Some Things I Need to Learn in 2024

New Year’s resolutions aren’t my thing. Never have been. Never will. I know this about myself-- the harder I try to change something about myself, the greater the probability I will fail.

We are already almost a week into 2024. For me, it started out with more neighbor/animal issues, this time involving an attorney. The situation isn’t as dramatic as it may sound. It’s just that someone with more authority than I needed to be brought in to “emphasize” a dog should not be barking in the middle of the night outside one’s bedroom, specifically mine.

The attorney is mailing a letter of demand to the neighbors today. True to personal form, I was thinking how I might express to them my feelings about having to take that step. I wanted to tell them, “It didn’t have to be this way,” Forming the communication in my mind, I kept bumping into the fact the situation is out of my hands. That happened after I made the decision to call a lawyer. It’s not in your hands anymore, my Heavenly Father said. It’s in mine.

The more I thought about my desire to rub salt in the wounds, to put forth my two-cent’s worth, to have the last word, the more I realized there are several things I need to learn in 2024.

There is a common (mis)perception that God is like a genie, flitting around, touching humankind with His magic wand, and TADA!!, we are wonderful. The truth is, living life with God is like living in boot camp as we are toughened up, strengthened, and instructed in learning a better way of living.

These are some of the things I need to learn in 2024. God knows I’ve recently been experiencing the reality of clashing with people with whom I disagree and its unproductivity.

1.    The first thing I need to learn is to shut my mouth. I don’t have to “win” a discussion by having the last word; I need not always interject my thoughts or comments.

2.    Next, the importance of staying in my own yard cannot be emphasized enough. It isn’t up to me to correct people who don’t want to be corrected…or don’t even see a need for correction. I need to learn and live in the fact I am responsible only for truth given to me.

3.    Thirdly, I have been called to be a witness, (a noun, not a verb.) This means I am to watch and see what God does. He can do just fine without my help.That's another area where I need to learn to live correctly.

4.     I need to learn I am OK, exactly as I am. If God has a problem with me, He can make me aware, and we’ll go from there.

5.    I absolutely need to learn and value how truly blessed I am. Animal/neighbor problems are genuinely minor. 

6.  Lastly—until others come along, and I’m sure they will--I need to learn how to use an Instant Pot. I'm going to need a LOT of help on that one!

      Learning experiences can sometimes be difficult, but they are also beneficial. I’ll check back in a year and see how much I actually learned. May 2024 be a time of learning for you as well.

 

“A wise man will hear and increase learning…”

Proverbs 1:5 NKJV