It is already January 15th?

It is hard for me to believe that it is already January 15th. And I am sad to see that this is the first post of the new year. I have some good reasons. I have yet to know a day of full health in 2007. I have a had a nasty cold that just won't go away. I am getting better but I am not quite there yet. Then with my trip to CA for Christmas and missing work because I was sick I had quite a bit to catch up on when I returned to work. But needless to say I am here and blogging once again.

I have been doing some thinking over the last 15 days about the lovely little tradition of New Year's Resolutions. The part of me that lacks discipline wants to run screaming when I hear the words "New Year's Resolutions," but my romantic nature wins over and the thought of a fresh start and the hope of accomplishing wonderful things in my life calls me to set some goals for myself.

When I sarted looking back on 2006 and examining the goings on of the year I asked myself one question. What was lacking? In the situations in my life that didn't go as I had hoped...What was lacking? Not what was lacking from the situation that was out of my control, mind you, but what was lacking within myself?

A big thing that I was lacking in 2006 was BOLDNESS. I can think of numerous situations in the last year that could have turned out so differently had I just stepped out from behind my fears in boldness. I think I do a good job most of the time of convincing those around me that I am a bold and daring person, but really I am quite a timid girl. So often I have a conviction on my heart and do not speak it, a word of encouragement for another and keep it to myself, a feeling that I can't ignore but take no action because of fear. This is one of the the things about myself that I so long to have transformed. There is a verse in Proverbs (3:27-28) that says, "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is within your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, 'Come back tomorrow' - when you now have it with you." These words haunt me. This could very well be my biggest short coming. How often have I not been bold thinking that I will get another chance tomorrow and then tomorrow never comes? Too often to let myself continue on this way.

There are other "Laundry List" type things I would like to accomplish this year that I won't go into here. They are the usual list of things that most of us resolve to do in the new year. But for me I want this year to be marked by moments of boldness. To speak my heart, to pursue my dreams, and to be a person of action. When the year is coming to a close I want to look back on it and see relationships that have grown in depth and strength, foundations laid for dreams fulfilled, and so much more because boldness has taken hold in my life.

So with that, I will be on my way...I have some important matters to attend to.