Just Be

New Years Eve came and went, other than us recovering from being sick nothing exciting happened.

Oh there were a few typical messages put out there that Jan 1st isn't the start of the New Year in God's eyes blahblahblahblah but you know what?  Who really cares! If you do, cool, that is your business and your conscience before the throne, but don't tell me I need to believe or participate in the same thing as you because my walk is not like yours and that's okay. Besides, the free calendars says what it does and my schedule goes along with it as does the world....

Which brings me to my thought for today.  New Years Eve brings on resolutions, people publicly promising themselves that they will do 'better' in the unblemished brand newness an unmarked calendar brings. What they forget, and I do this too, is that there is nothing new under the sun, that the brand new year is already tainted with our sin, and that 'bad things' and 'pain' will continue to happen because that is the nature of this world.  Despite this truth, there is hope in Christ, and even though us Christians continue being sinners, we know that upon death Eternity is our reward, an eternity filled with God's glory and nothing else, and so we endure the days, weeks, and months associated with humanity plodding on year after year.

I tend to avoid making resolutions as I know myself. I'm lazy, and if I do say I'm going to do something I do it like a boss and so I'm cautious at what I commit to.  (See my pride there?)  I don't promise something if I'm not 90% sure I can go through with it. I'm good at saying no, but it had to be learned.  I'd like for people to think I'm willing to do anything, but I'm not, I struggle with helping others because it may cause me to say something which can get me into trouble.  I get into trouble a lot.

While I'm writing this a thought popped into my head as thoughts tend to do and that is knowing my perspective is so out there, so crazy to other people that I've lost relationships because of it and yet I am not in denial or fretting over it.  I know I come off as a know it all, because I am confident in the knowledge I have.  Am I open to changing my views? You betcha, because I fully believe a renewal of mind is vital in the Christian walk. Does my openness negate my beliefs right now? Nope.  I stand on the rock and my faith is secure, God's got this. Knowing this do I regret 2012 and all that it brought?

Not one bit because God designed it to be exactly how it turned out.

I made chicken soup today.  It was delicious.  No I am not humble when it comes to my soup because I make good soup, something I learned and thankful I was able to.  I had left over chicken bones, some meat and baked and boiled all the flavour out of them.  I then added thyme, sage, garlic and pepper, and a pinch of salt, not too much as we don't like terrible salty tasting food, we like the food taste.  I added turnip, carrots, baby brussel sprouts and rice.  Weird combo but it turned out hearty, filling, and perfect for a cold wintry day.  Rice is pretty bland on it's own, and brussel sprouts are an acquired taste.  I know people who can not stand turnip and others who avoid carrots.  On their own these ingredients are okay, but put together they nourish my body and promote my children's growth.  If I just fed them rice, I don't think they'd develop well and I think I would be weak.

My point is that I can learn something on it's own, but if I don't add it to another lesson already learned or in the process of understanding I'm missing out on the fullness of that trial and will not apply it to my life correctly or in the most beneficial way.  I need the other ingredients to appreciate the whole thing, this challenging walk we call life.  If I only stick to one or two things I like and feel comfortable with, I am totally missing out on the complete package variety produces and the heartiness doing so promotes, whatever that may be.

That is why I can safely claim my resolution for 2013 is to just be...

Be open.

Be vulnerable.

Be loving.

Be weak.

Be humble.

Be quiet.

Be loud.

Be there.

Be me.