Resolution. Shmesolution.

I was kind of feeling like blowing off the whole resolution thing.  Until today.  Not that I try to resolve anything with real intention any other year, but I thought I might not even act like I was going to try to do something this time.  Who am I kidding anyways?

This changed during my second run through of Paris, je t'aime this afternoon.  Why does a resolution have to be about smoking or losing weight all the time?  Here's what I've decided so far that I would like to be more aware of:

1.  Seek Him.  This is really my main resolution.  Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Matthew 6.33  

2.  How I spend my time.  There are things that I've always wanted to do, but seem to believe that I don't have the time.  Not the case.  I was working on learning French today by watching a French movie while I was finishing up sewing my new surgery cap (Take that Blue Sky.  You won't be getting $24 out of me!).  I had a little revelation while trying to listen for familiar words in this foreign language.  I can do these things that I have wanted if I just put the energy into doing it.  Stating the obvious, but really.  I always wanted to learn to play the piano.  I started last year this time, and I have started to get better already.  With practice.  My problem is that I forget that it takes work to do something.  It's just seeing that the outcome is worth the work and that the work isn't really work at all if you enjoy it.  I don't want to wait for the "what-ifs" of the future to happen.  This life is happening right now, and I really want to enjoy it.

3.  Read the Bible straight through.  Honestly, I haven't made it through the whole Old Testament.  Ever.  But I want to!  I started last year and just made it not even through Exodus.  Lame I know, but I have apparent commitment issues.

4.  Study the Bible and be more prayerful and purposeful about it.  When I'm in the down slump of just being and not feeling God so much, I have a hard time making it a point to read the Bible and pray.  I don't have an excuse, but I'd like to be better about it only because deep down I know that's what keeps bringing me back to Him.

5.  Start working on some of the things I've wanted to do.  For instance, learning French.  This is recent because of the trip to Benin.  I think it would be great to talk with locals in their native language (because I have some idea that I will be teaching them proper French grammar because I'll be so good! Ha..not really).  Even just to communicate somewhat would be awesome.  To ask about their families and their lives.  Also, I want to try to figure out how to make a quilt.  Google is oh, so helpful.

6.  Live in the present.  I often find that I find myself hanging on to the past or setting my future in stone.  It's not bad to look back, but for me to linger there isn't healthy.  I'm not as bad about that as I am planning my future.  I'm already trying to figure out what I'll be doing when I get back from Africa!  I'm almost tempted to list the four options that I told Megan about the other day just so I can have it to laugh about when I get back and God has me doing something entirely different.  Let's do it:  a. come back to work at St. Vincent  b. start travel nursing  c. alternate travel nursing and working in Africa d. get ready to go back to Africa long-term.  I plan all this out like I have some sort of control over it.  Not to mention that it's an entire year away!

Let's see how productive this can be!