New Year, Same Ole Me

Once again, we find ourselves at the start of a brand new year. Personally, I don't understand why the new year is in the middle of winter. I think it would make a lot more sense to have the new year begin with spring. But, I didn't make the calendar...

It just seems to make more sense to have our new year be when everything is changing. When we can air out our homes that have been stuffed and highly insulated against the winter cold for the past 5 or 6 months (something this FL girl is only now learning about). So I'm refraining from making any real resolutions this year until the first day of spring. Until it starts warming up and I can both spring clean and clean up personally.

But since it is part of the holiday, and that's really what we are celebrating, I will make a goal for myself. That goal, is ultimately to modify my behavior on the whole. I want to be more at peace with myself and others, and I want to have more meaningful conversations with those around and relate and empathize better with others. I want to be a better Christian in how I relate to people. This is an ongoing thing, and while some (hubs included) may not see it, I have been slowly working on it for years. It's a slow, on going process, but that's what I need. I need to change my thinking so I can change my behavior...Dr Charles Stanley says it this way:

"A thought leads to an action An action leads to a habit A habit leads to a character A character leads to a destiny"

Romans 12:2 reminds us of the following:

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND..."NIV (emphasis mine)

You can't change who you are and be a true follower of Christ if you cannot change the way you think. Now, no one is every going to truly master this. We will all have our moments of selfishness and moments where we become, as Lysa Turkheurst called her book "Unglued." But that doesn't mean we stop trying.

My verse for this year, and one I'm going to be working on memorizing word for word, is from James.

"Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water."James 3:10-12, NIV.

Every time I read those words, I am convicted about the things that come out of my mouth. I am reminded that just a few verses before we are reminded how the tongue is a "restless evil, full of deadly poison."

Okay, that was a bit more harsh that I remember it being when I read it in the NLT... Maybe it's a translation difference? Either way, the point still stands. How can we claim to be Christians, and not even TRY to control our tongues. How can we even begin to love one another as Christ has loved us, if we cannot speak well of each other. This year, I want to continue my efforts of watching what comes out of my mouth. Watch my tone. Watch the specific words. And THINK about the things I am going to be saying BEFORE I say them, and not after.

So for the most part, this year is going to be a whole lot more of me. The same ole me, just in a new year :-P