New Year, Again

A friend sent me this quote via Facebook, very appropriate for the new year, and I thought I would share with you all:

J. C. Ryle, in his book "Old Paths", in the chapter entitled "Forgiveness":

"We ought not to be satisfied with the same kind of hearing, and reading, and praying, which satisfied us in years gone by.  We ought to labour every year to throw more heart and reality into everything we do in our religion.  To love Christ more intensely, to abhor evil more thoroughly, to cleave to what is good more closely, to watch even our least ways more narrowly, to declare very plainly that we seek a country, to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and be clothed with him in every place, and company, to see more, to feel more, to know more, to do more, these ought to be our aims and desires every year we begin."

Happy New Year! Some 2012 Goals

Happy new year!

I like new beginnings: the beginning of a new year, a new month, even a new week. I like the feeling of anticipation, and the idea of a "fresh start."

I've always enjoyed setting goals at the beginnings of new time periods.  This year is no different.  I've got a few things in mind that I'd like to accomplish in this new year, Lord willing.  Some of my goals are personal, or financial, or not easily quantifiable, and I won't share them here.  But two of my goals can be easily measured and reported on, so I'll share them with you in hopes that doing so will motivate me (it would be embarrassing to have to report failure!)

My first goal for 2012 is to finish memorizing the Shorter Catechism.  I think it's safe to say that I'm very familiar with the content of the Shorter Catechism, having been taught the doctrines contained in it from my youth, but I still don't know all the questions and answers by heart.  This year I'd like to finish memorizing the Catechism, perhaps with Elijah's help (he finished the catechism last summer, but could use some review).

My second goal for 2012 is to walk a mile a day.  I'd really rather be running, but the sad reality is that it's hard to find opportunities to run, given that my kids can't keep up with me (yet), and I have no one to watch them.  They can, however, walk with me.  They can handle up to a mile and a half at a moderate pace, and perhaps with practice they'll be able to go farther and faster.  So the goal is to walk 366 miles this year, or an average of a mile a day.  I'll record the miles I've walked in the sidebar of my blog.

I tried to walk a mile a day in December, actually, but failed miserably, only walking 8 miles the entire month!  I was quite sick with the flu, etc. for two weeks, but still, I could have walked more than I did.  To be honest, I kept forgetting.  Lame excuse, I know.

Are you making any New Year's Resolutions, or setting any goals?  Feel free to share!