How I love the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Not because I take vacation time (although I love to do that and wish I could do so this week)–but, rather, this is when I reflect on the past year and dream about the one to start. I think about things like this:
What have I learned? What experiences were special to me? Where did I grow? Where did my immaturity and depravity come to light? How will the Lord grow me in the coming year? What will I learn? What experiences are ahead?
Such dreamy thoughts are the perfect segue to New Year’s resolutions. I see a new year like a reset button, when I get the chance to dream about all the year ahead could hold.
I realize many people get stressed out putting resolutions to paper. It must feel like a binding contract or a reminder of certain failure or something. But because I am not very regimented or rigid, resolutions don’t stress me out. I see resolutions as a hopeful vision rather than a choking noose. And I have to write them down, because my brain gets preoccupied.
So resolutions have been on my mind for a few weeks already. One thing I had in mind for this year was memory work. In years past, I’ve participated in Ann Kroeker’s Mega Memory Month (MMM) challenges to keep me on task. How happy I was when Ann announced on Facebook that January 2011 would be MMM!
I now have a few days to consider which Scripture passage to meditate upon and then create my review cards. MMM HQ will host progress reports each Monday, but I have already planned to participate in a book club posting each Monday . . . so I think I will post my MMM reports on Tuesdays—so mark your calendars! I’m sure it will be riveting to read how I’m holding up to the challenge week after week.
Want to join the fun? Find something to memorize—a poem, a speech, a Bible verse, the states and capitals—and register over at MMM HQ. Your brain will thank you.
