I did NOT tell my cashier to shut up. But I wanted to. And some other resolution ideas...

When I wished the cashier a Happy New Year this morning, she sighed and said, "I hope it is."

I continued putting my food on the conveyer belt, and she added, "If everyone leads well and makes good choices, it will be a good year."

Well. Um. Yeah. Duh.

You know, I do not watch the news at all, but from the tid bits I hear at the back of the church, or from what my children learn from friends, or what I read on twitter, my guess is she was referring to politics. And I kind of wanted to tell her to just shut up and scan my chick peas, because enough already about all of this.

And for the record, I would never tell her to shut up.

Maybe in my head I would.

Which I recognize is still not nice.

But I would never say it to her face.

I just want you to know that.

"If everyone leads well and makes good choices it will be a good year."

Is that not true of all of us?

Forget political leaders, let's ask ourselves...how are we doing with that?

Are we leading well?

Are we making good choices?

I have chosen a few simple things...you can call them resolutions, I suppose...to help me to lead better and make good choices.

1. I will READ THE BIBLE IN A YEAR

by using this chart, I plan on combating the enemy's voice that is under the wrong impression that my head and heart are his home...and I am going to destroy his lies with truth. The Bible has every answer, and every direction that I will ever need to know and go; it is God's love letter to me, and even though I really want to read The Magnolia Story, I am going to make sure that I read the Bible as well...because Chip and JoJo would want that for me.

2. I will PUT DOWN MY PHONE

this is hard. Because my phone is my clock, my calendar, my reminder, my best friend (not really) and the only way to reach me. We have no land line. So, I will fix my watch, and check my calendar once, but even so...these phones...they have a way of calling to us...beeping and chiming and interrupting! In short, they are rude. So...I am turning off all notifications, to avoid those beeps and bells and whistles that pull my attention from the people I am with or the silence I am in, and I will DELETE friends/followers on social media-especially IG. I know that sounds harsh...but honestly...does anyone need 800 followers? First of all, that is creepy. Second of all, every one you follow -every picture you look at- is a minute you could be looking at your OWN life. Praying. Pondering. Imagining. Loving. Sleeping. Time is too valuable to waste on looking at someone else's dinner or new shoes. Enough of that. Start deleting.

3. I will SHARE THE GOSPEL

how do we do this without people thinking we are Jesus freaks? Trust me...it is easier than you think and does not involve you going door to door with your Bible (although I think that sounds fun) or leaving your family and becoming a missionary (which sounds REALLY fun right now as we wrap up a long Christmas break) So, how exactly do we do this? Well, start with what talents you have. How has God gifted you? And don't say he hasn't. That is just dumb and not true. We all have gifts. Are you a photographer, writer, baker, singer, dog walker, chef? What do you enjoy doing? Find that out, then share it. Easy as that. I also highly suggest you find a sisterhood of women, like Walking With Purpose, that you can share your faith with---all of it---not just the good stuff...but the doubts, the fears, the questions--the stuff you really wrestle with it; the stuff we all have. (news flash---nobody has it all together! Not even Chip and JoJo! So let's stop pretending, ok?) WWP is a women's bible study that encourages you to come as you are, to take off your mask and to be real. Real friendship and authentic relationships are really lacking these days. If you can find a group of women you can study Scripture with, and be yourself with, without the usual comparison and competition, your life is going to blossom in unimaginable ways! - Not to mention, you will grow closer to Christ while forming new friendships. And, if you participate at MY parish, we always have coffee and tons of food. Because we rock it in the hospitality department and we do not believe in losing weight.

And that is it.

Only three things, but three good things.

Three things that have eternal value.

Three things I can totally do.

Three things that I believe will help me to lead well and make good choices.

I feel badly for wanting to throw the can of chic peas at my cashier's head, because truly, she gave me good stuff to think about today. God speaks to us through every single encounter...even the ones, perhaps especially the ones, that irritate us. So thank you, cashier lady...and I pray that you do have a happy new year.

What about you?

What will you do today to lead well and make good choices?

(not what will you do this year, because honestly, I can only take one day at a time...thinking about the year is way too overwhelming...I haven't even decided on what I will make for dinner tonight, let alone what will I do this year)

Let me know in the comments or send me an e mail...would love to hear!