I.
Love.
New Year's Resolutions.
To me, there is nothing more refreshing than starting off a new year with zeal and a fresh resolve for change and improvement. (wow, is it just me, or did that kind of sound like a campaign line?) I don't beat myself up for not keeping every single one, in fact I know myself better than to think that I will. My philosophy is that if I write 20 resolutions, and only keep 5 of them, than that's still 5 ways that I have improved myself that year. They're nothing to stress over, but as someone who tries to live Biblically (and so i am always in need of refreshing my view of myself, and conforming to the Word) I know that if you're going to change, you have to actually PLAN to do it. It doesn't just happen while you sit by and watch.
Seriously though, a lot of people are down about New Year's Resolutions, so I took an informal poll as I went about my business today.
I talked to my bank teller, 3 starbucks Baristas, the Customer Service guy at Foodland, the old guy with WAY too much alcohol in line in front of me at Foodland, the homeless lady outside of Foodland (i am my mother), 15 people at church, my 2 sisters, and their friend Jenina.
In the general spirit of just saying hi, and wishing them a Happy New Year, (but i tallied their answers as soon as I got in the car) I asked them if they wrote resolutions, if not, why, etc... and This is what I found:
Of the 25 people I talked to (i know, nice round number huh? and I didn't even plan that!):
21 said that they don't write resolutions.
1 said she does, but she just likes to write lists and she didn't really think she'd keep them. (I liked her anyway. A fellow lister)
Of the 21 people that don't write resolutions, 9 people said (basically) that it was because they would never keep them, so why try?
5 people shrugged when I asked them why, like they had never really thought about it. (to be fair, 3 of those people are brand new to America, and they probably don't do resolutions on New Year in their culture)
1 cocky teenage sister, and 1 homeless lady said that they like themselves just the way they are. (SCARY parallel)
And finally, of the 25 people I talked to, I could only convince 2 to write them this year (Yay for the cute redhead Starbucks girl, and Miss Joyce at church!)
That was my poll. So, to start off New Year's right, I'd like to post the resolutions made by Jonathan Edwards when he was 19 years old. There were 70 of them (which tops even my most productive year) and these are his first 10. You can read the rest on therebelution.com if you are interested.
THE RESOLUTIONS OF JONATHAN EDWARDS
BEING SENSIBLE THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOD'S HELP, I DO HUMBLY ENTREAT HIM BY HIS GRACE TO ENABLE ME TO KEEP THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO FAR AS THEY ARE AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE.
1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God' s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.
2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the aforementioned things.
3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.
4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.
9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.
10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.
Love.
New Year's Resolutions.
To me, there is nothing more refreshing than starting off a new year with zeal and a fresh resolve for change and improvement. (wow, is it just me, or did that kind of sound like a campaign line?) I don't beat myself up for not keeping every single one, in fact I know myself better than to think that I will. My philosophy is that if I write 20 resolutions, and only keep 5 of them, than that's still 5 ways that I have improved myself that year. They're nothing to stress over, but as someone who tries to live Biblically (and so i am always in need of refreshing my view of myself, and conforming to the Word) I know that if you're going to change, you have to actually PLAN to do it. It doesn't just happen while you sit by and watch.
Seriously though, a lot of people are down about New Year's Resolutions, so I took an informal poll as I went about my business today.
I talked to my bank teller, 3 starbucks Baristas, the Customer Service guy at Foodland, the old guy with WAY too much alcohol in line in front of me at Foodland, the homeless lady outside of Foodland (i am my mother), 15 people at church, my 2 sisters, and their friend Jenina.
In the general spirit of just saying hi, and wishing them a Happy New Year, (but i tallied their answers as soon as I got in the car) I asked them if they wrote resolutions, if not, why, etc... and This is what I found:
Of the 25 people I talked to (i know, nice round number huh? and I didn't even plan that!):
21 said that they don't write resolutions.
1 said she does, but she just likes to write lists and she didn't really think she'd keep them. (I liked her anyway. A fellow lister)
Of the 21 people that don't write resolutions, 9 people said (basically) that it was because they would never keep them, so why try?
5 people shrugged when I asked them why, like they had never really thought about it. (to be fair, 3 of those people are brand new to America, and they probably don't do resolutions on New Year in their culture)
1 cocky teenage sister, and 1 homeless lady said that they like themselves just the way they are. (SCARY parallel)
And finally, of the 25 people I talked to, I could only convince 2 to write them this year (Yay for the cute redhead Starbucks girl, and Miss Joyce at church!)
That was my poll. So, to start off New Year's right, I'd like to post the resolutions made by Jonathan Edwards when he was 19 years old. There were 70 of them (which tops even my most productive year) and these are his first 10. You can read the rest on therebelution.com if you are interested.
THE RESOLUTIONS OF JONATHAN EDWARDS
BEING SENSIBLE THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOD'S HELP, I DO HUMBLY ENTREAT HIM BY HIS GRACE TO ENABLE ME TO KEEP THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO FAR AS THEY ARE AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE.
1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God' s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.
2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the aforementioned things.
3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.
4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.
9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.
10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.
Okay, your poll cracked me up, and I'm trying to be quiet in the library!!!!!!