Alcoholics will resolve not to drink another drop or at least bring their drinking down to a level that will make theie addiction acceptable to their spouse of friends or boss or coworkers. Smokers, especially those with young children or relatives who must avoid smoke for serious health reasons will resolve to stop smoking. The philandering husband or promiscuous wife will resolve to be faithful to their spouse. The gambler will resolve to quit gambling and the list could go on and on. The bratty, disobedient teenager will determine to "turn over a new leaf." We all know, though! We all do or have gone through the New Years' Resolution bit many times. 

And true Christians are determining to read their Bibles more, pray more, love the Lord Jesus more, be more faithful in church attendance,  to Forgive the brother or sister in the church who offended them and against whom they have been holding a grudge. To show more Agapé love more compassion and caring for those less fortunate so as to show them the Love of Jesus Christ. 

All of these are great resolutions and a such are goals of a sort. They SHOULD be real goals, but all too often, they are not genuine goals. They are not the speck of light at the far end of the tunnel.  Too often, threy may have been forgotten by January 7 and likely before. We all tend to go back to our habitual routine and habits, whether good or bad. But when we think of these goals as New Years' Resolutions, we somehow seem to place a lower priority on seriously trying to attain that goal. 

So instead of a "New Years' Resolution, " this year, think of serious goals you honestly want to reach and then take the kind of motivational steps to reach those goals that you would take if your goal was to go on a cruise ship or to earn a certain realistic dollar amountby a certain date. .

L that