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Bringing About True Change in 2013

Bad habits reap bad consequences.  I've preached this to my children for many years, hoping they will 'get it' and avoid habits and characteristics that lead to sorrow and pain.
 
But, you are never too old for this fact of life to impact you!  This Christmas found me battling some consequences of my own bad habits. Nothing terrible, but enough to want to produce some change. It stems from what we truly are...see, I like my personality that is easy going and laid back.  Some good points of this 'type B' personality are patience, peace, calmness, serenity etc.  My desire is to always add some joy in the mix for added sparkle in all that is done!   Some weaker areas of this personality type of mine are procrastination, tardiness, last minute motivation and poor planning.
 
These weaker points caught up with me this Christmas. For many years, our family has had a tradition that works well for us.  We spend Christmas Eve with my husband's parents, enjoy Christmas morning at home and have a Christmas dinner for my family that night.  I was a bit tardy in inviting my family to dinner and they had made other plans, so Christmas Day found me with not so much to 'do', but lots of time to think, plan and be challenged. 
 
This last minute mentality causes me to often be tardy, miss opportunities and countless ways to bless others.  A change for the New Year is needed!
 
True change comes when the desire for better overcomes the comfortable ways that are no longer working. The best way to lose a bad habit is to gain a good one!  Each step away from the old and into the new etches a new characteristic and makes it stronger.  Since New Year's Resolutions often are things we wish for, but lack the diligence to follow up on, they are rarely impact our lives with any true change. Resolutions are often mere wishes we would like to see come into our lives.  True change occurs when we have had enough of the thing in our lives we don't like and are willing to do what it takes to replace it with something better.
 
This year, instead of a long list of things I would like to see happen in my life, I'm going to ponder and pray over just a few areas where I need true, lasting changes.  Change begins in the mind and heart and is enforced by our actions.  A New Year is always a great time to search and evaluate our hearts and lives.  Trusting in the Lord to guide us and lead us will do an inward make-over that overflows outward.  May God mold and shape us this year to be more like Him in our habits and actions!
 
  Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
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  1. AnonymousDecember 28, 2012 at 2:31 PM

    You are so gracious. I think I might have been a tish annoyed with my family to not check in about Christmas plans since it had been tradition. Guess I know what I need to work on this coming year. :)

    May the Lord bless your coming year as you serve Him with JOY!

    ReplyDelete

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