It’s that time of year again. ‘Almost time to start setting goals…

• The 30 pounds I didn’t lose last year
• The book a week I didn’t read
• The monthly budget I didn’t follow

It’s easy to beat ourselves up this time of year. We reflect on good intentions that didn’t get much beyond a thought. We realize that despite so many long days, busy weeks and grueling months, the year sped by quickly. What do we have to show for it?

Perhaps the lesson is in second chances. My grandparents had a picture on their wall inscribed with these words:

“A new day is a new chance to learn, to explore and to be happy.”

I think about these words often, recognizing that after every dark night comes a morning and after every long winter comes spring. Thank goodness for second chances!

With that being said, I also recognize that work is involved in creating change. We have to take action to make things happen. We need to make words like “faith” and “love” and “courage” verbs.  And after we make the decision to TRY, it’s time to ACT.  The results will be well worth the effort!

Another saying I like comes from the American poet Edwin Markham:

Ah, great it is to believe the dream as we stand in youth by the starry stream; but a greater thing is to fight life through and say at the end, the dream is true! 

What are you going to do this year to make your dreams come true? I know I’ve got some prayerful consideration ahead of me as I make S.M.A.R.T. goal setting plans to turn my 2018 ambitions into actual achievements.