On the seventh day of Christmas

For the seventh day of Christmas, a priceless memory:

Seven resolutions,

New Year's Eve 2011!

six nights, scant sleeping,

five first time puffs!

Four at St. Nick's feet,

three playmates,

two crawling buds,

and a joyful, thankful family!

I am usually not one to make New Year resolutions.  Realism over the power of a semi-arbitrary date to motivate significant change in my life usually gets the best of me.  This year I have a slightly different perspective.  As we focus on the twelve days of Christmas with our kids, I am realizing that the New Year falls smack in the middle of the Christmas celebration.  I know from my own life experience that the birth of a new baby is a powerful, motivating time for change and renewal in lives and families.  If ever there was a birth to give us hope and aspiration to change, it is the birth of Jesus.  This New Year, I am looking out our window at the Moravian star illuminating our porch.   I am praying that its beckoning light would motivate me to reflect and seek change through Christ, the same way that the Christmas star beckoned both peasants and kings so many years ago.  

We floated the concept of New Year resolutions with G-Bear and E-Bear last night.  Here is what they came up with:

G-Bear:  "I resolve to make cake for Daddy."

E-Bear:  "I will make cookies with Mommy."

G-Bear:  "I think we should go to Disney world."

E-Bear: "And I will play with my trucks."

Baby Bear didn't say much, but T and I agree that he seems resolved to stand and explore every inch of our apartment in the new year.  He is unstoppable these days!  As for me, I am resolving this year, but I am keeping my resolution to myself. :)  T never divulges whether he is making resolution or not.  So that brings our resolution total to seven.

Thanks be to God for this new year.  May the joy and hope of Christmas motivate us to be better in it.