Soak it in

A new year is upon us and we often hear people talking about their New Years Resolutions. I’ve never been big on New Years Resolutions for a couple of different reasons. The first reason is because I am terrible at keeping New Years Resolutions. I have never been able to keep a New Years Resolution for a whole year. Sometimes I can keep my resolution for a month or two, but then I almost always cave. The farthest I ever got on keeping a New Years Resolution is when I gave up drinking soda. That time I lasted 6 whole months! This was a big deal for me because prior to that I was drinking a minimum of 3 cans of Dr. Pepper per day! Woah! Then I went on a cruise with my family and needed soda to keep my stomach settled. Oh well, I tried.

Another reason why I’ve never been a fan of New Years Resolutions is because I don’t like making promises I can’t keep. With New Years Resolutions all I feel like I’m doing is making empty promises and that’s just not who I am.

This year I don’t want to say that I have a New Years Resolution, because that’s not the case, but merely the desire to just soak in everything I have. To enjoy the things I have in life. To cherish the relationships that are right in front of me. And to see the value in my life and the lives of others.

Lately I have been hearing others from all over talk about about how excited they are that 2020 is over and that 2021 is here. Honestly, I was excited to see 2020 finally arrive at this time last year. For me 2020 was going to be the year of new, the year of refreshment and the perfect year (because you know, 2020 vision). 2020 was certainly the year of new for all of us as we walked through times and situations that we probably had never walked through before. However, I don’t know many people that would say 2020 was the “perfect year.” I can’t speak for everyone, but I can speak for myself. 2020 wasn’t the year I was expecting, but it also wasn’t terrible either. Sure, I had to give up a lot of things in 2020 like traveling, seeing my family as much as I would like and worshiping on Sunday mornings in person for several months out of the year.

However, I also found myself more rested because my social life was very non-existent for much of the year and I was at home more. I also got to have more one-on-one time with my heavenly father, found more time to write and played my guitar more.

If 2020 taught me anything it was to really soak in everything I have and to cherish what’s right in front of me because one day those things we took for granted may be gone, like the freedom to not wear a mask in public for example. If you told me last January that a year from now, we would all be required to wear a mask to go into the bank I probably would have laughed at you.

So in 2021 I want to challenge you to really soak in what you have and appreciate it. This challenge goes for me too. Value that friendship a little more. Soak in that conversation with your family around the dinner table. Laugh a little harder at that horrible joke your dad told you. Go to work AND enjoy it while you are there! Cherish those loud moments at home when you wish you could get some peace and quiet for 5 minutes. One day those things may not be there anymore and the things you took for granted are gone.

I hope you all have a wonderful year. Keep running the race you were set out to race. Don’t ever give up. You are doing great!

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, not anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39