The New Year

For the past five years I have been making resolutions with the genuine intent of following through. Having done this for a few years has helped me to refine the process of resolution making. Each resolution from year to year is modified, expounded, or eliminated. Another measure to encourage the achievement of these goals is every resolution being recorded in my journal, it is reviewed and progress evaluated. Sounds anal and type-A, but it has been a good exercise for me. 

My main resolution this year is to bless the Lord with my soul. A message Piper preached from Psalm 103 has been a big encouragement in this direction. The message was a fathers day message preached exhorting fathers to bless the Lord in front of their children. My resolution is to be a better dad by blessing the Lord in front of my family, specially my children. Blessing the Lord for his sovereignty, justice, righteousness, mercy, and forgiveness. All to often the words that come from my mouth are corrective and harsh. My desire in these harsh words is to not have children who are unruly, yet it seems to be more damaging than good. The need for correction still remains as I seek to raise my children in godliness. Eph 4:29 is particularly important as I meditate upon how I might speak and live before my family. Letting no corrupting talk come out of my mouth but only that is good for building up as fits the occasion to give grace to those who hear is a pertinent in speaking to my children (a rough paraphrase and run-on sentence of Eph 4:29). Speaking and living as one who blesses the Lord with his soul is in short supply by many professing Christians, specially dads. 

While this coming year does not promise an increased amount of time to spend with my family, my prayer is to take the time given and redeem it. Use the time given by God to the greatest end, blessing his holy name. 

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not his benefits, who forgives all you iniquities who heals all your diseases, who redeems you life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's........."