Resolutions, Anyone?
I've never been much for New Year's resolutions. It always seemed to me that one should have a way of regularly reviewing one's life, so that making resolutions is really an ongoing process.
However, as I move into 2007, a lot of that ongoing personal review is converging to the resolution stage. So here, forthwith, are my resolutions for the coming year, partly personal and partly ministerial.
1. Get a cell phone. My wife Joan is cheering at this, over on the sidelines, but I've been avoiding this step for years. I already feel way too "over-available." But I'll just have to deal with it -- it's time to get with the rest of the world.
2. Change my "Brief Notes." I've been writing a "Brief Notes" column for the parish bulletin for at least 16 years now. I'll continue the column for a while, sporadically, but I'll be switching to other formats, and inviting others to take the space, more regularly.
3. Write more. I DO love to write, despite resolution #2, and I think I'm fairly decent at it. Hence, I've been experimenting with this blog. I'll probably also add a section on our parish web site for regular parish news.
4. Spend more time at Children's Hospital. After so many years there (23 and counting), it's really a part of who I am. But my time there has actually shrunk over the past few years. Partly that's a result of other people pitching in, and doing it well. But partly it's a result of other commitments. But I MISS this time! It's important to me... as is this next item.
5. Be more focused in the area of social justice. This has been a passion even before I got into the active ministry, but parish work in general is more "pastoral" in nature. Raising a family also has its own set of priorities. However... my youngest son is graduating from college this coming spring, and I find myself looking forward to a certain "freedom to take risks" that I haven't felt for a while. I'm not sure where this will lead me, but I AM sure that I want it to lead somewhere. Hence the need to keep focused.
Finally, two very personal resolutions.
6. Spend more time with the Lord. It's actually an occupational hazard, since being a "professional minister" means that you're always being called to lead a group in prayer, or to be a part of a liturgical service. But those are NOT substitutes for one's own personal prayer life, especially in the midst of personal changes.
7. Lose weight! Unfortunately, I feel I've hit a crisis point with this in my life. Injuring my knee a while back brought a change in my habits. I've been away from the daily running for over a year now, and I've gotten far heavier than is healthy for me.
That's certainly enough! Anyone else care to share a resolution or two?
posted by Deacon Denny @ 10:43 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
At this time of year everyone makes resolutions for the New Year and new beginnings. It is a good thing to reflect on one’s life and see how to improve the world we live in. We need hope. Hope that a better and sane world is just around the corner. If everyone making resolutions would just keep them this hope might be a reality. While writing them down makes them seem more real and may even make your resolve to make these changes a reality, most people forget their resolutions in a month or two. Everyone wants to be healthier, more spiritual, helpful to others, and right the wrongs in the world. The list of changes you want to make in your life can be extensive and exhausting just thinking about them, let alone doing them. For that reason I am not making any of those resolutions. This year my resolve is to do one thing. Love myself as God loves me. God commands us to love others as he loves us. I believe that everything we do is to please God and others in our lives. So if we spend all of our time, energy, and resources doing that, loving others, why not do the same for ourselves? If we all did one thing, Love ourselves as God loves us, would those other resolutions we often make even exist? I don’t know but I resolve to find out!
Hi taximom --
It's extremely difficult to love ourselves the way God loves us. There's a LOT of baggage in the way.
A long time ago, in the course of making the Spiritual Exercises, I was making a private confession to a Jesuit friend of mine. What I raised up to him was the problem of perfectionism -- something that my Dad had instilled in me. It brought a strong desire to achieve (not too bad), an inability to be satisfied with myself (not so good), and a fear that I would be "found out" by others (bad).
My confessor had the great wisdom to try to have me look at myself the way God looked at me -- and I subsequently broke down into tears. He pointed out to me that my real sin -- the one that he would absolve me from -- was to have hurt myself for so long by my inability to be gentle and forgiving with myself.
I wish you well, taximom. It's a worthy resolution.
Like taximom, I'm overwhelmed by the to-do list approach, so I usually skip making resolutions at this time of year. But this year, I thought I'd try one: to focus on the essential. Yeah, yeah, I know, easier said than done, but also simple. I find it's like a candle flame, drawing my attention back again and again.
For instance, last Thursday on my way home, I was stressing over something I could have done to be better prepared at work for the following day, and trying to figure out how I could possibly arrange things to make it work. But in trying to figure out what was essential, in this case, I was surprised when I realized the conditions were already perfect. Not ideal, maybe, but perfect. What was, was enough.
And sure enough, it was. But what surprised me was the sense of peace that blanketed my evening. It was GREAT! I felt like I was one part of the action, not Chief and Commander of the Whole Show.
Now, if I could have even one more evening of that. . . wow.
It takes a lot of discipline, though. I fail more than I succeed. But I'm hoping with practice, maybe I'll get better at this . . . This could be my year!
Hi Kim --
Thanks for dropping by.
What's essential? Talk about the $64,000 question. I think that's a really good guideline, but finding the right spot... it reminds me of bowling (something that I do in a league on Thursday evenings) ... you can have a good hook rolling, and good rhythm... but if your line is off, it doesn't do much good.
Yeah, it's harder to do than to talk about. It reminds me of a favorite prayer of mine... I carry it in my pocket. From Thomas Merton...
MY LORD GOD...
I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
BUT I do believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this, You will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust You always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils along.
Post a Comment
<< Home