Making My New Year’s Ruminations

I’m really not big on New Year’s resolutions. They really aren’t effective for me. It has something to do with my complete lack of discipline and self-control. Those character flaws cause me to give up early in the New Year. I don’t do New Year’s resolutions. I do New Year’s resignations.

Still, because I lack discipline and self-control (ironically), I generally can’t help myself when New Year’s rolls around. I am drawn to the whole new-year, fresh-start concept thing. I can’t help but to reflect on where I fell short in the previous year and where I can improve.

When I thought about where I fell short in 2008, this blog came to the top of my list. Apparently a blog needs to have regular posts if it is to have any kind of value, let alone attract readers. I tried justifying that by only posting something every six months, I was actually doing readers a favor, not clogging up their Google alerts. But that falls under the heading of New Year’s rationalization, which is something I am much better at than resolutions.

So I was mulling (which is a great word) why I was averse to posting blog entries in 2008, when I received some insight from my pastor. (I suppose that’s what I get when I mull during the sermon.) Pastor John spoke Sunday about creativity and why we need to be creative in our relationships, in our work, and in our spiritual pursuits. He compared creativity to a birth. Like a child, a creative idea is conceived, then it must go through labor before it is delivered. Pastor John made the point that many creative ideas fade away the moment they are conceived, if they aren’t yoked to a work ethic that sees them through to delivery.

Bingo! That’s my problem! I have lots of creative ideas. Every minute of every day I think of something witty or clever or insightful or cleverly insightful or wittily clever. But every minute of every day I also neglect to do the hard work to turn a creative idea into something that lasts longer than a moment. My problem is I’m all idea, no action. Call it New Year’s relaxation. Or recuperation.

That was reinforced to me when I read the fourth chapter of Matthew, describing the disciples’ decisions to follow Jesus.

Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. (Matthew 4:18-22)

I was struck by the word “immediately” used twice as Peter, Andrew, James and John responded to the call of Jesus. They didn’t think about doing something. They did it. Immediately.

So my New Year’s resolution is to apply the work ethic to my creative ideas so that I produce something tangible. I resolve to be more diligent putting my ideas onto paper, er, the screen. And so far, it’s working. I’ve already got one blog entry this year! So now I should probably take a New Year’s recuperation.

See you again in June!

What are you resolved to apply a stronger work ethic to in 2009?