I used to have an oblong sign hanging down from the knob on my back door that read, “I don’t do Mondays”.  I meant it.  I don’t know if it was because of a psychological reason, or if perhaps I expended more energy on the weekends being involved in music on Sundays at my church and the occasional concerts, but Monday was not my best day.  I operated at half-steam.  Actually, I used to feel a bit sorry for my Monday students – that I just wasn’t giving them my best.  Tuesday, I was in high-gear, but on Mondays we did calmer things – perhaps like listening to a movement from a particular concerto, and then doing a writing assignment on it.

So, on a particular Monday morning several years ago, my youngest son, Jonathan came into the kitchen to get breakfast before leaving for school, in his usual ‘up mood’.  It annoyed me.  In all seriousness, I had to ask him how he could be so full of energy on a MONDAY morning.  This was his reply – “I love Mondays!  It means that if I didn’t do so well last week, I have a chance to start all over and do better this week”.  Where had this boy come from?!

But what he said gave me pause.  He was right!  He is still right!  Somehow, I have just never morphed into that thinking after all these years.  But, Jonathan is right.  At least I get that mentality concerning New Year’s.  I can do better this year – 2018 – than I did last year.  I want to do better than I did last year.  I want to work harder – accomplish more – have a better attitude – give more – love deeper – experience new things – spend more time in the Word – pray more – do more things for others . . .    But that’s where I come to a screeching halt.  I can’t list specifically within that grouping exactly what I’m going to do. That would be called making resolutions.  And why would I set myself up for failure – again.

All that is in that ‘just named list’, I DO want to do better – and I intend to do better.  But from past experience, I realized that when I listed as a resolution that I wanted to call three people every day to encourage them, just sometimes ‘life’ got in the way – and within two days I had broken that resolution.  The same with ‘spend more time in prayer’.  I think I have.  But it didn’t amount to the two hours a day that I had put on paper.  Do you know how thankful I am for I Thessalonians 5.17?  – ‘Pray without ceasing’ – and Ephesians 6.18? (always being in the spirit of prayer).  The New Year is a time of reflection and review – but I don’t do Mondays, and I don’t do resolutions.  I feel as if everyday is a new ‘year’.  I find it so much more practical to depend on the Lord daily.  He knows I’m human.  He knows what I am capable of accomplishing.  And He, God the Holy Spirit is right there constantly to convict me not only of the wrong I do daily/sins of commission and omission, but He is always by my side to encourage, uplift, cheer me on – to love me like no one else can.  Not only do I not have to wait for a ‘new year’, or a Monday to do better, this One Whom I love more than anyone is ever the ‘lifter of my head’ (Psalm 3.3) – He is my Psalm 18.2 – and ‘I am confident of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you (in me!) will perform it (daily) until the day of Christ Jesus.  – Philippians 1.6

A most blessed New Year – 2018 – to you!