Resolved

For Christmas this year, one of Jon's family members gave us a set of three reusable water cantenes from LL Bean and a list of reasons to drink more water. Although, I don't think the list of reasons is anything that really interests me... the containers interest my daughter to know end. She carries them around the living room like little lanterns and clinks them (they are metal) together. Everyone could use to drink more water, and I will actually use this gift. Having said that...

Drinking water isn't something I plan on making a New Year's Resolution about.

We had someone come by my new job (a monthly guest speaker) and he talked about how most people make New Year's Resolutions and fail. He talked about the reasons most people fail (unrealistic goals, vague promises, bad plans, no room for give in your resolution...stuff like that).

I've never really been big on making a New Year's Resolution...but since I've been an adult I try to keep myself always working on something. Right now I'm working on being more trusting about admitting when I feel hurt. Which is totally against my nature and my survival instincts. I'm also working on journaling my food intake and weight so that I can be aware of what I'm consuming. (Not so much fun during the Turkey and Sugar Cookie season)

My main resolution this year has been to actively pray for others DAILY. Sometimes I miss a day... or a person on my list... but it makes me feel like I am helping to change the world. If nothing else, I'm changing me... and I'm part of the world.

So here is my current resolved prayer list (names removed to protect the less than innocent) and I'm going to put it on the internet so that you can add to it. Need a prayer? Leave it in the comments. I'll put you on my list for January...or now really...because I'm starting tomorrow and going through January.

I pray for my daughter that she may learn patience and that she may always feel loved and supported.

I pray for my husband that he may feel loved, supported and that our marriage will grow stronger with time. I pray for his happiness, contentment in our relationship and for his job...which he loves even when it doesn't always do what we think it will.

I pray for ** that she may know God's true love and forgiveness in all things, even tragedy.

I pray for ** that he may find a job that gives him joy and allows him the social nature that makes him beautiful and for his girlfriends nerves that she doesn't kill him in the meantime.

I pray for my grandparents that they may enjoy old age instead of being burdened by it.

I pray for **'s and their families that the financial troubles and jobless woes they all have will help them to grow as people and that when they end (which I pray is soon) that they will serve in their testament as proof of the greatness of God's love.

I pray for the new baby I just found out one of our family members will be having in August.

I pray for ** and his new family that they develop a loving and strong bond with my daughter and that they know that we already love them.

I pray for **, that I can forgive her for hurting me (which is about me just as much as it is her but it's all I can muster at the moment) and that she may learn how to be the grandma that just invites herself over.

I pray for ** that while she is watching my child she feels the overwhelming love God has for her through my daughters overwhelming ability to love her...because she is loved by me, God and my daughter more than she knows.

I pray for ** that she doesn't go crazy in the snow and kill her significant other and that her relationship with God continues to grow, and that she know the value of her friendship for me and how much I love her, and that her son be always aware of the blindly beautiful love that God, ** and I have for him.

I pray for ** that he may find his soul mate because I know he wants it so much and for the high school group which he leads because there is no such thing as too much prayer for a man leading teenagers anywhere.

I pray for **, ** and ** that the relationships that God has put them in will make them happy and let them shine even if they are still working on creating them.

I pray for ** to feel proud of what he is because he's like my brother and a job isn't as important as a man's character.

I pray for **, **, ** and ** that they grow up to be loving, forgiving and intellegent human beings.

I pray for ** that they may know that they are not forgotten.

And usually at the end I say a blanket prayer for all the people I forgot to pray for...because I know I'm human and I probably forget people every day.

Got anyone you need to put on my ** prayer list ? You can put a ** for names if you don't feel comfortable.