I know the New Year, 2026, is still months away, but I’ve already begun to consider making resolutions. I always do. I don’t always write them down on paper or put them in my daily journal, but there’s always some resolve to do better in some area. I did some research on the top ten resolutions made by individuals in America. Many of the sites listed resolutions common to us: lose weight, get fit, spend less – save more, and get organized. I was surprised that nearly every list I saw included quit smoking in the top ten. I thought that smoking was primarily a thing of the past. I guess that’s pretty egocentric. Since it’s in the past for me, it should be for everyone. Well, my search revealed exactly what I thought it would reveal. Most of us want the same things in our lives. But there were some surprises also.
I found “help others” on the list more often than I expected. One commentator said, “Many people commit to doing more for their family, place of worship, or community. Volunteering always rates high on the resolution charts.” This surprised me! Another good resolution was to learn something new. “Lots of people want to enhance and broaden their lives in the coming year, whether it’s taking up a new hobby, learning a computer program, or going back to school.” A third one that surprised me was simply enjoying life more. According to one writer, it seems, “This means living more in the moment and spending more time doing what you love. Life is chaotic, and more and more Americans are making choices to cut back on work hours and increase their leisure time and personal time.” In the “check-list,” accomplishment-driven world we live in, that sounds like a very noble resolution.
Finally, the one that struck me as most unusual and worthwhile is to spend more time with friends and family. Another writer commented, “Recent polls show that Americans really do want to have more time with those they love, whether it’s going out to movies, spending time at the dinner table together, or just laughing with friends. The key to success is making the time for your number one priority. It’s all about committing to your goal and sticking to it.” The only disappointing thing I saw was not one list included the resolution to “get to know God better.” The two most important commandments given to us by our Lord, Jesus Christ, are to Love God and to love others. Spending some more quality time with God always results in more quality time with others. Now that I’m retired and have lots of time, I have the time that I always wanted to spend in the Bible. These daily devotional thoughts help me do that. I also have more time to spend with family. I remember the poem by Robert Frost. The rider who stops to survey the snow falling down in the woods. He concludes, “The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.” Not me! No body owns a piece of my time. I have no other demands on my life but to love God and love others. To paraphrase Jesus’ words, “these are the two greatest resolutions in life” (Matthew 22:40, Mark 12:29-30).