"My niece posted this on her status today: '...forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.' (Philippians 3:13-14 - NIV)."
I wrote: "I never thought of this as a verse for the new year; but can see that leaving what is past behind us is a good thing. Our past makes us - helps make us - who we are; but we don't have to dwell on the past! As for the blank page...well, it is the beginning of a new year; 365 days to do good; be who we are meant to be; do what we are meant to do...and it starts today!"
December 2013
Found on Facebook: "May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books, and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art - write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself." (Neil Gaiman)
Well, I didn't actually list out any of the resolutions from these entries; it wouldn't have made much of a difference anyway...
I didn't make it past the first few weeks!
Isn't that what we do most of the time...make the resolutions we know we won't accomplish?
All I know is that I didn't really accomplish them; and I stopped making any type of resolution. Perhaps if I called them "goals" instead; and divided them into a smaller time frame?
I'm not sure how that would work; but I "resolve" to do better in setting and achieving the goals I need to accomplish!
Hope you've done a better job of keeping those resolutions!!
Barbara- I love your honesty and humor...it's encouraging to know I'm not the only one who doesn't intend to make resolutions, but makes them anyway...one year I called them new year's revolutions...not sure how many were won...but it was fun to call them that...lol
ReplyDeleteKel, I LOVE your new year's revolutions!!! And, yeah, how many do we really win??? Appreciate your reading and commenting...I am going to TRY hard to do a few of the things that probably would have been on the list...and work on journaling and my word for the year - JOY!
DeleteHappy New Year and hope all goes well with you and your writing, as well!
Hi Barbara! Thank you for your faithfulness...thank you for digging in and sharing these posts from previous years...I love that 2011. lol. THat was funny. The New Year puts such unrealistic and immense pressure on people. I purpose NOT to start anything on January 1...I prefer to do the same thing year round, which is to keep my eyey on the prize...and He is the One who keeps me from setting my heart of vain pursuits...which I am prone to as well...I wish you a Happy New Year my friend. May God continue to cause us to keep looking up...and pressing on as your niece mentioned in her status scripture quote.
ReplyDeleteLove and hugs for the new year.
Yes, I didn't make any "resolutions" this year; but I have a few "goals" I want to accomplish like the "decluttering" of my life, my writing, reading, journaling, etc. - NOT to cut it out; but to cut it DOWN...I am overwhelmed with trying to do so much!! I pray that in writing weekly on JOY, that He will guide me to find that joy and to not be so stressed over the home situation. I am coming to understand things a bit better; but it's hard!
DeleteThanks for reading and commenting; for keeping us connected; and for the love, hugs and encouragement!
I really enjoyed this. I'd thought I might go back over the beginning of a lot of January journals in the same way, but I know the results I would have seen for my big goals and purposes would have been the same. What I have found to "work" a lot better is making just one "new month's resolution," not necessarily in January, either. It pares things down to a more manageable size. Odd thing is, this year I actually made a new month's and new year's resolution both in one---and a surely do hope I keep up on it! Rich blessings in the new year!
ReplyDeleteYes, Sylvia...I like the idea of a "new month's resolution" for all months; but instead of the resolutions, I've thought of a few "goals" that I want to accomplish. Some decluttering of "stuff" and things I do like the journaling, blogging, reading, etc. Not to cut them out but to try to consolidate or cut down what I do!!
DeleteThanks for reading and commenting!