Happy New Year!

Since Heath did the Christmas post, let me take this opportunity to wish all of our loved ones a very Happy New Year! True to Morber form, we are just a little late. I'm afraid I have probably rubbed off too much on Heath in that aspect. :)

With each new year, we all scramble to make "resolutions". I resolve to (fill-in-the-blank) this year and make myself a better person. While I think resolutions are admirable and necessary in trying to improve ourselves and grow as individuals, most of them fall by the way-side pretty quickly. As I was sitting here, I was pondering the definition of "resolve". Here is what Webster has to say: "dissolve, melt; break up, separate; to reduce by analysis; to deal with successfully, clear up; to reach a firm decision about; to make (as voice parts) progress from dissonance to consonance; determine; fixity of purpose". Now in terms of New Year's, most people mean "to reach a firm decision about" or "determine". Heath would prefer the musical meaning, but reading on to further defintions, I stumbled on "resolution". One of its definitions is "the act or process of reducing to a simpler form".

It is this latest definition which struck me most. Many of us resolve to lose weight, to keep in better touch with loved ones, to become a better version of ourselves....well, maybe the key to becoming that better version actually involves stripping away at the complexity of our layers. When we look inward and focus on simplifying...our lives, our homes, ourselves...it is here that our resolutions will materialize. What matters most in life is that which is most simple. Loving God and loving those in our lives. Period. Cars are nice, but we don't need them. Cell phones are handy, but we don't need them. An extensive wardrobe is cool, but again, we don't need it.

On the other hand, we desperately need God and we sure as heck need love in our lives if we are to thrive. So, this year, how can *I* make myself better? By juicing up my loving actions to my family, friends and most importantly, my Savior. It is one thing to love...and it is quite another to live that love. Now, with all of you as my witnesses....I hereby resolve to live my love in a greater way in 2007. That may mean sacrificing more of my time, living more simply or maybe just living more joyfully than I do on some days. Boy....I better get to work. ;)