"Do you decorate?"

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I really love the Christmas and New Year’s holidays what with all of the decorations. You go to an office building, there are decorations. You go shopping, there are decorations. You drive through a neighborhood, there are many fine examples of exterior illumination displays that would make Griswold envious. Even some truckers hang wreaths on the front of their rigs to celebrate.

But then all the decorations come down and are put back into their out-of-the-way hiding places, destined to gather dust until next season. Everything looks rather plain, doesn’t it? Even barren of anything that resembles a celebration.

And that’s why every year I leave out some decorations. I know it may look rather strange to some people for me to have Santa Claus figurines on a table, or the nativity scene on my desk or an angel hanging in a window or a candle in the window. But I leave a decoration or two out to remind me that I can celebrate God’s love all year long as I listen to life and make a life, not just a living. And you can, too!

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"How clean is your act?"

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Recently one of our yellow Labs had an accident on our bedroom carpeting. I discovered it unfortunately when the stain had set.

So I went to the grocery store and rented a carpet cleaner. I thought that since I had it, I might as well clean the entire room.

You wouldn’t believe what came out of our carpet! I mean, it looked clean on the surface. Sure, it had a few stains here and there, but overall I thought it looked pretty good…until I emptied the dirty water bucket. It was really dirty!

As you reflect back on 2006 and start into 2007, last year might look pretty clean. You might be thinking that you can just keep on doing life the way you did last year.

But odds are you’re more like my carpeting than you imagine. That there’s something beneath the surface of your habits that needs cleaning.

Do you have any negative thoughts that keep coming up at work or at home? What about a personal habit that keeps you from succeeding?

Clean up your act in 2007 by listening to life and making a life.

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"Got goals"

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When NASA took on the challenge of putting a person on the moon, they started by setting goals. Instead of starting with "now" and working forward, they started with "then"—the day they wanted to land on the moon, July 20, 1969, when the earth and moon were closest. They planned backwards from that date, i.e., where do we need to be on July 19, July 18, and so on making a detailed plan. They set goals backwards, knowing when they wanted Neil Armstrong stepping on the moon, and what it would take each week to get him there.

A lot of us try to set New Year’s resolution goal forwards, like, I want to lose 40 pounds, without knowing by when. We try for a little while to lose weight, realize we can’t lose all 40 in a month, and give up.

Set a realistic goal—like losing 40 pounds—and a target date, like June 30th. That way, you can plan on losing an average of 1.5 pounds a week and that’s doable!

Life isn’t so overwhelming when you take the long view—from God’s perspective—as you listen to life and make a life, not just a living.

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"Have you walked with a two-year old?"

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Have you ever tried to take a two-year-old on a straight-ahead walk? It just doesn't happen. Children that age have an entirely different agenda. For a two-year-old, there is no sense of accomplishment with leaving point A in order to arrive at point B. The only reason for even venturing out the door is the prospect of the journey—or to meander—between point A and point B.

When you’re two, the world is still a new and fascinating place. Every stone deserves investigation, every mud puddle calls you, and every creepy, crawly creature must be scrutinized and subjected to awe, or torture, or screams of delight and horror. When you’re two, the only possible reason for finally arriving at point B is so that now you can begin the trek back to point A.

In this New Year, don’t be in too big a hurry to get where you’re going. Avoid getting consumed with checking every item off of your to-do list. Enjoy the moment as you listen to life today like a two-year old and make a life, not just a living.

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"Got a partner?"

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How do you try to make your New Year’s resolution happen? Do you tough it out on your own, using sheer will power and strength? And how far does that get you? Yea, I know, about that far.

When I made a New Year’s resolution a few years ago to start exercising regularly, I did pretty well at first, going often and really enjoying the time and feeling better. After a while though I noticed my enthusiasm waning. I had more excuses not to go and I let them get in the way of my going.

I knew I needed a partner—someone to hold me accountable, to ask when were we going to the gym, to look forward to being with. Our younger daughter became my partner, when she’s not at track practice. We had a great time together encouraging each other. She helped me push away from my desk and get up and go.

We all need a partner to help us reach our goals. Who’s your partner? Ask God to send someone to you who will motivate you, encourage you, and listen to life with you as you make a life, not just a living today.

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