{new year, new perspective}

Literally. I now have pieces of dark plastic framing my vision, which can sometimes be distracting. But I’m excited that I finally got new glasses, which I have been searching for the entirety of 2007.

Anyway...

Happy New Year to all of you!

I can't help but make New Year's resolutions. Maybe it's my goal-oriented side. Or my tendency to self-reflect. Or constant dissatisfaction with myself. Or maybe just my love of list-making. In any case, I never have trouble coming up with a few resolutions. Here are the three that came to mind first:

(1) Do more pilates (actually, that would be just "do pilates")

(2) Accept my personal style (but also stop feeling self conscious when I wear things that are “not me”)

(3) Wear more skirts (which is Paul's personal favorite)

I was discussing these facts with Paul on the drive home from the airport on Sunday, and lamenting the fact that I am never able to get the motivation to really change, specifically my complete inability to want to exercise. Paul, who had just come from hearing an appropriately relevant sermon, said something to the effect of this: It's not up to me to change myself or even within my capability of changing myself; it's up to God to change me (I'm assuming counting partly my willingness to allow the change...I can be pretty stubborn sometimes.) Well, good point, Paul (and thanks Dad-in-law!). It’s one of those notions that is so obvious yet so easy to forget, but so freeing when we remember. I don’t have to try to do the impossible. I don’t have to beat myself up for failing at the impossible. I don’t have to despair that I can’t complete the impossible. I can still try to make an effort to do Pilates or whatever, but it’s so nice not to have to rely on myself.

So, we'll see how the year goes. In the meantime, I will chuck my resolutions. Except maybe the one about the skirts because it's such as great excuse to go shopping.