Here I am again. Another year has come and gone. What’s the saying? The days are long, but the years are short? It’s so true. January 1 is always such a mixed bag for me.
When I begin each year, I raise the bar on my expectations. I wouldn’t be called a junk food junkie, but I could always do better. I love going to the gym, but I could always be more disciplined. I keep a pretty clean house, but I could definitely do some things differently. I truly enjoy doing for and serving others. But admittedly, there are times my heart isn’t in the right place. We’d be here all day if I listed all the things I could improve on. But I think I need reminders. Often!
The goal isn’t perfection. I figured that out a few years ago and it gave me incredible freedom. However, the goal should be improvement. Acknowledgement of where I genuinely am in this moment, along with a plan to improve; even slightly.
Many of the areas that I need to work on aren’t things anyone else would notice. Most of my list is made up of internal changes: attitude, heart posture, thoughts, etc. But those things are so much more important than how often I steam my kitchen floor. Don’t get me wrong. That’s pretty high on my list. But honesty, humility, forgiveness, and a host of other areas should certainly outrank my grout.
So this year, I have a goal. It may not seem like a big deal to most. I assure you, for me, this is HUGE! I love reading in general. I love studying. I’m a bit of a nerd. But I’m very guilty of picking up a book about something biblical before I pick up my Bible. Do I read my Bible every day? Yes. However, I tend to do my “suggested reading or study” and then quickly close up my Bible and trade it for The Biblio Diet or The Girl on the Bathroom Floor or maybe The Hidden Peace. You see the problem with this, right? The very things I need to improve on require THE WORD. Books are great! They have amazing value and I learn from them constantly. But nothing compares to the Bible.
This goal is fairly simple: do better. I won’t set myself up for failure by setting unrealistic expectations that I know I won’t meet and then beating myself up. I’m just going to do better. That’s all. And I started first thing this morning. With a new Bible on my lap and all the pens and highlighters nearby, I did better. Truthfully, today was easy. I didn’t have a bunch of other things on my plate. I didn’t go to work. I was home in my comfy clothes and I didn’t even cook (thanks for the brisket and cabbage, Kenny). I also didn’t pick up another book. So today was better. That’s the goal. And if I slip a little, I’ll count on a nudge to steer me back around.
Psalm 119:105 ~ Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.