Resolutions as Gifts [CHOOSING JOY by Katie Albers]

A fresh tradition inspired by my mom has given my family a new outlook on the dreaded New Year's Resolution.

In years past, I must admit that my New Year’s resolutions have been very superficial and self-focused.  I have pledged to lose weight, stick to a budget, watch less TV, drink fewer sodas, give up facebook.  And, to be honest, there is not a single resolution promise that I have made to myself that has ever had any lasting change on my life.  So I did not look forward to whatever grandiose goal I would guilt myself into this year.  Then I got request from my mother.

On Christmas Day my mom hosted the entire family to celebrate Jesus’ birthday and, new this year, she wanted us all to bring Jesus a present.  So we wrote down what we would do this year to honor Jesus and wrapped up our “gifts” in birthday paper.  My nieces read them all aloud, and I realized that what we had written were really New Year’s resolutions.  But, instead of making promises to ourselves, we had pledged these actions to Jesus!

My little branch of the family decided that we would perform at least one service project per month this year and learn six hymns from our Cokesbury Hymnal.  These small promises bring no guilt about past behaviors, and no fear of impending failure because they are measurable and bring us together.  In fact, for the first time ever, I am excited about carrying out my resolutions because they are not about me but about glorifying God!

Our family presented these gifts on Christmas Day, but I would suggest that in the future we could use January 6^th, the traditional day of Epiphany, where the Christian calendar celebrates the arrival of the wise men from the East.

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”  Matthew 2:11 (NIV)

Just like the wise men, we can worship and present gifts to Jesus, the gifts of our love and service.  2015 is going to be a great year!  Praise God!