2007 New Year Resolution

In my church Young People(YP) meeting, we always will write out our new year resolution.

In year 2006, what we did was we wrote our new year resolution in a piece of nice paper then we seal it up and keep it in the church cupboard. I'm sure most of the members totally forgot about it and can't remember that we have actually did that and kept it in the cupboard. Even if we can remember that we have this activity also we can't remember what we wrote inside that piece of paper. Last Sunday, the last Sunday of 2006, we took out the envelope and gave back everyone their own resolutions to check how they have done in year 2006.

When I read about my 2006 new year's resolution, I felt like laughing at myself. I can't believe that I have actually written all those "nonsense". (I even write "I hope my heart and my love for Steven will not change and remains faithful with him"...Can't you believe that? I wrote something like that...Even if I achieved it, so what? ) I then realised that I have been asking for things that is so meaningless. My 2006 new year resolutions have been so meaningless. It's totally not the standard to measure how I performed in year 2006.

To me, year 2006 has been a very compact and meaningful year (maybe because I sealed the new year resolution and didn't follow it....I can't imagine what will happen if I sticked to that piece of paper) . Although there are many ups and downs in this year, I have learnt many lessons and gain many things...friendship, family, love, right attitude, lifetime experiences and so on...

Now year 2007, it's time to think of what I want for this year, what's my new year resolution for this coming year again. I'm very looking forward to this year as there are so many uncertainties. I really pray and have faith that God has a beautiful plan for me and He will lead me through. I'm looking forward to see His will for me and wait patiently for Him to reveal the will. =p

Anyway, for this new year 2007, after some deep thoughts and attended 2 lessons in the GLO training school, I know what I want for this year. I want to bear the 9 fruits of spirit mentioned in the bible Galations 5:22

1. Love
The word love is often misuse or overuse in the world now. It's not easy to love. To love someone is to treat someone nice without wanting anything in return, even if I found out that person doesn't love me or dislike me. Some people they treat you nice just because they hope that they can have your love(or something else) in return. Once they found out that you actually treat them the same as others they will not treat you nice anymore. They only love you when they thought they will have your love or special attention in return.
Therefore, love is not selfish, not wanting for a return. I want to love my family members and my fellow friends more. The best way to show love is willing to spend more time with them. I admit that I have not love my family and friends enough for the past year as I have not spent enough time with them. I have been so busy with other stuff. This year I want to make my priority right.

2. Peace
Make peace with one another as He is a God of peace not disorder. It's so easy to have an enemy but yet it's so difficult to turn an enemy into your friend. The best way is not to make enemy at all. I have regretted that I used to be so immatured and have make a few enemy last time. Now it's so difficult to face them and make peace with them again. You'll never know when you'll encounter them again and one day you might need their help too. This is one of the lessons that I learnt recently.
Just like my ex-boss, he has been so unreasonable and irritated for not paying me my salary that I deserved. Not only that, he always promise me that he'll bank in today and the "today" never come. Everytime I go to the bank and felt disappointed for having no money. My parents and many friends have asked me to scold him or some even say KILL him!!! =p But I didn't. I continue to talk nicely(nicely in the sense that I didn't shout at him) and ask for my money. At last, today he paid me by asking his cousin sister to hand the money to me. I even sms him and say thank you to him...(some say I crazy!!!) I just don't want to have another enemy. If I scold him or angry at him, I'll definitely say words that is not nice to hear. This will only make us become enemy. Who knows maybe one day I might meet him in somewhere. I'll prefer him to tell his friend that I'm a great person with great personality instead of bad bad person with bad bad attitude.

3. Joy
Have joy in my heart as I shouldn't worry so much about tomorrow. I have faith that God will provide me with what I NEED. No matter what situation I'm going through, I know that God is there with me and for me. Just like what God has promised all of us in Hebrew 13:5 that "I will never leave your nor abandon you". What is there to be sorrow about as I have the almighty God in me.

4. Patience
This is something that I really need to learn. Sometimes I can be an impatient person but I know I have improved a lot lately. The best way to learn or to start from is on the road when driving. It has been a very long while that I have not drive over the speed limit or do something silly towards other drivers. I always want to do things fast but I have learnt that only when you slow down you'll get to enjoy the beautiful scenery on the way and a guarantee to reach the destination safely or finish the job perfectly.
The main thing that I'm still learning and I think there's still a long way for me to learn is to listen patiently to others. Sometimes when I listen to some people (especially long-winded people), I tend to jump into the conclusion and feel so impatient for that person to repeat the same point again and again. I now learnt that they are also like me, they want to be heard and listened to. They want to share their ideas....and the GREAT thing is I realized one day I'll be long-winded too, automatically and unconsciously...!

5. Kindness
When I treat others kindly, others will be happy. What do I lose?? Nothing! Just a little bit of effort, to be kind to others, show sympathy to others, I'll reap a big result which is the happiness of others. Why not? I'm not very good in comforting others yet, this is a very difficult lesson to learn. Some people they are so good in comforting others that you'll just smile when you talk to them no matter how sad or upset you were. I'm still learning...

6. Goodness
Oh my goodness..!! haha..this is not the goodness that should be here. It's hard to explain goodness....it simply means GOOD... be GOOD!!! =p Be good to everyone everywhere and everytime..!

7. Faithfulness
To be faithful is another big lesson to learn. I'm glad that I have a faithful God to look upon to as my role model to learn about faithfulness. He has been so faithful as He never forsake me and He kept all His promises. Sometimes when things happen, as a human being, it's just normal to think of our own will instead of His; it's just so normal to start worry and grumble and complain about everything. I want to learn to have faith in Him that God gave me life and He has a plan for me and everything is in His control.

8. Gentleness
Hmm.... This word has never occur in my dictionary before, hehe...=p For those who knows me well, you might agree with me that it's not easy for me to be gentle...haha... I'm somewhat boyish, or I should say I always have big actions or gestures and....in short NOT GENTLE ...=p
This will be my number ONE lesson to learn this year. Don't be surprised or shocked to see me talking to you gently ya! And don't say I'm weird ok? (Having to think of it myself also feel so weird...Can't imagine myself being gentle..haha..) Anyway, I'll try!!

9. Self-control
To me, the first step to self-control is to have self-conscious and self-realization. You need to be conscious of the mistakes that you are doing and realize that it's a mistake only then you can control yourself from doing it. These few years I have learnt a lot about self-conscious and self-realization. Lately I've been learning about self-control too. Looking back of myself, I think I have improved a lot on this.
For instance, yesterday when I went for movie with my friend Ee Liang, there were 4 guys SPM school leavers(I guess..) sitting behind me. They were talking so loudly, commenting on the movie throughout the movie, not just that, they drank from their cups of water so loudly and kept stirring the ice in the cups, worst thing was the guy sitting behind me kept kicking my chair, it's so uncomfortable and annoying. I did turn back and look at them but I think I manage to control myself well enough. If I am who I was last time(few years back) I'll say something very bad to hear to humiliate and embarassed them LOUDLY in the middle of the movie when they make noise. (Actually by doing this I'll also embarassed myself as it's shows my character too) so I know it's so important to have self-control. At least last night was a good start, I managed to control myself well.

I'm sure with these 9 fruits of spirit I'll be a better person with a great personality. This is the least that I can do to show others who Jesus is and how God has worked in my life. This resolution is also more meaningful compared to just saying what I want to achieve in my life. It's much more than that as with these 9 fruits of spirit in me, I'm sure I can achieve more than I expected and be ready to face with any situations I'll be encountering in the future.

Looking forward to year end to evaluate myself on my performance on these 9 elements. :-)