Resolutions Shmezolutions

About a hundred years ago I made a New Year's resolution that I have managed to keep lo these many years. I vowed never to make another New Year's resolution. It's kinda like giving up Lent for Lent if you think about it. I did the same thing when I hit those milestone birthdays. I remember exactly where I was standing, hanging onto the iron railing on my back step surveying the mess of an overgrown backyard. I said to myself, "Self, you're about to turn 30. You probably should take stock of your life, assess your situation, determine if you've made any progress reaching those goals you set, blah, blah, blah...."

It took all of about 10 seconds to take a Scarlet O'Hara attitude. Only I didn't think about it tomorrow. Or the next day. Or even the next day. Nope, I made the brilliant observation that I didn't even know what the heck I wanted out of life when I made those goals in the first place, because I was too young and stupid and didn't know "anythin' about anythin'." (Obscure Secret Garden reference, and excuse to show off my quotation mark prowess.)

All that being said, I don't wander through life quite so aimlessly. I generally set targets. Targets are good because they give you something to aim for, but if you don't hit them it's okay. Sometimes you can even move targets to better suit your purposes. Novel, I know. I also never set my targets in January. I'd like to say it's my rebellious streak, my desire to stand out from the crowd, to be a trendsetter and all, but who am I kidding? I'm such a rule-follower it's ridiculous. (Yes, I am the one that gets in trouble if I break the rules. It never fails.) I used to set my targets in September, but stinkin' SUSD starts school the second week of August, so I had to start earlier too. As you may have guessed, my year revolves around a school calendar, which really makes so much more sense to me than this whole January-December thing.

So, do I have goals for 2009? Have I set targets? Just what will I accomplish this year? Tune in next August to find out.

in which Hobo Kelly doesn't see Lori, AGAIN

Tuesday night is Awana night at our church. Guess who teaches Sparky Council Time? Yours truly!


Last night's lesson was "God Sees Me," hence the Hobo Kelly glasses. Apparently, Hobo Kelly was strictly a SoCal girl, with a brief run in Portland. And apparently I wasn't the only kid in LA and Orange County that was disenchanted with loveable old Kelly because she couldn't see me with her magic glasses. I mean, come on, why couldn't she look in the camera with those goofy glasses and tell me that I had a present under my bed just like she told all the other kids?!

As luck (?) would have it, I still remember that feeling of not being seen, of not being noticed, which was the perfect segue into talking about the One who always sees, the One who sees everything I do, good and bad, the One who sees all the way into my heart. He's the One who knows me perfectly, and isn't that what we all want--to be known and and to be loved?

I told the kids, it's a little scary sometimes to think that God is always watching, especially when we are being naughty, but that only reminds us to be good. But I'm glad that God pays attention to me, and notices when I choose to obey Him even if nobody else ever knows. I'm glad that He sees into my heart and that He knows me so well. And I'm especially glad that He loves me!

Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.

1 Samuel 16:7b
God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks at the heart.

Blessings!