The Best New Year's Resolution!!!

“Ma’am, he started hitting his head on the glass window in the squad car as soon as I entered the jail’s yard,” uttered the arresting officer to me and the LVN who tagged along with me, wanting to see some actions at the jail’s Intake.

There he was, a middle-aged man, with slightly reddish eyes but the red streak across his forehead stood out more. He was very upset!

“Aaarrggghhhh!” he screamed as he stomped his feet on the cold ground inside the “Sobering” cell. He stopped when he saw me, the LVN, and the 3 deputies with us nearing the big glass window where he was. He sat still, stopped screaming and stomping. I could sense he was drunk but still was coherent enough to know what was going on.

The deputy slowly opened the heavy, metal door. 2 of them went inside first to determine if it was safe for me and the other nurse to talk with him and check his vital signs. He was cooperating at that time.

I took his radial pulse. “120 beats per minute”. He denied using street drugs. I could hear his deep, loud sigh, an angry kind of rhythm, as he stared at the cop who arrested him. I had the LVN took his blood pressure. “160/90,” she stated as she glanced at me, waiting for my signal that I would not accept the inmate for a racy pulse and high BP. But not yet.

“You need to calm down!” I commanded to the man.

“Can’t you see? I’m trying to calm down! Aaaaarrrr…” he replied with an angry tone and took another penetrating glare toward the arresting cop.

“How can you calm down when you remained angry this whole time? Just answer me. Why were you arrested?” as I raised my voice slightly higher but with a respectful way.

No answer…For 1 minute…He let out 2 long, deep breaths.

“More,” I told him. And more deep breaths, he did…Still. No answer. Then, I turned to the LVN and requested for her to take his BP again. “140/88,” she said smiling at me. She couldn’t believe that his BP would become lower in a matter of few minutes.

“Give me his health screen paper, Officer. Let me sign it, so you can book him now.”

“Thank you so much, Ma’am,” he replied with an obvious expression of relief that he didn’t need to bring his arrestee to our main prison. And the man remained still. He was not hitting his head anymore. He was quiet and appeared to be contemplating the answer to the question I posed.


He was caught driving drunk. I don’t know how many times. Yet, every time he is arrested, he gets angry. But he caused this to himself. Year after year, he is trapped in that same habit.

How is it different with our New Year’s Resolutions? We try to improve things in our lives, year after year, only to become angry and disappointed as nothing new happened around December time. We put out the best goals we can think of and become determined to complete them. Still. We fail. Then, we’re angry.

Let’s stop resisting the Authority. When He finds us, don’t get angry at Him. He just wants the best for you. He doesn’t want you to get hurt. And as for us who had yielded to His power before, we still fall into sin. We become proud of the things we have accomplished. Forgetting it was not our strength that did that. But His grace. How far have we, believers or non-believers, have turned away from the Authority wanting us to be successful?

There is this NUMBER 1 resolution that we must aim for: To turn back to God, repent for our sins and walk humbly with Him, not only for this year, but for the rest of our lives. We are all familiar with this verse:

2 Chronicles 7:14 - “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.”

But have you read verse 15-16?

15 - “I will listen to every prayer made in this place, 16for I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be my home forever. My eyes and my heart will always be here.”

Let’s all stop resisting the Authority. Sit still. Contemplate on humbling ourselves by admitting our sins, praying to God for His forgiveness and seeking Him continually and turn away from our sinful behavior. This is the best goal we can all achieve, not only for the year 2010 but for the rest of our lives.

Because true repentance is beyond all these words. It is changed behavior.

Friends, the Lord brought this to mind, many hours after I had already posted this[added at 0815 hrs.]:

33But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides." ~ Matthew 6:33; AMP.

15 comments:

  1. You are so right, that is the best New Year's resolution to have. I love your posts, your are in inspiration to me.

    I pray that some day God will bring us together in person, I would love to meet the person behind these wonderful words.

    Hapy New Year my dear sweet friend.

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  2. Very encouraging words for the start of a new year.

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  3. Amen!
    New Years will come and go, but a new life in Christ Jesus will last forever.

    Sad that so many reject Jesus for the temporal things this short life on earth has to offer.

    God bless you

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  4. People celebrate New Years on January 1st annually. They make resolutions that rarely live until Easter. We are too easily tempted to fall back to what we always were, rather than go through the sacrfice of changing.

    Some folks give up chocolates, or smoking, or drinking, or vow to lose weight. But they concentrate on the goal of beginning to change on January 1st, and often gorge or puff a final frenzy on December 31st....their last, last, last chance.

    We do this with marriage as well.
    We make a New Life Resolution to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse,..... and then 50% of those vows fall by the wayside over time.

    The key word is Resolution.
    This is a marriage; a new way of life.
    For fitness folks who need a good change forever in their health, do not think of losing so many pounds and then you are safe.

    Think of your body as the place, nay,...
    the temple where Our Lord and Holy Spirit reside within.
    What kind of temple are you building for them? Once you image this truth, losing weight, stopping the smoking, etc become a willing sacrifice, you do as servant of the Lord... always done easily, for you are no longer pleasing yourself.
    You are crafting a temple worthy of the Lord's presence.
    Not only physically, but emotionally, relationally, and when you are in solitude. This is so pleasing to Him, that soon, His joy becomes your joy.

    How do we know this?

    Romans 12:1-2 tells us what to do with our lives:
    "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your SPIRITUAL act of worship.

    Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will."

    The way to meet this resolution any day of the year to start, and every day of the year to continue, is right in that verse:
    BE Transformed By The Renewing Of Your Mind.
    This means you are changed.
    Your resolution lives forever, not for months, weeks, or days.

    The mind is involved in this and that requires another verse to help you prepare YOUR temple for the Holy Spirit to reside within you in peace.

    Philippians 4:8 says
    Finally, brothers,
    whatever is true,
    whatever is noble,
    whatever is right,
    whatever is pure,
    whatever is lovely,
    whatever is admirable
    —if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—
    think about such things.

    There is the Biblical formula to make a resolution.

    Oh you've tried? Then try this. (continued)

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  5. Think of three of each of the above EVERY day, that apply to YOU personally.

    What is true?
    1) God loves you deeply.
    Now you fill in the other two for you, and tomorrow, come up with three more NEW answers to What is true...in your life.

    What is noble?
    1) The universe was created for man to establish temples within themselves for the Lord.
    Now you fill in the other two for you, and tomorrow, come up with three more NEW answers to What is noble...in your life.

    Repeat this process through each item listed, and repeat it for three new things in your life every day on each item.

    In 30 days, you will be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

    These are not difficult, and each time you do any, they craft a room in the temple that is YOU.

    Pure, lovely, admirable?

    Every baby in every hospital ward is pure.
    But in your own life, what three items are pure, and what three more NEW every day?

    What is lovely?
    Fireflys lighting their butts at night to find a gal in the grass who will light her butt with the exact code to mean "I want you" to a solitary firefly that impresses her.
    Add lovely to the menu of your life by naming three lovely things in your life daily....new things or old.

    What is admirable?
    Sharing.
    A bee finds food and scoots back to the hive. "He uses bee-talk", an incredible, admirable language in which he dances in a figure 8. The speed of the dance indicate to all other bees the vital information of distance from the hive. As he dances, his leg is lifted in an angle from the sun. That angle is telling all the bees what direction to fly (they already know how far).

    Bam! The food is admirably shared as a communion among the bees.
    What is admirable in your life?
    Name three, new, daily for a month.
    You will be transformed for a lifetime and the temple you create within your soul, will be worthy to house a living God....in a living sacrifice person.

    People will be drawn to your temple and want what you have.....the gift of the new born Christ, born again, within you!

    Happy New LIFE!

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  6. That is amazing!! YOU are such a blessing sweet friend! You are used powerfully to help the lost because you don't forget that Jesus is praying for them. Desiring to shepherd them into the pen. Blessed be the name of the LORD!!! A compassionate moment soothes the soul & we all desperately need someone to be Jesus to us. Someone to remind us to breathe! God bless you precious sister. Happy new year to you & yours & God's richest blessings upon you...
    Wylie

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  7. Oh girl you and I are SO on the same page! I will be continuing my posts on changing the culture. God is stirring my heart the same as yours I can see.

    You are a blessing and I'm so glad God crossed our paths.

    Much love and blessings to you for 2010 and beyond!

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  8. You are such a blessing to so many. May you have a great New Year.

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  9. I read this and pray for my second son to embrace this!Last year was a year of walking through the desert, following God. This is the year of dropping to my knees, a year of prayer - for God to take me out of the desert or take the desert out of me!

    I find some many things I want my son to read, but he wouldn't embrace them if they came from me (hence the mom of a teen), but through prayer, God will send messengers he will embrace!

    Thank you for sharing this! Blessings on your new year!

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  10. Happy New Year dearest.
    All the best.
    I'll come back to read the post again. Quite sleepy now but its still noisy outside with all the firecrackers exploding:).

    God bless.

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  11. great post and want to wish you the happiest year yet. You are a special blessing. sarah

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  12. Great New Year's message my friend! May He give you the desires of your heart this coming year. I'm thanking Jesus that we're co-laborers together in His kingdom. You inspire me to press on.

    Love your new blog heading. Classy and what a special touch to include the sinner's prayer. I love it.

    Praying His best for you, your DH and son this year.

    Hugging you,
    Mary

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  13. Rosel, I literally look forward to reading your posts. I've grown to so love the Christ I see in you.

    Thanks for these words to put my 2010 goals into perspective.

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  14. As always dear sister you share powerful stories to move upon our hearts and minds and bring even further attention to God's Truths as it should be. I appreciate you and I look forward to even more this year!

    I have always been blessed in Matthew 6:33. Thank you for sharing that Scripture.

    Also, what you said here says it all:
    "There is this NUMBER 1 resolution that we must aim for: To turn back to God, repent for our sins and walk humbly with Him, not only for this year, but for the rest of our lives."

    Praise the LORD!!!

    Much love to you dear sister. Keep fighting the good fight of faith. Keep running your race and finish well dear friend.

    Happy New Year to you and your family and may this be a year of health, peace and complete provision in the presence of the LORD for you and your family.

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  15. This is a lovely post. I am glad I stopped by to read it. Wishing you a wonderful new year! May you continue your path of bringing such good help to so many!

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