List of Things I would Really Like to do But Won’t Beat Myself up if I Don’t Do Them All List

               Well, it’s here. Another New Year is upon us.

               I like New Years. I don’t really feel that much older, and I don’t really feel regrets about what I did or didn’t do this past year. What I do feel is excitement. I sense all these new possibilities. I think about all the new ways that God is going to be at work in our lives in this next year. And I think, what if this will be the year that our Lord returns?

               Pretty cool stuff to think about!

               So, yeah. I like New Years.

               I usually start each year with a list of things I would like to accomplish over the next twelve months. I don’t always complete them all, but that’s OK. I like having goals to look forward to. So as we are now in January 2016, I thought I would ask your indulgence to share my list with you. And, maybe you could even help keep me accountable for when I start to get lazy on my list (usually this happens around Jan 5).

               Keep in mind, these aren’t really New Year’s Resolutions. Most of the things on my list don’t qualify in the “resolutionary” category such as “join the gym”, “lose 10 lbs”, or “quit drinking Mountain Dew”…Resolutions like that last one are simply crazy non-sense.

               So, here goes….my 2016:

 List of Things I would Really Like to do But Won’t Beat Myself up if I Don’t Do Them All List

1.    Get closer to Jesus

This is a daily goal of mine every day every year. If you don’t talk to Jesus every day throughout the day, you should try this in 2016. Amazing how everything else shapes up when this relationship is the #1 priority.

2.      Love my wife and my children more fully and completely

These six people are the greatest blessings God has placed in my life. I want to be the best husband and father that I can be with God’s help.

3.      Read the Bible all the way through in the New Living Translation

Each year I try to a reading plan to read the Bible cover to cover. This year I want to read again the NLT, this is one of my favorite translations for my personal reading.

4.     Help someone every day

I honestly believe that God gives us the opportunities, and I honestly believe for every person I stop to help that I miss several others. I pray that I will see with God’s-Eyes in this New Year.

5.     Date night every week

If you know Heather and I, then you know this is a priority already. Friday night is date night. But in January there are five Fridays this year, and I am out of town four of them. So, we will need to be creative and have date night on other nights. If you’re married let me say that I believe that Date Night is imperative to a healthy marriage (thanks for the adjective help there Heather—that’s why we’re a great team!)

6.     Publish my first book

Getting pretty close on this one. I started a humor book about 10 years ago. I am a big Dave Berry and Lewis Grizzard fan so the writing style is as similar to those great writers as a simple guy like me can get. It should be in print by March at the latest. “The Great All-American Dad Misconceptions”—check it out (and by that I really mean please buy a copy or the Kindle version!)

7.    Write regularly for a publication

I love to write. I can say that this is one of the gifts that God has given me. I can use a bunch of words, both when I write and when I speak (just ask people that have sat through my sermons).

8.    Preach

Yep, I love this too. God is good, all the time. And I get the chances to share what God is doing in my life and teaching me with other people. I am blessed to be serving at an amazing church, Telford UMC, and look forward to another exciting year here sharing the Good News and impacting the community for our Lord.

9.    Mission trip

I hope to be going with one of my children to the Czech Republic this year on a mission trip. I have never been out of the country, so I am excited about this!

               So, that’s my list. Take a minute and think about a few things that you want to do this year, or better yet that you feel that God is calling you to do this year. It’s exciting, and a little scary sometimes. But what a great way to live!

               Happy New Year friends. Thanks for reading, and God bless!