A long time ago, I had a personal/family blog but haven’t updated it in a LONG time and finally have come to terms with the fact I probably won’t get back to it anytime soon. I miss it though, so I decided to make this blog more personal. We’ll see how it goes…. 
I love all the snow we’ve had recently. Winter is my least favorite season for sure, but I think the snow makes everything look so sparkly and pretty. Kate says it looks like glitter. I love that it covers everything up and just leaves behind a fresh, clean slate. And I thought it was pretty appropriate that we had snow on the ground for the new year. When I sat down to think about my goals and resolutions for the new year I didn’t have a hard time coming up with a list of things to improve upon in 2010. In fact, I had a hard time NOT adding more things to the list. Because the simple fact is that there are just so many things I would like to do better.
Be a better mom.
Be a better wife.
Be a better friend.
Exercise more.
Eat less junk food.
Be more organized.
Cook more.
Plan better.
Be on time.
Stop procrastinating.
Give back more.
Live more simply.
Spend more time reading my Bible.
Do more unexpected, kind things for others.
See what I mean? The list is somewhat long. And although it’s true that I’d really like to improve in all of those areas, I wanted to have a more narrow focus. Cause when you are trying to stay on track with four thousand resolutions it gets out of hand pretty fast. And I imagine it would be a bit hard to stay on track or really even determine your progress for that matter.
So what to do? How would I narrow it to just one? Because all of them seem important.
I started praying about it and actually felt a clear answer. One resolution that stood out from the rest. And it’s simple.
Love God more.
That’s it.
More of Him and less of me.
Sounds simple enough, of course, but we all know that through the busyness of daily life its sometimes easier said than done. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized that this resolution really is the most important for a couple of reasons.
The main reason is because He tells me so. The following is from Matthew 12…..
- 28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
- 29“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.[e]30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[f] 31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[g]There is no commandment greater than these.”
The second reason is that loving God more means I am doing my best to live by the spirit. Which has its own benefits.
- 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galations 5:22
And it hit me that by following through on that one resolution means I will be making progress on all of them.
Be a better mom. PATIENCE.
Be a better wife. LOVE.
Be a better friend. GOODNESS.
Exercise more. SELF-CONTROL
Eat less junk food. SELF-CONTROL
Be more organized. SELF-CONTROL
Cook more. PATIENCE.
Plan better. SELF-CONTROL
Be on time. SELF-CONTROL
Stop procrastinating. SELF-CONTROL
Give back more. KINDNESS.
Live more simply. PEACE. JOY.
Spend more time reading my Bible. FAITHFULNESS
Do more unexpected, kind things for others. GENTLENESS.
See what I mean?
Even though it snowed a tiny bit more today, most of the snow is already gone. I took couple of photos of the last bits hanging around our yard and I couldn’t help but think that as much as the fresh snow represents a clean start, it’s not too long before it gets all messy and then disappears altogether. Kind of like our resolutions.
But I’m resolving to follow through on mine the best I can. We’ll see how it goes…..:)
January 4th, 201010:11 pm at
Kelly - I just wanted to say that I love your work. I have been following your blog since you shot the Miller twins over a year ago. You do beautiful work and I love this post! Oh how this spoke to me! Hope you survived the holiday season. I look forward to seeing your work in 2010!
January 5th, 201010:12 am at
hey kelly! i adore this post and the words you have shared. it’s absolutely the truth. because what’s inside…in the heart…works itself outward. and the only way to change the outward is to change the inward.
thanks for the reminder.
January 5th, 20104:45 pm at
I love reading your blog and I absolutely LOVE your pictures–they are always stunning and I am happy when I see a new post come up on my google reader! As a fellow Christian and fellow photographer, I especially admire your work and your thoughts and how candidly you share. Thank you!! Would love to meet you someday! Any chance you’re going to the Imaging photography conference?
January 5th, 20105:37 pm at
Love God More - what a perfect way to live our lives. You make your mama proud! Kate looks beautiful and so much older in that picture-she looks alot like her daddy there.
January 5th, 20106:11 pm at
Perfect post and perfect photo of sweet Kate…she’s so, so beautiful.
January 6th, 20106:32 am at
Pefect post. Beautifully said.
January 7th, 20104:20 pm at
I love that photo of Kate. I needed to read this post. I feel exactly the same way. With Allison being sick it has made me really realize what is most important in life. The day we took her in to the hospital and discovered how sick she was this peace came over me. I can’t explain it but it was almost as if His hand was on my shoulder the whole time giving me the strength to be her strength. When I am having a tough day I always think of that moment. I think when we love God more it is easier to deal with life’s trials. I love that you are blogging more and maybe you can hold me accountable to blog more. It’s on the list everyday but I rarely get there!
January 19th, 201011:21 pm at
I enjoy your photos and your thoughts are inspirational! It is often overwhelming to think of all the things that I would like to improve upon, and time just gets away from me. At the end of the day, I often look back at the moments and wonder if I made the most of them. Your words are true, and your resolution reminds me of John 3:30. “He must become greater; I must become less.” Happy 2010!
January 30th, 20108:10 am at
Yeah!!! I am so glad you are posting personal stuff now! Those are my favorite! I especially love the fun ones of Kate.
She is so entertaining and hilarious! Love your resolution too. “Seek 1st Him, and ALL these things will be added to you.” So simple. Love it.