A Fresh Start

Well, it's that time of year again. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and we all know what that means...resolutions!
For many years now, I haven't bothered a whole lot with them, after all, how long does one actually stick with it and follow through to completion?

This year is different, why, I don't know. I guess I'm tired of being in a rut, and I feel the need for some personal cleansing and renewal. And although to do it at this time of year is admittedly cliche, a new year seems to be the perfect place to start. A clean slate, as it were.

So here they are, my resolutions for 2013.

By God's grace, I will kick my sugar habit this year. I am definitely an addict to the sweet stuff. It's a drug to me, and the only way to go (for me) is to cut it out as completely as I can. I did it once before, and I felt great. I really want to get to that place again. The toughest part in this battle for me is emotional. I stress eat. It comforts me when I'm sad, mad, glad or bad. This year, I want to focus those feelings on God, and let Him comfort me. Which brings me to my other resolution...

I want 2013 to be my year of personal revival in my spiritual walk. In many areas, 2012 has been a difficult year. There's been some good of course, but there's been a lot of dark days. I have often felt discouragement and even despair. I know that the Lord never promises an easy life, and really I just want to get to the point of complete trust in Him, whatever the circumstances. I know all of the right actions, prayers, Christian platitudes, etc... I just want my heart to get there. Complete surrender to God. Unabashed abandonment to all but my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I want this to be the year that people say of me..."That lady KNOWS JESUS!"  I desperately want a better example for my children as they watch me, and they see so much more than most perhaps, because we homeschool, and are always together.

With God's power, I will replace bad habits with good ones, pray and journal more, and keep accountable to my friends, and let them do the same with me. We will help each other.

Now, I'm not foolish enough to think that this will be a cakewalk, or that I'll get it all together perfectly. I will fall. I will fail. I will cry. But I hope to keep getting up, forget the former things, walk around (and not into), the holes in the road of my journey, and keep walking. And I hope to get to New Years Eve 2013 and in a place of gratitude to God for all HE has accomplished.