Again, props to Brian Russell for the topic.
As I begin a new year I will not make a commitment to keeping this blog up to date. But I have chosen three areas of my life that I will commit to focusing on and strengthening in the coming twelve months.
Generous
Close to twenty-five years ago an event occurred that has shaped my life ever since. I was in a car going to a weekend retreat in Northern Virginia. We stopped at a gas station and when the driver came back out from paying for the gas he also brought with him packs of gum for myself and the other male passenger and single roses for the two female passengers. This small act of generosity has forever followed, almost haunted me; a casual act, which he would probably not even remember has changed the way I live. That small kindness affected me more than most “major” events in my life.
Today as I look around and wonder what kind of person I most admire my mind is forced to return to that event. Those who are generous with their time, money, attention are those that I find most worthy of emulating. So, though I have tried to incorporate generosity into my life, this year I am committed to “do”.
Hospitable
I remember my Grandmother telling stories of how all of the neighborhood children spent so much time at her house and thinking how I wanted that to be my house when I grew up. I think of all the time that I spent as a college student along with hoards of others at certain youth leader couple’s house. Thirty years later their hospitality is still bearing fruit for them and others.
I have recently moved into a new home. I have an eleven year old boy. That is going to be my house.
Deliberate
My life is half over. Too often it has been marked by success or failure brought on only by circumstance. I am going to be deliberate in my actions and craft my life in spite of my circumstances.
“Do, or do not. There is no try.”
