A Resolution

I'm not a huge fan of New Year's resolutions, basically because I think we should always be reflecting and looking for ways to change our attitudes and improve our behavior. In fact, some of the most successful resolutions I've set have come not in January, but in February and March.

However, this year, the LORD convicted me, about a week ago about something I need to be doing differently...

Every December, Ross has the opportunity to take off several days from work. His company shuts down from Christmas to New Years and he often is able to take off a few days before Christmas as well. All in all, this is a HUGE blessing. It's sweet to be together during this time- waking up together, eating every meal together, working on projects around the house, enjoying Caleb together. It's a precious time.

However, it also can be challenging. Since I stay home every day anyway, I have a routine and a plan. It's kinda hard to keep that routine with Ross around. Either he has a different plan or hanging out with him just seems way more fun than doing the dishes, the laundry or the vacuuming. That means the house starts looking chaotic (which stresses me out) and Ross starts wondering what I do all day while I'm at home.

He being home for all that time can also present a different problem. We have different ideas about what we should be doing (Me: Snuggling, sharing, reminiscing. Ross: Working on the baby's room, building Legos, watching football) And that's when selfishness kicks in.

The Tuesday after Christmas was when it all hit. I felt like Ross wasn't making good use of this time together. (Doesn't he know he can only kiss me at 9 am on a Tuesday, like twice a year??) Ross was beginning to feel me becoming naggy and unhappy. I felt like crying. Things were not good.

So I semi-calmly walked into our bedroom, closed the door, sat on the bed, and opened the Word to a passage I had read recently that I wanted to seep into my heart. It reads:

Philippians 2:1-4

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

Philippians 2

Imitating Christ’s Humility

¹ If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴ Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Hmmmm.... Maybe I should stop my pity party right in it's tracks, consider Christ's humility and be happy.

Not everybody gets to have two weeks of time with their husbands at home- to enjoy a football game together, to return to childhood and put a Lego set together, to have their husbands eagerly help them prepare a nursery.

Although the situation may not have been MY ideal, it was still good. And I can still be happy.

So that's my resolution for today and 2012 and my whole life. To do NOTHING out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others (let's start with Ross and Caleb) better than myself. AND to do it with a joyful heart.

Somehow, I feel like it may take my whole life to get that one right : )