New Year, New Start

I love the idea of resolutions.  I even love making the resolutions.  What I don't love and what I don't do well is actually keeping my resolutions.  So last year I skipped the uncomfortable feeling of failing in my resolutions by just not making any.  Except I saw my husband keeping his resolutions and his feeling of accomplishment, so now I want to make some of my own this year, and actually keep them.  That's the tricky part.

I read this article over on Tim Challies' blog and I really liked what Jon Bloom had to say about resolutions.  First, resolutions are Biblical:

That by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith (2 Thessalonians 1:11).

I love how the NIV translates that verse,"your every desire for goodness."  I think that's such a great way to define the word resolution.  The ESV translates it "every resolve for good."

Second, Bloom says, "Resolves are intentions with strategies attached to them."  It's great to make a long list of worthy resolutions, but how likely are you to keep them if you don't plan how you are going to do it. 

But most importantly, Bloom exhorts us not to "pursue selfish ambitions but to pursue love."  Look at I Corinthians 14:1 which says, "Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy."  And then verse 3 says, "But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort."  Our resolutions should be for others' benefit, as well as ourselves.  Read Bloom's whole article here.

I think Paul's words in I Corinthians 9:24-27 speak to resolutions also:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

So this year I will make resolutions with a plan.  How about you?  Let's keep each other accountable this year as we run the race that God has set before us.

 

What Child Is This!

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,

The cross be borne for me, for you.

Hail, hail the Word made flesh,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

             ~What Child Is This

Guess who loves broccoli??

Hmm, green stuff.  Guess we can try that.

I like it, Mom!  I really do!

Luke totally skipped the pureed baby food stage and plunged whole heartedly into solid food.  He is eating two meals a day now, plus 3-4 bottles.  His favorites are string cheese, banana, bread, gold fish, turkey, and now we can add broccoli and roast beef.  He has started doing a little army crawl to reach things he really wants, like Aunt Aimee's iphone.  At his 9 month appointment today (yes, technically he's about 10 months but we are a little behind around here), he weighed almost 19 lbs and was on the longer end of the spectrum of height.  He's a healthy, growing boy, except in the hair department!

VanDen Toorn Christmas

Last Saturday was the annual VanDen Toorn Christmas get-together in the school gym.  The family from Indiana made it too, despite the nasty weather.  

The boys love going to play in the gym.

Cousin Caylee with Luke.

Aunt Shell and Luke (he got passed around a bit!).

Chris with cousin Eric.

Uncle Nate and Aaron.

Uncle Nate holding Luke for about the 4th time since Luke was born.

My dad and Uncle Ben.

Luke and cousin Amy (are we seeing a trend in these pictures??).

Cousin Audrey and Aunt Wanda.

This was hysterically funny.  Chris lifted Joel up to dunk the ball and Joel grabbed onto the edge of the basketball hoop and would not let go.  Even when Chris threatened to leave him hanging, Joel could not let go of the hoop.   Finally, cousin Caylee tickled him and he dropped right down.  Smart girl!

Noah ran around like a crazy boy the whole time.

Cousin Krista has Joel and Aaron enthralled.  

Aaron was pretty interested in the girl toys.  He doesn't see those things too much!

There were plenty of goodies to satisfy Joel's sweet tooth.