Broke My New Year's Resolution Already!

Happy New Year and all that good stuff! Hope 01.01.10 has been a good one for ya. Mine started a bit rough, but ended up pretty well, thankfully. I cleaned toilets and vacuumed the house and got a lot of stuff done for my workplace that needs doing in January. Aaaaaaaaand I watched some of the Florida State football game (that's American football with the brown ball, helmets, tackles) and was happy to see them win. This was their eighty-year-old coach's last game and I wanted to see Bobby Bowden go out with a win. So, yay for beating the West Virginia Mountaineers!

Since it's supposed to get bone-chillingly cold here for the next week, I decided today I needed to walk outdoors and get some fresh air, bask in the sunshine and just enjoy the mid-forties temperature. And while doing so I was looking skyward and noticed a hawk gliding in the breeze so majestically. I kept watching it as I walked and the thought came to mind of "the Wild Goose."

Yeah, yeah, yeah, well, this is a hawk, not a goose. Plus I said I wasn't going to read books that encourage me to chase the Wild Goose this year. I even told Andrew that a few weeks ago and reiterated it on my blog just days ago! I get frustrated when I read them with high hopes and then settle back into my ordinary, purposeless life.

Here's what I wrote:

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I didn't make any resolutions really. I do recall now that I wanted to live by faith, not fear, and I think I did better than some years, PTL! Next year...I won't read any books that urge me to chase the Wild Goose.



And what do you know! I made ONE resolution I thought I'd have little trouble keeping. Yet . . .

I already broke it.


*ahem*

Didn't even last a day!


Wellllllllllllllll, when I saw that majestic bird, I was reminded of the Wild Goose and then, then I remembered, "Ah, it's about the Holy Spirit" and what do you know? just yesterday I said I would soon write about the Holy Spirit here.

Hmmm


Have you ever just felt lead to read something or watch or do something? Like you get an impression that you should just do it despite what resolution you made?

The other resolution I made to myself today is to see how long I can avoid dwelling on or mentioning the "S" word. I'm sure Andrew is ready for me to move on so I think I'll see how many days I can go without talking about it.

Re: the Wild Goose -- If you are wondering what I'm talking about and are interested, here are posts I wrote last year when I read about the Wild Goose. They are in reverse order, but if you click HERE and then read from the bottom up, you will get the idea. I just felt I needed to read it again and why not start on the first day of the new year? Resolutions are made for breaking, right? It's part of American tradition. :-)

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Notes to ponder from chapters 1 & 2

Have I settled for inverted Christianity? Instead of following the Spirit have I "invited" him to follow me? Instead of serving God's purposes have I demanded God serve mine? Result of this "inverted relationship with God is not just a self-absorbed spirituality that leaves us feeling empty, it's also the difference between spiritual boredom and spiritual adventure." (pg. 4)

"Jesus speaks to that deep-seated longing for adventure by challenging us to come out of the cage. But coming out of the cage means giving up the very thing in which we find our security and identity outside of Christ." For the rich young ruler this cage was financial security. (pg. 9)

"When God puts a passion in your heart ... that God-ordained passion becomes your responsibility." (pg. 20)

What kind of God-ordained passion has been conceived in your spirit? (pg. 25)

Reminders:

Christianity was never intended to a noun. It should be an action verb. Think: Book of Acts (not Thoughts or Sayings or Theories) (pg. 29)

Most often in the Bible, signs follow faith (pg. 32). If you have signs first, faith isn't really required.

Pray for the favor of God (pg. 34)

When you can't figure out how to get from where you are to where you want to be, "be the best cupbearer you can be." (Nehemiah -- pg. 37)