{"id":4359,"date":"2017-12-31T09:00:50","date_gmt":"2017-12-31T15:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/?p=4359"},"modified":"2017-12-14T21:45:12","modified_gmt":"2017-12-15T03:45:12","slug":"choose-to-have-a-happier-new-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/?p=4359","title":{"rendered":"Choose to Have a Happier New Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yet, Another Year of Choices<\/em><\/p>\n

By Barbara Dahlgren<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"Each New Year brings resolutions we make for changes that will better our lives. Although we usually have every intention of keeping them, all too soon they are abandoned because change is hard. Most of us want changes to instantly happen without any effort on our part. We think if we write them down they will miraculously come to pass. Unfortunately, that\u2019s not how it works.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why for the past few years I\u2019ve resolved not to make resolutions but to focus on daily choices instead. I have shared these choices with you on this weekly blog. Last year we focused more on passive choices \u2013 things we chose not to do. On the surface, consciously \u201cchoosing not\u201d to do something may seem complacent, perfunctory, or lazy, but if you\u2019ve followed this blog you will know it\u2019s not. In fact, what we \u201cchoose not\u201d to do can take a great deal of thought and self-control, plus save us a lot of present and future trouble. However, this year we will continue with more proactive choices \u2013 things we choose to actively do.<\/p>\n

Choices we make can affect our lives and the lives of those around us. Right choices can bring peace of mind; wrong choices bring problems. While it\u2019s true God can bail us out of wrong choices, He usually chooses not to do that so we can learn lessons. Even though there are life-lessons we need to learn, our wrong choices will never negate God\u2019s love and forgiveness for us. Those are constants!<\/p>\n

Hopefully we all know that God has forgiven us for our sins \u2013 past, present, and future. Nothing we can do will ever earn us salvation because it is a gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8) Nothing we can do will make God love us anymore than He does. Christians who perform lists of do\u2019s and don\u2019ts, trying to get God to love them, do not understand God\u2019s grace. God\u2019s love is freely given to us!<\/p>\n

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However, even though God gives us salvation, grace, and love, He does not automatically give us good habits or moral character. Those qualities are determined by the choices we make. That\u2019s why Paul encouraged the Philippians to put into practice what they had heard or seen in him. (Philippians 4:9) As a result of practicing these right choices, they would receive peace of mind. Jesus said those who practice what He said are like those who build on a solid foundation. (Matthew 7:24)<\/p>\n

Consider this\u2026 God does not need to zap us when we do something wrong, because wrong choices bring their own penalties. When we make wrong choices we punish ourselves. It\u2019s the cause and effect principle. What we sow, we reap. Although God always forgives us when we make poor choices, the effects remain and we have to deal with and live with them.<\/p>\n

While it is true that time and chance happen, many of our problems could be avoided if we trained ourselves to make better choices. A lot of trials are brought on because of our poor choices; other trials may not be our fault, but still we must choose how to respond to them. So there is always an element of choice in everything we do.<\/p>\n

So here we go with yet another year of choices! If we resolve to practice making better choices every day, we will have a happier New Year \u2013 and so will everyone around us.<\/p>\n

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Some choice quotes about choices\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.\u201d ~Roy Disney, co-founder of Walt Disney Productions<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all make choices but in the end our choices make us.\u201d ~Ken Levine, video game designer and author<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you have to make a choice and don\u2019t make it, that is in itself a choice.\u201d ~William Jennings Bryant, American orator and statesman<\/p>\n

\u201cOne\u2019s philosophy is not best expressed in words. It is expressed in the choices one makes.\u00a0 In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves.\u00a0 The process never ends until we die.\u00a0 And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.\u201d ~Eleanor Roosevelt<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it snows you have two choices: shovel or make snow angels.\u201d ~Anonymous<\/p>\n

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