New Year's, Shmew Year's

Ah! Another year, another yen.

I haven't thought much about resolutions this year, though I have plenty to make. Yesterday, however, I was thinking about my writing and how I want to become more disciplined, more serious about it. I know a general resolution won't do the trick, so I'm putting together a schedule.

It's a New Year, Charlie Brown

I will be blogging less in the coming weeks. I know, I know, grab the tissue box. I've got freelance work that I have to attend to and I am also trying to be more intentional, more serious, about my non-blog writing.

My family and I met with Alison (I went to school with her and her husband) and her family on Christmas Eve and had an excellent time catching up and talking and eating. We talked about vocations and writing and how important it is to take seriously the tasks we believe are God-prods. I've been chewing on it since, mostly because I've been chewing on it for some time. Then, hearing a friend verbalize her feelings - some of the same thoughts of my own heart - was, well, confirmation, for lack of a better word. All that to say that I want to buckle down and write more.

Speaking of writing and writers, I just finished two Donald Miller books, Searching for God Knows What and Through Painted Deserts, that I've been reading over the past few days. Both are signed books my brother picked up at a Donald Miller sighting/signing in the Akron area. My brother is giving one to me, but I'm not sure which one I want to keep. I have Don's Blue Like Jazz as well (though not signed) and I believe it still remains my favorite. I love the language in Deserts, however, as well as the theologizing of Searching. But I think I love the language of Deserts more than the theologizing of Searching. I'll have to try to get out of my brother which book he prefers and then take that one. (He he he.) I mean "take the other" of course.

Miller's a year younger than me and so, obviously, I hate him as he has published three popular books. Only kidding, of course, Don. No hard feelings, man. Keep up the great work.

It's late again and here I am blogging. It's a love-hate thing. I'm going to be hard-pressed to keep pace with the pride tomorrow. Laura has a work day and so I have the distinct privilege of having all four kids with me. Life is grand. Can you feel it?

Any resolutions you'd like to share with a zeros-and-ones friend? Here are a few of mine:

1. Lose weight, of course: Re-instituting the walking habit and eating healthier. (For some reason, I thought the psi on this tire was less than it is. My bad.) We're vacationing with my family at Nag's Head in July and it would be nice to be able to lie on the beach without a troop of granolas trying to roll me back into the ocean.
2. Write, write, write. And write. I want to get past the fear and do the good, hard work this year.
3. Become more industrious around the house. (Don't share this one with my wife, please.) I want to enjoy the satisfaction of winning the fight against house-entropy by actually beginning to fight.
4. Love more, do more, be more. North Carolina's state motto is "To be rather than to seem." I want that to be true of me, and I want that truth to be displayed in ever-increasing love of God and people and creation. Sounds sappy, but it's true. It starts (and most days it ends) with wiping runny noses, powdering monkey butts, and doing laundry.

Grace and peace to the posse. And to auld lang syne, this one's for you. Cheers.