Faith Venture

The end of a season of life calls for reflection and anticipation. I’m posting this on December 30. We are all, no matter the culture or geography, closing out a calendar year. Sometimes a semester of school ends. Or graduation from high school or university. Or a child marries and leaves the nest.

Reflecting on the past brings with it opportunities to consider what we did to help people during the past time and, perhaps, where we fell short. We failed to put a donation into a cup somewhere. We failed to give a kind word when it would have helped so much. 

Perhaps we read something that deepened our spiritual life. Perhaps we had deep conversations. Perhaps we did help someone in need.

In the Examen promulgated by Ignatius of Loyola, we are told to review the day, face our shortcomings, and look forward to the new day.

I suggest that you avoid New Year’s Resolutions. Unless, that is, you make something very specific. Perhaps I will walk five days per week. Or, I will work out at the fitness center three days per week. (Not like Dave, who goes into our fitness center every Monday, steps one foot on the treadmill, then goes out to coffee hour and tells the men he went to the fitness center today 😉

Best is to be intentional about what sort of person you will be this year.

• I am the type of person who intentionally eats nutritious meals.
• I am the type of person who is physically fit.
• I am the type of person who meditates and prays to deepen my spiritual life.
• I am the type of person who is kind and generous to others along the way. 

And, if we slip up a day, that’s life. And, we go on to the next day.

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No, I’m not leading into the song by The Who.

You sense a desire to change.

Perhaps you looked into a mirror and thought you wanted to look better. Lose weight. Be more fit.

Perhaps you look with envy at those people who look so happy serving at a food pantry or making meals for people in shelters or just being kind and generous.

You make a list of habits that you will certainly develop.

It fails.

Better this.

I am an exerciser.

I am a person who exercises portion control at meals.

I am a meditator.

I am a generous person.

I am kind.

Decide with intention who you are. You will find that you do the things that come naturally to that sort of person.

And you won’t have Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey asking who are you!

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