I have to admit I haven’t given much thought to any resolutions for this New Year. Probably because history proves I have a hard time keeping them (I wanted to loose ten pounds this past year - I lost a total of a whopping zero!). On January 1st of 2008 I made a commitment to read more, spend more time with Tami and the kids, be a better pastor, and other personal things (you know, the resolutions you make between you and the Lord to root out those ‘bosom’ sins in your life). 

Guess what, I didn’t read more, I did spent time with Tami and the kids but probably not more then in 2007, I’m still an okay pastor (better then in 2007? Probably not). As far as the ‘personal things’, I can’t see any real measurable growth - maybe because I want those things to be completely gone and they are not. I hope the Lord saw some small progress in these areas because I sure didn’t!

So here is what I’ve come up with; I’m going to make the same resolutions I made last year. Dumb you say? Actually, I don’t think so. I figure those resolutions are good ones. I need to read more (Brad challenged me to a reading contest [see blog entry below] this year so now I have to read!), I need to spend more time with Tami and the kids (and I love doing that) and I definitely need to be a better pastor (CBC deserves that) and I sure need to conquer those personal sin issues in my life (the Lord wants that).

Like Paul I know I won’t reach my goals this side of heaven, but I press on knowing the battle for growth is worth it. After all, the alternative (remaining a poor reader, husband, father, pastor, and Christian) is not acceptable!

By God’s grace I WILL begin to become what God wants me to be in 2009! Even if it takes me 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 - you get the point!

P.S. By they way, I’ve given up trying to loose ten pounds I’ve just vowed not to gain ten more!

Yesterday (Dec 28th) I challenged us as a church to be “People of the Word”. Part of that challenge included setting a time aside each day to read the Word. For some reading just isn’t your thing. I understand. So, to help you (Tami showed me this), here is a LINK to a site that reads the Bible out loud to you. You don’t have to read you can just listen! It will take you through the whole Bible in a year and it only takes about 15 minutes a day. For those who are more audio orientated in your learning style, this should help you get into the Word!

NOTE: For those who like to read, here is a LINK that gives a variety of ways to read through the Bible in a year.

I came across this Wall Street Journal article about President Bush and his reading habits. I never knew he was such a ferocious reader! Here is the leader of the free world who seemingly wouldn’t have time to tie his own shoes and yet he has read more books this year then I have in the past…oh, 5 years!! (I love the fact that part of his reading repertoire was the Bible [from cover to cover!]) 

You book readers/lovers out there, how would you fair against Bush in such a reading contest? Anybody read more books in 2008 then Bush?

It just dawned on me, Abigail has read more (sometimes she’ll read a book a day!) - but I think the content between the two is slightly different!