Ah, yes -- the resolutions.
I used to tell people that I gave up making resolutions because I never kept to them anyway. But is not making a resolution the same as resolving to do nothing? If so, that will never do. So what do I resolve to do this year? Here's what I'm thinking:
- More focus on my spiritual life. Over the past year, I've gotten a good distance away from prayer and focus on my faith journey and development. We've gotten very involved at our new church, but I've allowed myself to get to a point where I've forgotten how to effectively pray and to do some serious study each week. I can't be a truly good father and role model for the girls if I'm not focusing on what should be the most important part of my life, and learning as much as I can so that I can be prepared to help them with their questions about God and faith as they get older.
- More time with A and the girls. The work hours for my job this year will be in the neighborhood of 8-6:30 every day, and so I will have to do more to make the most out of the time I have with them during the course of a week.
- Become more financially responsible. With a new car and a house purchase floating somewhere on the family's horizon, and with A currently out of work, money will become even more important. With my current job, this particular time isn't as much of a cause for stress as it would be if I were working at one of my previous jobs. However, I would like to focus more on saving and on what we need, rather than the bright, glittery books that catch my eye in the bookstore window!
- Take more time to read for fun. I read so much during the course of a day at work that I really only read for pleasure a few minutes a day. That has to change, since it's one of my biggest sources of relaxation -- and since I have so much Hemingway, Mishima, Fitzgerald, and American Revolutionary-era books and countless others on the shelves and stacked by the bed that need to be showed some love.
- Write more. I really want to get back to blogging more regularly, journaling more regularly, and continuing with my short-story writing that I started last year and continued in fits and starts. And with whatever time I have left, I have some great ideas for some full-length projects to take on at some point down the road.
6 comments:
A very happy, healthy, and prosperous new year to you and all your family, Matt. I'm blessed to count you as a friend across the miles!
great list... thank you for sharing. my list is taking a little longer to put down on "paper" this year... we'll see. but it's important for all of us to try new things and take on new challenges. happy new year!
An article in my Apartment Monthly News Letter:
"New Year's Baby" The custom of using a baby to symbolize the New Year began in Greece around 600 B.C. The Greeks celebrated their God of Wine, Dionysus, by parading a baby in a basket to represent the annual rebirth of Dionysus as the spirit of fertility. The early Egyptians also used the baby as a symbol of rebirth.
Although the early Christians denounced the practice of using a baby as being pagan in nature, its significance as a personification of rebirth later forced the Church to reevaluate its position. Eventually, it was decreed that Church members would be permitted to celebrate the New Year using a symbolic baby, provided it illustrated the birth of the baby Jesus.
The use of a baby's image as a banner for New Year celebrations was brought to America by the Germans, who had used the effigy since the Fourteenth century."
Me.
And Humans have gifts, for the Rebirth of the First New Year's Baby of the Year, in most cities.
Humans also give Gifts every Year, for the Birth of the Christ Child.
So what is New in the History of Religious Gods and Babies today? Humans can make Human Fetus' in the Lab without the Male sex act, an Immaculate Conception of a Human Birth, like Jesus was Reproduced 'Super'naturally in a Female?
Why not Celebrate the Birth of Adam and Eve, not by Heterosexual Body ReBirth, or as Babies?
Humans today, could be Cloning Perfect Humans, instead of Making Nuclear Bombs and Toxic Pollution with their High Tech Science, the past 100 years.
NoThing the Human Mind can Imagine, can be Accomplished, By Good or Evil High Tech Science.
Why do Living Humans on Earth use High Tech for Evil, and Death? Why not for Life?
Happy 2009 Matt! I am glad that blogging more made your list of resolutions :)
happy new year matt! i'm with you on many of your resolutions.
Happy New Year to you too!!
Great list. I didn't make one except for the subliminal ones.
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