Feelin' fine in '09

Well friends, I know at the birth of a new year it is customary to make the standard, yet futile new year's resolutions that we all know are either vain, unattainable, unremarkable or a combination of all 3. Yet, I am quite compelled to make several "declarations," if you will, that I would like to strive toward for the rest of my life. It is merely coincidental that these should be made public in the setting of a new year. So, without further ado, please bear with me as I bear my soul...

1. For the benefit of myself, my niece, my sister, my girlfriends and (wo)mankind, I will strive to speak positively of myself and all the superficial aspects that go with it. I will no longer participate in the sport that women, as a whole, have become MVPs at...the sport of listing all of the things wrong with us: short eyelashes, thin hair, ears that stick out, huge pores, squatty legs, love handles, fat fingers, double-chins, pale skin...I seriously could go on for days. It stops here!

2. I will attempt to spend less time in front of the TV, and more time being active. This includes actually playing tennis, as opposed to just keeping the raquet in my trunk for kicks and giggles.

3. I will struggle daily with giving control to God. This pertains to all aspects of my life, not just the ones I am comfortable letting go of.

4. I will aim to live in the present...the past is done and the future is not guaranteed. All we have is today, for better or worse.

5. I want to actively pursue Christ in the relationship that He intended us to have: as a father, a lover and a friend. I want to listen to Him. I want to actually read His word to better understand Him.

Through truly seeking God and catching just a glimpse of the true concept of eternity, I have actually experienced the freedom I have always longed for. The bottom line is, if you are disappointed with this life and you feel like most of it has just passed you by, there is hope. Hope that this is not all there is. It's kind of like those people that peaked in high school. You almost feel bad for them because if they peaked in high school, what do they have to look forward to? It is the same way with this short life on this broken, corrupt planet earth. If you have everything you want: perfect job, 4 homes, perfect mate, perfect kids, luxury car, designer clothes, dream vacations...then how can you truly long for eternity? This is not all there is! Being with God, in the relationship that He intended for us, will be so much more than all the things that satisfy our desires short-term in this life. That is where my hope lies in 2009, and for the rest of my days.