I realize this renders me a freak of nature, but I really like Mondays. Less freakish is my adoration of the new year.
You see, I love new beginnings. I live for fresh starts.
Do-overs rock my socks off.
And my muffin-top, if done correctly.
My hubby thinks I am a dork {albeit a “cute” one} and is not a fan of the whole “New Year’s Resolution” concept because, as he correctly points out, they are rarely followed through on.
How many of us can honestly say we’re still chipping away at our resolutions come June? Or February, for that matter.
And I get that. I do.
But I think there is power in trying…again, and value in effort. Incredible value.
And there is something to be said about getting to funnel all our “let’s try and tackle this darn thing.one.more.time” energy into a fresh start that only comes every 365 days.
And while, sure, we can make plans on any of the other 364 days, there just seems to be something magically momentous about the 1st day of the 1st month of a brand spankin’ new year.
But then again, I’m a dork.
Never the less…
As a year draws to a close, I usually reflect on the successes and disappointments of the previous 12 months and jot down several things I want to work on in the upcoming year. I also like to ask God for a word or ‘theme’ for the year ahead. Seeing He sees so much more potential and purpose in us than we see in ourselves – I think it has to do with that whole ‘being outside of time’, lens of grace thing – I figure He’s the perfect one to check in with regarding encouragement and a focus for the upcoming adventure.
This new year’s word is SACRIFICE.
And while my initial response was to grunt and whine just a wee bit, I’m now totally pumped. You see, I’ve been chewing on this concept for a while now, and I think sacrifice, in its most elementary form, is a lost art.
I’m not talking selling all my furniture and living in a box, or setting half a young sheep on fire.
But rather, sacrifice as a lifestyle. A day by day, moment by moment decision to lay down one thing in favor of another.
To give up “good” in favor of what is “best”.
Sacrifice is defined as ‘the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim’.
That’s it!
I stumbled upon a quote a few months ago that, in so many words, stated that the chief cause of our disappointment and unhappiness in life is due to the fact that we sacrifice what we want most for what we want right now.
Woah.
Go ahead, read that again.
What a profoundly simple concept. What a simply profound way to live life.
It explains so much about the way we flesh out our existence…and the subtle beasts we daily wage war against.
What if I chose to protect my children’s hearts by not blowing up at them because, despite my weary, sleep-deprived state, their ability to control their own emotions and relate to authority hinges on how I carry out that responsibility of authority, and how I control myself in the grip of frustration.
What if I decided to not eat 3,425 pieces of peanut butter fudge because, despite how glorious and mind-blowingly fantastic they taste in my mouth (now), the way I will feel tomorrow when my head isn’t pounding and my belly isn’t aching will far outweigh the temporary bliss of gorging.
What if I chose to be gracious and patient with my husband, despite the fact that he is gone many nights, works long hours and struggles with carrying the weight of the negativity he faces at work into his daily life…while I’m up to my eyeballs in loin-fruit feistiness…because our marriage is more important to me than the temporary relief of discomfort and the briefly satisfying rush of a rant.
What if I chose to dip into one of the many excellent books I’m partway through before bed, rather than frittering away time online – and staying up way into the night – because the magnitude of investing in my spiritual, mental & emotional health has a powerful ripple effect far beyond a sane, well-rested mama.
What if?
What if I sacrificed what I wanted now…for what I wanted most?
How wildly our lives would change – grow and blossom – if we chose, rather, to sacrifice what we want in the moment, in favor of experiencing and enjoying what we truly long for in life?
Blasted instant gratification, how I loathe your hold on me.
This is such a big issue for me that the thought of actually getting a handle on this thrills me to pieces! Especially if this ‘theme’ is God inspired…then I’m super-duper excited {because Lord knows I need help here}.
What a year of growth this is sure to be!
Along with a few other areas that need attention {these are all impacted by my need for better time management), here’s what emerged when I took the word ‘SACRIFICE’ apart and reassembled it with some of the areas of my life that need to be worked on in this upcoming year…{how’s this for accountability?}:
S : Self care ~ make time to take better care of myself physically
A : Authentic pursuit of Jesus ~ not empty religious habits, but building an intimate, daily relationship
C : Cultivate an attitude of gratitude & joy ~ actively counter perfectionism & embrace hospitality
R : Read every day ~ even if just 15 minutes before bed, being intentional about mental intake
I : Intentional marriage ~ prioritize time with hubby {spiritual, emotional & physical connectedness}
F : Fitness ~ be active daily {make time to move in fun, creative ways}
I : Identity ~ joyfully embrace who God created me to be {guard my heart, less negative self-talk}
C : Choose grace ~ be Jesus to my kids {empower them to manage their freedom) & speak life!
E : Eat simply & cleanly ~ less in quantity, more in quality (no refined sugar)
I’ve downloaded Crystal Paine’s e-book 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life to read during these first few weeks of the new year. I need all the self-discipline motivation I can get.
I’m excited to tackle these areas of struggle and to be more intentional about embracing the little victories and opportunities for growth that are all around me, but so often missed by the seemingly unimportant decisions I make throughout my day.
I don’t want to go through life robbing myself of what really matters in the long run because I was too impulsive and impatient to sacrifice what I wanted in the moment.
But it means being intentional, and purposeful, and sacrificial.
Here’s to rediscovering the lost art of sacrifice…to choosing the better over the good…and to intentionally making 2013 a fantastic year of growth.
“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
Isaiah 43:18-19
