2008 Year End Review Thanksgiving Reflections

In a previous blog, I explained about how I no longer create New Years Resolutions. Instead, I pick one bible verse to meditate upon, memorize, and practically apply to my daily life. I have been doing this since October 2002, and this one activity has radically changed my life.

I will be reflecting on some of the specific changes, and results that I have experienced over the past seven years. First of all, I am a much more "mellow christian" as a result of this habit. I used to feel this compulsion to study and read my bible for hours every day, at the neglect of building relationships, and even doing the basic daily lifestyle habits that create order, and beauty in every day living. Such as, meeting friends for lunch, going for walks, doing laundry, or straightening up around the house.

The truth is, we all have 24 hrs available to us every day. We all choose how we will spend those hours. I have found that there is a holiness in the mundane every day life activities. Simply meeting a friend for coffee, or preparing dinner for your family, or even going grocery shopping, these activities can bring honor to God. I have learned that these activities can be deeply and profoundly moving us to a more intimate communion with God. We were created to worship, and worship is a lifestyle of bringing your everyday, normal lifestyle activities into alignment with a Extraordinarily Gracious God.

Think about what your life would look like if you acknowledged your daily choices as an opportunity to worship the Almighty God. How would that change your attitude to sweeping the front porch? Imagine viewing everything that you own as God's property, and you as the manager of his property. How would that change the way you view your job? your boss? housework? errands? yard work? budgeting and bill paying? your playtime, recreation, and entertainment choices? Everything that you have belongs to God. You are the manager of all that he has entrusted to you: home, cars, personal property, children, spouse, career, business, it all belongs to God. He is the CEO, the boss. You are the manager.

I have been living my life this way for several years, and this awareness, that everything belongs to God has created a deep sense of gratitude and joyfulness in my everyday life. I get a deep sense of pleasure in my daily routine. So in honor of my past Seven Year Journey, I want to encourage you to stop making new years resolutions. Instead, in the next couple of weeks spend several days praying and asking God to reveal His will for you in the upcoming year. Ask for a verse that He wants to imprint on your life. God's word (the Bible) will change your life. It is a book full of hope, wisdom, comfort, and love. Open it up, give it a try. I dare you.