Resolutions

I've never been big on resolutions. Kind of like I never used to be big on anniversaries.

In fact, Craig and I both forgot our second anniversary. If it hadn't been for Craig's mom calling to remind him, that day would have come and gone like every other. In regards to anniversaries I used to reason that every day should be one in which we express our undying love and devotion to one another...right? So what's the big deal about one day in the grand scheme of things.

I think life was actually like that for us for, well, I suppose over two years. After seven (challenging yet wonderful!) years of marraige it is now the case that I am starting to appreciate the thought of special days amongst the mundane. I now must be much more intentional about loving Craig - especially with little ones around. I love to look at marraige as such a great shadow of the Lord's devotion to us. It is not simply mushy gooshy feelings of love that connect believers with their Savior, but the foundation of that love expressed to us through Jesus is a covenant. A covenant that promises our Lord will never leave or forsake us. A covenant that promises by the blood of Jesus sacrifice our sins are removed from us as far as the east is from the west. A covenant that promises rich fellowship with God himself. After reading through some books of the Old Testament recently I am impressed with the fact that the Lord on many occasions requires special days of remembrance and celebration by the Isrealites. Hmmm...do you think He maybe has a good understanding that our hearts are desperately sinful and these days are eventually needed to remind us of certain principles. I have come around to believe that maybe this idea of anniversaries and resolution is right and good. I have also been impressed in the past few years at how intentional we really must be in this life to actually get anything done.

Enter, my first ever New Year's Resolution. The Lord has been prompting me for some time about this. I have seen fit to avoid it for some time (wouldn't recommend doing that by the way) but now seems a perfect time to seek the Lord in a specific are of my life - self discipline. I've read a book recently called "Respectable Sins" by Jerry Bridges which brought to my attention my own lack thereof. I basically (not bragging about this) go through my days doing whatever I see needs to be done. There is really no rhyme or reason except that Thursday is laundry day. So far with two kids I am able to keep up with the house, but I'm not sure how much longer I can pull it off with another hopefully coming in the next year. What I hope to be doing (if by the grace of God I can discipline myself to sit down and do it) in the next week or so is to sit down and make a plan for my days that will hopefully help me to be much more efficient and productive. Oh, and did I mention that means starting my day at 5 a.m. Ugh. It is only for my Lord that I would get up that early and I am confident He will be there to meet me :) I anticipate some sweet uninterrupted fellowship and am looking forward to the time when it will be routine for me to get up that early. Believe me I don't think 5 am is any more spiritual than 8 am or 10 pm for that matter, however, it is the time I think the Lord wants me to meet Him in His word, so here goes nothin.