I could, and perhaps should, resolve to write something on this blog every day. It would help me to be more disciplined and to be a better writer. I could resolve to read through the entire Bible this year. That would help me to be a better pastor and theologian. I could resolve to stay in touch more with friends who live at a distance. There are probably 20 letters that I should write right now. I could resolve to go to bed earlier, to eat better, to ride 100 miles a week, or to read all of Kurt Vonnegut's novels.
However, only one in five resolutions is kept and what is so significant about our changing calendar that is going to motivate me to do any of these things anyway? Why should I make big plans for my life starting on an otherwise random day in the middle of the winter?
I'm not going to resolve anything this year. (I don't remember ever keeping a New Year's resolution anyway.) I do think it is important to look back and evaluate and then move forward with resolve, but I'll do that at significant times in my life, not significant points in our twelve month calendar system. When I graduate, I'll look back and look forward and make commitments for my life, or maybe when I take my first call, or start a new semester. Those events may be important enough to give me the resolve to reach some goal or make some change, but right now 2010 doesn't seem to be any different than 2009.
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