I was scrolling through my newsfeed, and I saw all of the ads prompting me to make certain resolutions with the promise of a product that would help me keep each resolution.
Those ad campaigns know my demographic well. They know we care about decluttered houses, better marriages, happier mothering, simplified routines, more present lives, and healthier bodies.
I am obviously not the only woman who woke up this morning and thought to myself,
“This is it. It’s my chance to start over. It’s my chance to begin a year without yelling, or fussing, or stressing. I’m going to make my family healthier meals. I’m going to meal prep! I’m going to start an in-home workout routine, and I’m going to get our family active.
I’m going to de-clutter. Yes, JESUS! I’m going to get rid of all of this crap just filling up my house. Less things to take care of means more time to care for what I love most. That’s what they all say, right? I’m going to pull everything out of the closets. I’m going to Marie Kondo the junk out of this place. I’m going to begin this year with a clean house.
I’m going to begin a Bible study, too. No, I really mean it. I’m going to wake up and I’m going to read at least fifteen minutes every day. I’m going to commit to spiritual growth. I’ll download that app. This year God and I are going to get even closer.
And I’m going to have a better marriage. I’m going to be intentional with my words and actions. We’ll have sex more. We’ll fight less. We’ll pray together more often. We’ll be ONE like God designed. Yes, this year is a clean slate for my marriage, and it’s going to be amazing!
And I’m going to do it all while being a better mom. More present. No yelling. More patience. More hugging. No last-minute scrambling. I’m going to be a more put-together mom. This year I won’t be on my phone as much. They will be on their screens less. AND Happier. I’ll be happier. I want them to have a happier mom.
Oh, and I’m going to practice more self-care. I’ll take time for me. I’ll fix myself up and get a new haircut…. and take care of my emotional state, too. I’ll read those books. I’ll call that friend. OOOh…. I’ll get together with that friend.
This year is a fresh start – a clean slate – a whole new opportunity to be the woman I want to be.”
But, it is 10:30 am, and I already need a do-over. If I only had one shot to start this year fresh, then Imma need it to be 2019 already. You hear me? It’s like why did I think that because the clock hit midnight it was going to be any different than the midnight before? It is still a Monday morning, I just have higher expectations for the day. I have higher expectations for myself, and my family, and my schedule. The kids are still going to wake up early. I’m still going to have a million things to do and not enough time to do them… It’s just life.
The Truth is, I need a clean slate daily. I need a fresh start right here at 10:33 am. And the best resolution I can make this year is the resolution to give myself the grace to begin again as often as I need all year long so I don’t give up those other resolutions all together.
Because guilt says that we have already blown it. Guilt says that we are already bad moms. Guilt says it’s our fault we made that unhealthy food choice, slept in and didn’t read the Bible, yelled at our husbands, are too busy to call that friend, and will never get our houses or our hearts uncluttered. Guilt says we should just give up.
But Grace? The grace to make a poor choice and realize that we can start again? The grace to say that we made a mistake rather than believe we ARE the mistake? Wow. That is what we need more of. That is the resolution that will help us keep all others. Because grace is the permission to start over as often as we need so that we can keep moving forward and keep growing.
Friend, I don’t know what promises (or loose suggestions) you’ve made yourself this year, but I know this… right here you get to decide what the rest of your year looks like. And I hope you hear the heart of God as He bends low and gently says, “My grace is sufficient.”
