Ringing in the New Year

'Tis the season for holiday get togethers, toasts, and resolutions!

In the craziness that is the busy holiday season, it can be difficult to find the time to be introspective.  There is so much to attend to and so many things that must be done.  I must confess that some of the pressures of the holiday time do nothing more than add stress and a level of guilt to an already hectic life.  It is easy for me to feel a little bit like a "pushmi-pullyu" of Dr. Doolittle fame.  It seems as though there is always something for me to do next and somewhere for me to go.

Maybe it's just me.

As we quickly approach the ringing in of 2013, the Shivers family is going to do something different.  We are going think through what we would like to make a priority together this coming year.  It is not a "resolution" or an add on to an already busy life.  Rather, it is an examination of those things that we are already passionate about.  We will look at them together, pray about them, and decide on one of them that we will try to make our family focus this coming year.

I am not sure at this time exactly what all of this will mean, but it will be fun to see how we can come together as a family and creatively make something a priority.  Perhaps we will participate in one service project a month together centered around our priority.  Maybe we will give a little extra money to a charity that has our priority as a focus.  Could be that we will study and learn together about whatever we decide on and see where that may lead us.

It will be exciting to look back on 2013 as the "Year of _________."  I am certain that somehow each one of us will be transformed by our "priority."

Here are some of the things that I can imagine will be in the running for our family priority in 2013...
Our daughter loves animals and is passionate about animal adoption.
Jennifer has a deep desire to address issues of hunger in our city.
I am finding myself more and more interested in interfaith work.

If you find this interesting and something your family might like to try as well, I would love to hear what you and your family are excited about together.  Feel free to share your ideas here on this page, if you would like.  It could be fun to hear from one another and learn from one another about what our families find to be important.

Blessings in your New Year!