Another New Year

A few years ago, I gave up "resolutions". This, after I realized my "resolve" dissolved before January 3rd.


It seemed so un-American to give up a tradition of setting oneself up for failure... so, in the spirit of sticking to my American roots, I decided to go the non-conformist route and have "New Years Intentions".


At the time, there was some quote niggling at the back of my mind, but it never surfaced and I brushed it aside.


Last year, one of my intentions was to lose the 15 pounds that I had regained.


What did I do to follow through on that good intention...let's see...I developed an unquenchable thirst for $1 sweet teas at Mc Donalds (while fully intending to order a salad and un-sweet tea), canceled my membership at a gym that was 2 minutes from my house so that I could join one 17 minutes from my house (intending to go more often because it wasn't overcrowded like the first gym), ordering an appetizer, salad, entree and dessert just about every time we ate out (intending to take a bite of the appetizer and and dessert in an exercise of self-control, but eating my fair share instead).


As I stepped on the scale yesterday and realized that I now have, well, it's not necessary to name the horrifying number...suffice it to say I wish I only had those 15 to lose... I thought maybe I need a new word for the year.


While thinking about what that word should be, I started searching quotes. I found the one about intentions. Now I know I should have listened to that inner voice that was trying to get my attention.


"The road to hell is paved with good intentions". -Karl Marx


The wind was knocked out of me when I read that. Not because of the weight thing, but because of more serious "intentions" I had last year...intentions of reading my bible more, intentions of praying more than ever before, intentions of developing a relationship with Jesus beyond what I've ever had.


I found another quote, and had I read it while first stating my intentions, the results may have been different.


"Power is the capacity to translate intention into reality and then sustain it."


No resolutions or intentions this year, just a word to focus on.


DISCIPLINE.


"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments." -Jim Rohn


“If I want to be great I have to win the victory over myself... self-discipline.”-Harry Truman


I'm going to the gym today...more importantly, I'm spending some extra time with the Lord.