Welcome, 2011 - It's Not About Me

I have been blogging here for three full years now. That's three New Year's Days, three years of "resolutions," 1095 + days worth of thoughts, convictions, inspirations, and self-evaluation. To be honest, that much accountability is a little bit terrifying!

Coming into 2008, I resolved to put an end to my Procrastination. No more putting off the things that should be done today, or right now. No more ignoring God and listening only to myself. No more laziness and procrastination. My self-report card: C. There has been definite growth and improvement in some areas, like things that need doing around the house. But there are some things undone today that I know could have been done long ago (ahem, updating my book proposal).

As the calendar page turned for 2009, My New Year's Resolution was captured in a passage from the Word: Psalm 25:4-5. My self-report card: B. It was a big year of spiritual growth, change, hearing from and listening to God.

I declared 2010 to be The Year of Consecration, because if there's anything I want in this life, it's that I will look different, sound different, and BE different...set apart for His high purpose. My self-report card: D. Many of the things I had in mind at the writing of that post are unchanged. Potty mouth - still there; over-emotional - yup, nothing new to report; eating/weight issues - let's not even talk about it; parenting struggles - some good strides made in that department, I think (this is the only reason I didn't give myself an F).

What a relief that I don't have to write myself a report card, because my inner perfectionist can only see how I've fallen short. My inner spirit, though - the Spirit of the One who lives within me - He writes report cards akin to those brought home by Kindergartners. There is no A-F scale, no percentage points, no red ink. His report card gives "E" for effort, "I" for the heart's intentions, and "G" for grace.

As I stand on threshold of a fresh, new start once again, I will resist the urge to base my self-worth of my Kingdom value on my own report card, and instead accept His evaluation of who I am (not what I've done). It is only through His lens of grace that I can possibly imagine, for another year, placing before myself goals and hopes and dreams that I may or may not achieve.

The year of our Lord, two-thousand and eleven, is going to be my year of "It's Not About Me." I want to filter each action, each reaction, every decision, every circumstance through the lens of "How can I bring God glory?"

Here's what I think that may look like, lived out:

An invitation to speak - how can I let God's light shine through my feeble words, so that women will want to know Him better?

A house that needs cleaning (when doesn't it?!) - how can I go about my work as an act of worship and service to Him, so that He can be glorified in my home?

Children that misbehave - instead of plain old discipline "because they need to learn," how can I teach them to desire better behaviour so that they might bring honour and glory to God?

Too busy for a social life - how can I learn to see not only the value I get from taking time for friendship, but how my friendship might be used to bless someone else and offer her encouragement in His Name?

Working on (again) my food/weight/health issues - how do I want to treat my physical body (His temple), not just for me and my well-being, but for His glory and His use?

Bring it on, 2011. Because with Him, I know that I will never be graded lower than a G.

Do you make new year's resolutions or come up with a theme for your year? What's yours for 2011?


Side note: my theme phrase for this year has been borrowed from a Max Lucado book of the same title.

This post has been linked up at my friend Sandy's place - God Speaks Today.