Have You Ever Noticed?

Have you ever noticed how the blogs you really want to write you shouldn't?  I mean who wants to hear about how you have a bad attitude or made a wrong decision or had a really lazy day and got nothing done.  Not that any of these things ever describe me personally, I'm just saying, hypothetically speaking....  and maybe there are people out there who WOULD actually like to read about all your shortcomings so that they could feel better about their own but that doesn't exactly offer the correct motivation to have a whine and complaint pity party on yourself now does it?  And then, when you think about all the things you would like to write, but shouldn't, you realize that in retrospect you really don't have all that much to whine or complain about anyway....I mean compared to living in a trash city in India or being separated from your family for months or years while your husband is off fighting in a war.  Or your children going hungry because your husband can't, or won't, work.  Of course the list of ways people TRULY have to suffer goes on and on.  And I guess since God's word is sufficient, He's got my puny list of whines and complaints covered:

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have it's perfect result so that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing."  James 1:2-4

"Rejoice always;  pray without ceasing;  in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  I Thessalonians 5:16-18

So, I guess I really don't have anything to write about today after all.

Resolution

"Resolution", according to the 1828 edition of the American Dictionary of the English Language by Noah Webster, is "a fixed purpose or determination of mind; firmness; steadiness or constancy in execution;  implying courage."

As a general rule, I avoid making a New Year's Resolution.  Something about doing what everyone else is doing goes against my nature.  I noticed this at Thanksgiving as well.  Everyone on FaceBook was posting things they were thankful for each day of the month.  What a great way to practice the Lord's command to "be thankful in all things--for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus"  (1 Thess. 5:18)  Not me.  I decided to post things I wasn't thankful for.   I  would just post a word like, "old lightbulbs" or "throw up".    So it was my clever joke on everyone between myself and ......well.....myself.

And I well remember the time in High School when I was in the Gillespie County Fair Queen contest (I still don't know what in the world motivated me to do this so don't ask) and because everyone was getting all dolled up and dressing like a beauty pageant contestant, I decided to come as something original....originality is what the world wants right?   Wrong.  Although no one laughed in my face as I bounced onstage in a cute little get-up that no one else would be caught dead in, I certainly lacked the composure and elegance of the rest of the girls....that was original right?  And that definantly took courage--or was that just social oblivion?     I was sure that because I was daring to be different and was "friendly" and "cute" the judges would see that as "fresh" and "original" and decide I was just who they needed to represent them that year as "Miss GCFQ".  Wrong again.

There are countless other memories I have of going against the grain.  If the world is doing it, you can bet I will NOT be doing it....or at least I will fight it as long as I can.

So what does all this have to do with "Resolution"?  As everyone else in the country is making their "New Year's Resolutions" I have been thinking about the things I HAVE BEEN resolute in the past few years.  Is there any one thing that I have shown "a fixed purpose or determination of mind" about?  Is there anything that I have been "steady or constant in executing"?   And this is my challenge for myself.  To focus on the things God says we are to be resolute in and them execute them constantly and steadily....with courage.  Especially when no one else is doing it!  I can see how God can use this character trait of mine to go against the grain in order to stand for Him....if indeed I remember that THAT is what God would have me use it for.