Mostly Sunny...more or less (New Year Resolutions)

This morning had an eerie feeling to it. I felt odd as I got up and got ready to go to work (late, sigh). I got to the streets with a heavy fog that looked like it came straight out of a movie. My heart was heavy. And then got heavier as I got a phone call, news one of my friends had died. 36 years old. That's the second 30 something year old friend I've lost in the past few months. In that same period, I turned 30 myself. Has me thinking about my life so far and how unsatisfied I am with it so far. Needless to say, it hasn't been the most festive New Year's Eve for me or those who knew my homeboy.

But the weather forecast for tomorrow, the 1st day of 2010, says "mostly sunny". With that in mind, I wanted to share a few things I'm looking forward to doing in 2010. Things that will make me feel better about how I'm living the few years God's giving me here on this planet. I guess you can call them resolutions.

1. Facebook less and Face-the-Book more. Nothing wrong with facebook and other social networking sites. In fact I love being connected with people and being able to communicate faster. I've accomplished a lot through these sites and love them, but not when it's taking me away from more critical things I should be doing. Nothing more critical than staying equipped by reading the Bible and other books that feed the Spirit.

2. Fear less and Love more. Not that I don't love, I do. But it's just that after going through the jungle of fear and reason in my head, love doesn't look like love anymore. It's inorganic and looks formularized. Afraid that people can't handle it or might misunderstand it, I've really loved less. Fear and reason has ruled and love has suffered. I'm putting an end to that. People need love, whether they are ready for it or not. I'm going to love, and it's going to be unadulterated, uncensored, and never in question.

3. Fight less and Write more. I've had some fights this year. I fought others, fought myself, and even fought God. Undoubtedly I'll have to face some battles in 2010, but I want to avoid the unnecessary ones. And I'm going to write more. Write more poetry, more songs, more blogs, and more journal entries. One day, after I'm gone, the words God has given me will live on.

4. Give less hate, give more Grace. God's Grace is truly amazing. So amazing that I want to share it with others. If people's sins don't separate them from God's love, while should it separate them from mine. I'm going to see people make mistakes, and I'm going to help them recover from it. I'll see them fall and let them step all over me to get back up. I'll see some rising to the top and help push them even higher.

5. Less me, more Jesus. The world doesn't need me; they need Jesus. I don't need me, I need Jesus.

I hope as the dawn of a new year approaches we experience no more fogs or storms but a year that is "mostly sunny".

Happy New Year
Tope