January Dreams
Do you know that there is an ice rink on one level of the Eiffel Tower? That is where I wish I were right now. (And, yes, that sentence is correct because I have been studying the subjunctive mood and have my handy Who’s (Oops) Grammar Book is This Anyway on the table next to me.)
Before we get any further into this post, let me be perfectly blunt regarding one thing- I strongly dislike the phrase “New Year’s Resolution.” It has a sappy sound, a cheesy connotation, and an altogether unattainable arete. [Look that one up. It's not easy creating alliterations.] No mortal man can make a year-long materialistic resolution and keep it. Well, at least most can’t. However, last year my friend and I began a new tradition of creating a tangible list of character traits we hoped to improve, skills we desired to perfect, dreams we wished to attain, and prayers we longed to see answered. The beauty of this list was that there was plenty of room to wiggle. This is not to say we didn’t plan on working hard to see these things through, but rather we acknowledged our finite nature and God’s sovereign plan. Certain items on that list were bound not to happen. But we could hope and pray that SOMETHING would. God knows He’s the only One who can keep all His promises; but I think it pleases Him when we make a genuine effort.
Our lists were moderately entertaining. Besides our serious hopes & dreams, we included such things as 1) become less melancholy 2) memorize the main chords in each key 3) learn to multi-task in the kitchen 4) go skydiving. I cannot say any of these have been mastered, but slight headway has been made. Besides the fact that our paper lists afforded some chuckles, the principle in motion was an important one. We were confronting issues and short-comings face-to-face in hopes of showing them who was boss. We were reaching for the sky while keeping our feet on the ground. We were seeking God’s will in areas that seemed unknown and incomplete. The most wonderful part about it all was reviewing those sheets of paper at the end of 2010 and discovering the ways God did indeed answer prayer. He has provided grace for the yet unresolved conflicts, and He has gone as far as to make some of our wildest dreams come true. My trust is growing as I scan our lists of expectations, and I smile as I see the growth that remains. I see 2011 as another whole year full of room to wiggle, and I welcome it wholeheartedly.
And perhaps I’ll add “visiting the ice rink on the Eiffel Tower” to my list of resolutions.
Wow Bai, that’s really good. I hope you keep posting on here, and I’ll try to remember to check it.
Love,
Your Bro