New Year's Resolution/Rest

Now that 2009 is well under way (4 days now...), I figured I should take some time to make some resolutions.

Resolution One: Don't make New Year's resolutions!!!

I've never really been one to make New Year's resolutions as I like to take time on a regular basis to pursue what Gordon MacDonald calls Biblical Rest in his book "Ordering your Private World". For years now, I have sought to subject myself to a rhythm of rest amongst a very busy life. Here are the basic principles I seek to apply all year round which in essence gives me resolutions or goals to help keep me on track for the Lord.

At least every seventh day, I seek to find some time to do the following three things:

1) Reflect: I acknowledge that I must take time to regularly reflect on where I've just been. I need to honestly evaluate how I have lived for the Lord in all facets of life over the course of a week or life will just blow me by. If life enters into a tail spin, then poor habits and/or decisions can become the norm if I'm not careful to engage myself in honest self introspection with the Bible as my measuring stick regularly.

2) Recalibrate: I need to take time to make sure I'm firing on all cylinders spiritually. It is an honest time to think through any changes that need to be made to my life (whether small or large) to keep me tracking for the Lord.

3) Refocus: As I prepare to face another week (another year) what are my goals/action points for the week ahead. I must determine ahead of time what I believe God is calling me to accomplish this week for him in my personal, family and professional life. It gives me something to shoot for that helps me keep God's purposes central for my life instead of self serving purposes which have a way of creeping in.

These three "R's" are something I seek to do on a weekly basis. But, they also represent how I seek to start every new year. I like to take these three "R's" and apply them to the year before me. I acknowledge a whole lot can change over the course of a year, but that is why Biblical rest (as I've defined it above) is so important to me on a weekly basis.

So I guess my only resolution for the year is to keep the three "R's" before me on a regular basis!