Measures

“You remember, don’t you?” she said. “They called us wiggle worms. If we were still during nap time we got a sticker. At the end of the week we were able to see all our stickers. If we got one for each day we could move to a new spot. If we didn’t get all our stickers for the week, we had to stay in the same spot.”

Listening to her share this fond memory warmed my heart, almost made me giggle, you know, the internal expression of wiggles. Such a simple treasure, a sticker on a chart, yet it was powerful enough to motivate little children to avoid moving about during nap time! And what a wonderful thought that the record started over with the beginning of each new week. Um … sounds something like this:

Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be --- you get a fresh start, your slate’s wiped clean. Count yourself lucky --- God holds nothing against you and you’re holding nothing back from him.
Psalm 32:1-2 The Message

For years people have set “New Year’s resolutions” only to be disappointed within a short time when those well intended commitments did not flourish. Yet, this year I hope you’ll approach it with a different thought, perhaps a new approach …

Do your best in the job you received from the Master. Do your very best.
Colossians 4:17 The Message

Go ahead, make note of your goals, possibly habits to which you want to adhere. Be careful not to overload yourself with too many. Typically focusing on one to three items can be quite manageable. Now, here’s the new idea:

Set yourself up with a tracker of some kind. It can be on your day planner, wall calendar, electronic calendar or merely a notepad. Each day that you “do your best” in working toward your goal, mark it in some meaningful way (a sticker, a “B” for best effort, “S” for success, or whatever). Next, determine time measurements, perhaps weekly or monthly. At the end of each time measurement, tally your successes and make note of them. As your measurements grow with the passing of days, compare them to the previous. This will break the year into smaller portions, providing you with a fresh start with the beginning of each new time measurement. It also allows you to rebuild momentum while making stride toward your goals.

Celebrate God’s goodness at the end of each day and time measurement while recognizing that it is He who provided the opportunities. What a wonderful life, one step at a time, will unfold before you as you put His Word into practice: Do your best … Do your very best! You’ve been given a fresh start with today and each new measurement!

… praying that you’ll stand firm, mature and confident in everything God wants you to do …
Colossians 4:12 The Message
I’d love to hear about your successes or share an encouraging word if you struggle. Leave a comment …

Happy New Year!

Tanja Dufrene
Women’s Ministries
Highpointe Church - OKC