How did you prioritize your New Year’s Resolutions? USA.gov posts the following list. Before reading farther see if you can guess what is missing.
Popular New Year’s Resolutions
- Drink Less Alcohol
- Eat Healthy Food
- Get a Better Education
- Get a Better Job
- Get Fit
- Lose Weight
- Manage Debt
- Manage Stress
- Quit Smoking
- Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
- Save Money
- Take a Trip
- Volunteer to Help Others
What is missing? As more of us work longer, harder hours farther away from home, as the moral fiber of our society breaks down, and as our families are torn apart, the two most important changes you can make this year do not make most New Year’s resolution lists.
Prioritize What is Really Important
Two things most of us leave off our New Year’s Resolutions are God and family. Putting these first, makes a huge difference in all aspects of life.
Belief in God – We are so busy so much of the time. How often do we speak with or pray to God. We criticize him, kick him out of our schools and public buildings, and then question where he is in times of difficulty.
Putting God First requires commitment, but gives long term rewards. How many of those resolutions would be more attainable (or would not have been a problem in the first place!) if we had put God first. Praying to and speaking with God is also the best, but seldom listed, way to attain goals. Put God first and watch as you move closer to your goals.
Spend Time with Your Family
Years ago the term “quality time” became big. People moved from working on family farms and in family run businesses to working outside the home. This resulted in less family time spent together. Children were alone more and had more difficulties. Elderly were alone. Parents were rushed and feeling torn in many directions.
To make up for this, experts told us that spending quality time together was more important than quantity time. Quality time is important, but it is also important to have unscheduled family time just being together where ideas and concerns are discussed with no pressure out and memories are made.
Prioritize your life so your children have both quality and quantity time.
Prioritize Now
This New Year, challenge yourself to re-prioritize so family time is at the top of your list. Write down some concrete ways you how that God and your family are the center of your life. The returns from investing in God and family beat returns you can anywhere else.
And, of course, if you pray for and with your family, you’re achieving your top priorities all at once!
God Bless You in the New Year!