Happy New Year!

“The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective.” G.K. Chesterton

I'm always conflicted about New Year's resolutions and I don't think that I'm alone in that.  We all know that statistically most resolutions, and by most I mean a high, high majority, fail within days.  That failure brings with it the stench of guilt, which is the last thing most of us need more of in our lives, so a lot of us take the skeptic's route and swear off resolutions as useless.

But how many of us are really satisfied with our lives?  Do any of us really not have any aspect of our current existence we yearn to change?  And if we don't at least attempt change now, when the world around us slows for just an instant to look at our lives during the past year with reflection, will we ever attempt that change?  

So I've made a list of New Year's resolutions in my planner, resolutions for my art and my health and my church and my finances.  I doubt all of them will be successful; I can't be sure any of them will.  What I can be sure of is that in 2014, I want to give more often and live more deeply, chase my passions and get more passionate about the people I love.  Starting on the 1st of January may be arbitrary, but I have to start somewhere.  

Happy New Year!  Feel free to share your resolutions in the comments below.  I'd also welcome any suggestions or requests for what you would like to see in this blog in the coming year.