New Years Resolutions and the Afterglow of the Holidays

In November, we gave thanks for all that we have been blessed with, praising God and being sure to take note of all the good in our lives.  We felt great about what we had and even appeared to be content for a moment.  Then December came and we all clamored for the next big thing that we had to have.  We become aware of what we do not have, what we want and suddenly we are not as content as we were just a few short weeks ago.

So in our new found discontent, we give lists of our wishes to our friends and family, we go to the stores in search of their wants and desires (partially in the hopes that if we satisfy their wants, maybe they will satisfy ours).  We search for good deals and the best prices like the cavemen used to hunt wild game-with precision, a plan and as if our very well being depends on it.  We take home our little treasures, wrap them up and give them to one another.

We are relational creatures, I have written about this several times, but I think the holiday season brings this out in us more than other times of the year.  Maybe its all the family dinners, the holiday parties, or the small get togethers with friends.  Maybe its being forced to think about others for a bit, even if it is only for  a moment.  Whatever the reason, the holiday season always makes me more aware of how important my relationships are to me.

We are nearing the new year, the day when many make resolutions to change what they don't like.  The most common resolution according to statistic brain is to lose weight, followed by get organized, and spend less.  In fact, it is not until number 8 that we begin to see others incorporated into our desires to make ourselves and the world better.  

As a matter of fact, it struck me that of the  Top 10 New years Resolutions, several of them surround undoing what we have done during the holiday season.  We eat a lot of sweets and rich foods, then pledge to lose weight.  We indulge in sitting around with family and friends, not working out as we should, then pledge to get fit and healthy.  The chaos of the holiday season causes us to pledge to get more organized.  We have just gotten done telling everyone how we do not have enough in our lives, then we pledge to help others reach their dreams.

I have often wondered why we don't look out for each other, all the time.  Why do we need a special day to start taking care of ourselves and others?  The poor and the needy, are not only poor and needy at the first of the year-they experience hardship every day.  We are called by Christ to reach out daily to those in need.  It is essential that we do not lose sight of this.  

We are nearing the end of a season of blessings and overindulgence for most of us; but there are many who had nothing, who suffered a great deal and were in need as well, and these needs will continue long after the glow of Christmas has left most of us.  As an example, on December 23, I took some gifts to a local battered woman's shelter for the children who would be there on Christmas; the gifts were donated by my family and my husbands mother and step father (very generous people indeed).  When I dropped them off, a staff person shared with me that on that day there were 15 children in the shelter.  

Take a second and process that.  In one small shelter, there were 15 children who would spend the holiday with strangers, escaping a dangerous and scary situation.  That does not include the homeless, the mentally ill or physically ill who would be hospitalizes, nor does it include those who were surrounded by loved ones, but who felt alone because of deep pain they were experiencing.  While most of us see the holiday season as a time of great blessings and joy, many more than we realize are suffering and hurting.  Their loneliness and pain can be magnified by all the joy around them.  Far too often, we turn a blind eye to this hurting.

I know that we can all come together and make a difference, but we have to make the effort.  We all need to reach out to those we see who are lonely or suffering.  A kind word, a gentle touch or even a smile can make a difference.  We need to feed the hungry, provide clothing and shelter to the poor and reach out to the widow/widowers.  We must take care of each other, as Christ took care of us. 

We must remember that the resolution to lose weight indicates the great blessing of an abundance of food.  The resolution to get organized means we have been blessed with material possessions that can make a difference in others lives.  When we resolve to spend more time with family, it is because we have loved ones around to spend time with.  To say that we want to get fit and healthy, means that we are comfortable enough to think about our health.  Our energy is not focused on providing the basics for ourselves-we have food, shelter, clothing and the basic necessities of life.  These are all wonderful things, but we must not lose sight of the fact that many others do not have the same blessings.

We should all resolve this year, this day, to take care of one another as we have been commanded to.