Resolution Follow Up

Sometimes I like breaking the calendar into quarters....maybe that is related to my background and education in the field of business. Businesses report their quarterly earnings and every three months the financial sector is looking to see the state of things through these reports. Ugh...OK, enough of the boring stuff...
I recently looked back on my post from early January called "Resolved." Now that we are in the early part of the second quarter of 2009, I thought it would be a good idea to "check in" on these fine goals that I was so resolved to focus on as the new year started. In general, I think I am doing a mediocre job at meeting these goals. It could be that I am being hard on myself, but it seems to me, as I examine these "resolutions", that I am missing a lot of days and taking too many days off. I've made some good progress in some areas and in others, although I started off strong, my resolve has waned.

Here's my quarterly "earnings" report:

#1...My goal here was to be more consistent in three main spiritual practices: Solitude, Scripture Reading and Prayer. I started out pretty strong on this one. I was getting up at 5:00 AM when the house was quiet and I was reading every day. I spent a good 10-15 minutes praying and writing in my journal. It felt really good. The routine was starting to kick in...but, slowly...ever so slowly, I started taking days off here and there. It became easier and easier to just congratulate myself for the days that I was consistent and allow myself a day to sleep in. Well, at this point, that has turned into hitting the snooze button every day until 5:45, which leaves me no time for solitude and little time for physical exercise before I need to get out the door and head to work. Don't get me wrong, I pray every day...in fact, I feel like I am in conversation with God all day long. But, what I am missing most is the solitude....the quietness....the focus on scripture and the focus on God. I feel determined to bring back the consistency...

#2...My goal here was to be more consistent in exercising. I feel pretty good about where I am on this one. I have been using the Wii Fit on a regular basis and trying to hit the gym at the YMCA once or twice a week. Overall, I have been consistent about getting on the Wii balance board and doing some combination of Yoga, Aerobics or Balance exercises for 10-15 minutes every day. This last month has been less consistent, due to a vacation and overall complacency, but the results are starting to show (just ask my wife!). On January 1, my Body Mass Index (BMI) was 29.42 and my weight was at 222.0. My little Wii friend told me that this is OVERWEIGHT. By March 16, my BMI was down to 28.11 and my weight was at 212.1. When I checked in on April 2, my BMI was at 28.20 and my weight was at 212.7. So, in the first quarter I have lost nearly 10 pounds! That is pretty good, but it could certainly be better. My visits to the YMCA have been non-existent for the past few weeks. This busy time of year with the kids playing baseball and softball has left me little time to get to the gym. Although my weight has been fluctuating because of this, my check in this morning showed my weight slightly above 213. So, I have been maintaining. My goal is to lose another 6 pounds in the next two weeks. That will be pretty tough, but I think I can get close if I get more consistent about my morning routine AND getting to the gym at least twice a week.

#3...My goal here was to bring joy into the lives of others. This one brings with it some difficulty in analyzing myself. Some aspects of my life in this first quarter have shown some great improvement in this area. I have had opportunity to come alongside and pastor some people that I am in community with. I have had chances to teach and mentor students that I enjoy hanging out with. I have had some time to spend with my wife and with my children, enjoying the activities and interests that they are involved in. I still feel like there are missed opportunities though. Those times when I can inject positive messages or steer a negative conversation into an area of good. I think I tend to avoid conversations with people that turn the focus to negative. It seems easier to not engage than to work at injecting positive, loving and joyful comments. So, I renew my resolve here. In every aspect of my life, I want to be a person who brings joy to others. Proverbs 15:30 says, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones."

So, there it is....my quarterly report....How do you think I am doing? Do you think I am being hard on myself? Maybe so....but, I think it is good to check in from time to time....and to be realistic about these goals. I would rather have something to work on than to go through life thinking that I have it all figured out...