New Year's

I don't understand New Years.  I mean, I understand that it is the end of one year, and the beginning of another.   But I don't understand why we celebrate and make a big deal about it.  And this is compounded by New Year's resolutions.

I asked my husband about this once, and he said that people like New Years' because it's a fresh start, a new beginning.  But here's the thing:  Yes, today starts a new year.  February 1st will start a new month.  And January 4th will start a new week.  (Interestingly, February 1st will also start a new week).  And January 2nd, will start a new day.

And this is why I don't do New Year's resolutions.  Lamentations 3:22-23 says that God's mercies are new each morning.  And honestly, the way I read those verses, shows that God's mercies are ever-refreshing.  When I fight with my husband, I don't  say "sorry, I'll try to be nicer next year."  When I started feeling out of shape, I didn't put off getting fit until the next year.  And when I missed a save playing soccer, or a pass playing volleyball, I didn't say, "oops.  I'll be better next season."  Thankfully, I had coaches who pushed me to not even say, "oops.  I'll do better next game."  It was always, "I'll get the next save."  "I'll get the next pass."  I'll do better from now on.  From right this second.

Change doesn't have to start at the next year.  Or the next big marker in your life (after we move, after we have kids, after we get out of debt...).  Change starts whenever you want it to!  It starts whenever you start to make change happen.  I played viola for the first time in close to three years last night.  And it wasn't because it was a New Year.  It was because I was tired of listening to myself say "I should get around to doing that sometime."

So don't ask yourself, "what am I going to do differently this year?"  Ask yourself, "what am I going to do differently TODAY?"  and then keep asking yourself that, every day.  (Bonus:  smaller, shorter goals are easier to achieve. :) )