New Year's Resolution: One Word (or should I say three)

There is something uncomfortable about putting one's New Year's Resolution in writing for the public to see.  I guess it is that sense of accountability that comes from being open about something for which you expect to some degree to fail.  When we start a new year we are often passionate (or at least motivated) to make an adjustment in our life.  For the past several years I've been wanting to focus on "self-discipline" but have not been successful because I have defined that goal to broadly with too many expectations.  Once again this year, I'm going to try to make self-discipline my key word for the new year, except this year, I'm just going to take it one step at a time.  One mini-goal a month.  So this month, my first step will be to keep a regular sleep schedule.  I will be responsive to my body's needs.  Since I usually feel tired at 10:30 p.m., instead of denying my body and ignoring its plea, I will go to bed at around 10:30.  I will also be more consistent in the time that I wake up. Such that I not sleep later than 7 a.m. except on my Friday Sabbath.

My second New Year's Resolution is to keep prayer first.  So often New Year's Resolutions focus on reading the Bible on a daily basis, but what I realize is that I really need to really pray on a daily basis.  What I mean by this is to daily take time to just sit and give God my full attention and have a conversation with Him.  I know this seems like something I should already be doing, but sometimes it is a rote prayer, an obligated intercessory prayer, or a quick arrow prayer.  What I mean by making this my New Year's Resolution is to have a God-date each day that is focused on the conversation, not on the work of prayer.  To just be with God.

So, those are my "two" key words for 2013: Self-Discipline & Prayer First.

To see another blog about One Word focuses for a year, see:
http://www.gritandglory.com/one-word-2011/
http://livingcanvas.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/what-i-learned-about-discipline-in-2012/

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