Year End

I wanted to write a powerful blog on the last day of 2012 and the hope of 2013 that awaits, but I don't know that I can do either of them justice in one post. In fact, I find that I'm still reflecting on the past year and learning from my experiences. Suffice it to say that I feel as if I am a better man than I was a year ago and yet I am quite aware that I am not done yet either. I'm extremely grateful that I am loved by a heavenly Father who doesn't grow weary of working on me each year.

I am also still fleshing out my full objectives for 2013, but know that I want to be a more devoted Christ follower, a more engaged husband & father, and a more influential leader. I'm eagerly anticipating the continued work that God is going to do in me, my family, and my ministry even though I know the reshaping won't always be easy. I have some of these steps mapped out, but am continuing to work & pray to see how these desires will become reality.

I pray that I will be able to look back a year from now and see that I took the best advantage of the opportunities God put in front of me. There will be victories and failures, but as long as I am moving forward on the King's pathway for me it can be marked as a success.

I'm Fine

If people don't recognize their own need for rescue then they won't be willing to accept your help. They might politely listen to what you have to say, but when the conversation (or sermon) is over they will simply move on with the routine of life. It is a frustrating situation to share the truth that will save someone when they refuse to acknowledge that they need it. I know that their response does not hinge on the persuasiveness of our speech. It doesn't negate the frustration that you feel when you can see how desperately someone needs God's intervention and yet how unwilling they are to see the need for His truth. Our job as Christ followers is to be faithful in sharing God's impact in our lives while praying for receptivity from those we interact with. 

We can't make anyone seek rescue from drowning, but that doesn't mean we have the right to stop offering the life preserver either.

Life Together

I have been given many reminders this month of how blessed I am to have such great friends. It's not just the things that we do for each other that make the friendship great however. It's a genuine concern for the well-being of other people and the willingness to invest in our respective lives. It's a way of doing life together that requires honesty, vulnerability, and wading into the messiness of real life. We build bridges of trust and find opportunities to pick each other up on this life journey. It's not always a smooth path, but knowing that we travel together makes it a better trip.

Speak Up

Tim Tebow (outspoken Christian and NFL quarterback) has had a down year by anyone's standards. He was traded away from a playoff team in the off-season and hasn't had the opportunity to succeed with his new squad. He has been quiet most of the year even though things haven't gone well overall. In the past two weeks however, it has been reported that he is increasingly unhappy with his role (or lack thereof) and is looking for other opportunities. One of the stories circulating is that he requested to be removed from the game plan for that week and subsequently did not play. Although he has generally let most stories pass by he did end up sitting down for an interview to address this issue. His rationale was simple: he can handle any amount of critiquing about his playing abilities, but stands firm when his character is called into question.

When you are in a position of leadership you will always have to face criticism. A good leader will have to determine what is worthy of a response and how to respond appropriately. The strength & character of a leader will be clearly revealed by their response in the face of genuine criticism. 

Get Moving

It's the time of year that we start to think about the potential for personal changes. It's a tradition that comes from the desire to make a clean start as the calendar rolls over & a wish to seek personal improvement. The key to successful resolutions for change won't be found in the dedication to write out a list however. The desire to change has to spur us to take the first steps in establishing a routine of discipline. Mental agreement without physical application doesn't change anything.

Getting Ready

I have spent many long hours in the hot sun practicing for just one football game. All our efforts in that week were geared to a three hour period on Friday night. The proportion of practice time to game time might seem disproportionate, but the preparation is essential. The reality is that we can't succeed on the Friday night playing field without diligent effort on the practice field during the week. 

Spiritually, the same principle applies. We will spend far more time in training than we will in actual competition. We will have opportunities to engage the enemy, fight for the souls of our children, and pray fervently during threats to our families & friends. We won't be successful if we haven't spent the necessary time preparing for the actual event. If we neglect the practice phase of preparation we're not as good as we think we are and will be quickly defeated once the real competition begins.

Traditions

Families have varying traditions at Christmas that foster warm, fuzzy memories. It may be everyone gathering at one house to celebrate, opening all the presents on Christmas Eve, a special meal that is always served, or the reading of the Christmas story as a family. I have fond memories of Christmas Eve parties at my Uncle Bob & Aunt Nita's house with our whole family crowding together. We would then go home and open our traditional Christmas Eve present of new pajamas and read the Christmas story. The soundtrack for the holiday was the Johnny Mathis & Bing Crosby Christmas albums.

Our family traditions aren't exactly like that today, but they certainly helped to shape the way that we celebrate. The one constant is the focus on the birth of Christ over everything else and the joys of family being together. All the other memories add a special touch to the holiday, but these two things are what make it most important. They keep me focused on the top priorities in my life: the love of a God willing to do whatever it takes to rescue His people and the powerful blessing of a family. I am blessed tremendously by both.