New Year, New Beginning

I love new beginnings, especially the beginning of a new year.  It's the perfect time to reflect on the past year and think about some of the events that influenced our lives: death of a loved one, health issues, relationships, financial problems, job changes, etc. And in our attempt to better ourselves, we look back at our lives, evaluate what needs to improve, set goals and make new year's resolutions.

Resolutions are interesting.  My highly-scientific research (Google) revealed some of the most popular changes people resolve to make:  lose weight, get fit, stop smoking, eat better, get out of debt, find a new job, lower/manage stress, go to church, improve education, spend more time with family...  Every publication and website has its own list but it's pretty consistent, even over the course of the past several years.  When you look at the root of a resolution you'll find it falls into one of four categories:  Mental, Physical, Relational, Spiritual.

Like the four legs on a table, these four areas are the basis for a balanced life.  When one "leg" is neglected or out-of-whack, the whole table wobbles.  Jesus is our ultimate example for living and scripture tells us that "Jesus grew in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and man."  (Luke 2:52).  So let's look at the way He lived His perfectly-balanced life and make our resolutions based on His example!

Wisdom (Mental) - keep learning.  This is a tough parallel for us because while Jesus was fully man, He was also fully God and omniscient (all-knowing).  We'll never attain that, but we can keep our brains active by reading and learning.  We live in an age of information-overload, which is good and bad.  It's good in that no matter what you're interested in, you're bound to find plenty of material.  It's bad in that not all the material is reliable, and sometimes the sheer volume of info can be overwhelming!  But let's start small.  If you're a student, focus on your studies.  If you work, learn about changes in your industry.  Everybody, no matter what your stage of life, can keep current with the major events that take place in the world, our nation and our communities.  Just watch a few minutes of one of the MANY 24hr news networks, or find your favorite publication online.

Stature (Physical) - tend the temple.  Eat healthier, breathe deeper, drink plenty of water, move more, rest!  Jesus ate a Mediterranean diet that consisted of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meat and fish, olive oil, etc.  The shelves of the average American grocery store are full of overprocessed, high-fat, low-fiber, sodium and/or sugar saturated foods.  I once read a nutritionist's article that advised shoppers to buy the majority of their foods from the perimeter of the grocery store and stay away from the center.  (That's where you find the boxes of mac and cheese, cereal, canned goods, etc)  Even small changes to our diets can have big benefits over time.  And for those of us who live in the South, the land of the biscuits, gravy, bbq, fried chicken, fruit cobblers... yummm.  Wait a minute, what was I talking about??  Oh yeah, the yummy stuff...  Eat less it ;)  In fact, I like this idea from Steven Covey: "pretend you've just recovered from a heart attack and plan your diet accordingly."  And then wash it all down with plenty of water!

It's impossible to talk about diet without also mentioning proper rest and exercise, and that's one of the more challenging things for many people.  It's important to talk with your doctor and get his/her recommendations based on your current health, but start small.  Stretch.  Go for a walk.  Get the right amount of rest.  And BREATHE.  Everybody can do THAT!  The benefits of deep breathing are amazing and too numerous to go into on a blog, plus I'm not a doctor and don't even play one on TV... but google "deep breathing benefits" and read up on it. (Ooh, and that will count for Mental too!)  This link can get you started.  And take a nice deep breath while you're at it.

Favor with man (Relational) - spend more time with those you love. Try to be more forgiving, patient, gracious, merciful, and compassionate.  Make amends and don't hold grudges.  Seek professional counsel when necessary.  Pray for others and be sensitive to their needs.  Invest yourself in their lives.  Jesus chose his 12 disciples to hang out with and train.  And when He chose them, HE KNEW they would desert Him when He needed them most, but He loved them anyway.

Favor with God (Spiritual) - make your relationship with Him a priority, not an after-thought.  Pray and read your Bible.  Study and memorize the Word, even just one verse each month.  (Ooh, Mental again!!)  Serve Him by serving others and sharing your faith in Jesus.  Look for opportunities to serve at your church or a local ministry, even if it's just occasionally.  (Relational!)  But again, it's ok to start small.  After all, Billy Graham didn't begin his ministry preaching at huge crusades.  

Bottom Line:  The key to successful resolutions is to make them attainable.  We often set the bar so high that we couldn't clear it on our best day!  Then we get discouraged and give up altogether.  Look at each of those four areas:  Mental, Physical, Relational, Spiritual.  Think of one small change you can do in each of those areas.  Write it down and keep it in a place you can see it every day.  And then start.  And if you miss one or two or all four, give yourself some grace and start again.

After all, it's true what my husband Steve says about setting goals:  "If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time."