Cristine Eastin

I don’t do selfies and I don’t do New Year’s resolutions.

So this is more of a Note to Self. Maybe it resonates with you too.

So here’s what I want to think about more in 2019.

• See the good side of things. I had a friend who said that people who go about whistling through their day must not be aware of the situation. It’s too easy to focus on the negative, it’s all around us, but my brain needs more of the good stuff. I’m tired of being peeved and making blood-thickening cortisol. I’m going to try and think more glass-half-full thoughts.
• Think about writing and do it. The couch feels pretty good in the morning, cats piled on my lap, cup of coffee in hand. But…Thinking plus thinking equals nothing. Ah, yes, the math of procrastination.
• Think these thoughts about love—Love is patient; Love is kind; Love doesn’t keep account of wrongs.
• Pray. Too often my prayers are a rote litany of requests: for friends’ healing, for loved ones’ salvation. I need to think on the wonder of the triune God. Worship.
• Remember it’s never too late. At least that’s what they say, the universal dispensers of wisdom. It can’t be true, though, because deadlines exist. Time’s up. Sale ends. But there must be hope in this world. Without hope the heart starves. Hope for good things, love, some form of accomplishment, hope in Christ.

We always say Happy New Year. But will it be? All we know from this vantage point is that the New Year will be a mountain range of hills and valleys, ups and downs. Without one, the other doesn’t seem so impressive or even interesting. Complaining about the valleys doesn’t make them go away.

In 2019, with the Lord’s help, I’m going to give a fighting effort at my thinking amounting to something…for the Lord.

…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 (NIV)