January 1, 2001
FAMILY MATTERS:
Resolutions may help begin a good year
___What is all the fuss about New Year's resolutions? My grandkids are always asking me about my resolutions. I just think that is superstition. If we just trust in the Lord, we don't have to worry about making all those promises to ourselves. He will take care of us.
MARY STEPHENS,
Vice President, Buckner Retirement Services, Dallas
___It is true the Lord will provide for us. But, often, people need a little "push" to do the things they should perhaps be doing all along.
___For example, if someone has gained a few pounds during the holidays, it is natural to think about losing it after the first of the New Year. In fact, health club enrollment peaks during the first months of the year.
___Some resolutions are nothing more than party games and not taken seriously. Others are used to spur someone on to action or to create new habits that are desirable, such as to quit smoking.
___Resolutions quite often are shared with others, which creates some accountability that could result in keeping the resolutions. Others are so personal that we do not share them.
___One of the best resolutions we can make is to resolve to be better at following Christ's example. Many Bible stories and parables tell us about the life of Christ.
___Christ responded to the Pharisees' question about the greatest commandment by saying: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
___A wonderful resolution that we all could make is to follow that second commandment, loving our neighbor as ourselves.
___Small acts of kindness we experience often can lift our spirits for the day. Think of the last time someone did something as small as to let you into the traffic lane in front of his or her car. We live in a world where that is almost surprising to us.
___Common courtesy and kindness could sweep our nation if each of us made it our resolution to follow Christ's admonition to love others.
___Ask your grandchildren to think of ways they could show the love of Christ in their daily lives. Telling your grandchildren about your resolution to show that love--and asking them to pray with you for God's help in keeping it--will be a powerful lesson. I can't think of a better way to instill this important lesson into your grandchildren's value system.
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