New Year Resolutions

For the past couple of years, I have made no New Year resolutions. When first faced with my own mortality, I found it impossible to think in units of time greater than a day or a week.

Slowly I have become bolder and begun to think In terms of months, but until now it has been too painful to think in terms of years, never knowing if I would see the seasons come to fruition.

But now as I enter the third New Year since my cancer diagnosis, I dare to dream of a future; and in doing so realise that I must resolve to live life well. It is no longer enough to simply survive.

So what should be my resolutions? I found the answer this morning in Psalm 37., so in 2017 my resolutions will be:

To not fret for as Jesus said "can any of you by worrying add a single hour to their lives?To trust in the Lord - no matter the vicissitudes of life - and to do good; to truly love my neighbour as myself, no matter how far this takes me from my comfort zone.To take delight in the Lord; to greet each day with joy knowing that his is the day that he has made.To commit my way to the Lord, to bring every hope, every fear and care, every plan to him, and to trust in him always.To be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him, leaning into him, particularly while waiting for my quarterly scan results!To refrain from anger and turn from wrath. Life is to short.To turn from evil in all its forms.And to hope in the Lord and wait expectantly, striving every day to keep his way.

And I know that the Lord will help me and deliver me, because I trust and take refuge in him.

Amen.