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Barrel Racing New Year's Resolutions; How do you run to win?
Updated: Dec 8, 2019
Writing, riding, learning, thriving!
For your New Year’s (new rodeo season) Resolution List….
just list this ONE thing:
It’s not self care
It’s not losing weight
It’s not saving money
It’s not getting up early
It’s not being more patient
It’s not doing something scary
It’s not beginning a new hobby
It’s not starting a small business
It’s not finishing what you started
Then. what. is. it???????
First, we need to have a talk. A serious talk…to whomever made up the term and consequently the culture of ‘New Years Resolutions’.
Why do we make them, why do we fail them, why don’t we keep them?
For instance...It’s a non issue out the starting gate because if we really believed in the miracle of Christmas then we would really believe in the momentum it gifts us through new year.
How can we light candles, sing hymns, and open gifts as a ‘symbol’ of the ultimate gift and then proclaim OUR power to change OUR bad habits in a new years resolution?
The trouble with habits: you can’t break the bad one by just stopping cold turkey - it needs a replacement vice. Besides…are you just gonna let that pie sit in the fridge the day after Christmas? (I can’t be friends with a pie-waster)
We can’t just say ‘I’m going to lose weight and stop eating pie!’ We have to start a new habit. Now. Today. Even just a little bit, but start to edge a new habit in.
Because this is what we do with resolutions: we resolve to stop something. And that where we stay. We stay stopped. Or we get burned out on trying to stop.
But unless we resolve to start something the resolutions are sitting on the list and the pie is sitting in the fridge. The start by default is more powerful, because it propels past the thing you are trying to stop doing.
Usually these things are opposites...
We can’t just say I’m not drinking soda anymore (writes on NYR list) and then Jillian Michaels white knuckle and yell our way through the craving. You don’t have to stop drinking soda, just drink some water when you want soda. You can’t do both at once.
That would be inconvenient and gross. (Especially with left over pie.)
So I think thats the trick:
You don’t stop doing the ‘bad’ thing.
You just start doing the right thing.
and keep doing it.
By choosing to do and KEEP doing the ‘new’ thing, the ‘good’ thing, the ‘right’ thing by default; you aren’t doing the bad thing anymore. You can’t spin all those plates in the air.
If you blaze into the New Year with a list of Resolutions that you think YOU are gonna kick box right out of their 30 year old reign on The Bad Habit Throne (those habits have been with you since you were 17 - admit it) you are already destined for failure.
No more!
No more “this is gonna be the year I lose 15 pounds and break into the 2D! I’m gonna sweat harder, invest in that workout program and buy those fancy groceries. I’lll squeeze into this cute yoga gear and it will be my motivation to get up early and pound the treadmill.”
…then $1,200 and 12 weeks into the new year you are still staring at the same numbers. Same numbers on the scale. and numbers on the timer. They both have the same digits just with a different decimal point.
Its really easy to toss in some clip in hair extensions and pop on social media to let the world know how well you are coping with your decision to keep doing the same things with a different mask. Or different ‘filter’ as it would seem relevant .
In the name of self care and confidence people reach a certain point of success and then flaunt that fake cake in your face like its fresh out of the oven. Fake lashes, fake tan, fake speech. “If I can grind and hustle so can YOU! Look at all I have to show for it!”
Sometimes we get trapped in to thinking that their image and the words they say IS enough to motivate us, and keep going to get what THEY have. But it’s not, because THEY can’t preach right into OUR struggle. THEY don’t see the context of what WE are working through to get to where THEY are.
It makes no sense. Just because someone had the same skill set that we would like to attain, doesn’t mean they are living our same story.
Emulate what you want to authenticate. (3John1:11)
Don’t let the compulsion to climb the goals list compromise your values.Realize that who you are developing into is destined to become living proof.
When the scale says "sorry…still the same number! Try again with that will power though!" or the clock tells you ‘fast…but not fast enough - ya little 4d champion!’ it feels exposing. Like exposing the inadequate parts of us we are trying to develop into adequate parts. but then the act of exposing is well - exposing so it just knocks our confidence off the ladder it was climbing to try and kick the old habit off it’s 30 year reign on the throne.
God is different in the way He exposes the numbers, scales and resolutions of our heart.
Christmas reminds us the One who came as an incognito King, left the throne so He could kick our bad habits off theirs.
He sits on the throne up there, and He should sit on the throne of our hearts as well.
The reason why this is a double win: If He is the focus of our heart, He knows what’s in it. And He’s already kicked the bad habits off the their throne when He gave up His life for all of our bad habits on the cross.
You can claim His help and victory.
You can accept His help and victory.
You can apply His help and victory.
He doesn’t expose those places of your heart to say :
“your an idiot for buying the black friday fitness pass to the gym. You’ll be fat in February and as slow as last season!”
He doesn’t say:
“maybe try and follows this person’s instagram - they are pretty and they have fast horses and motivating speech!”
He just asks you questions like:
Who touched me? *Luke 8:45
What are you looking for? *John 1:38
What do you want me to do for you? *Matthew 20:32
And here’s where jesus is not like Santa and more kind of like a horse:
He won’t give you what you want, He will give you what you need.
The other funny part of these questions He asks us, is that He actually knows all them already. The only thing remaining is that we are responsible for is being transparent. Forthcoming with what we think we need work on and what we want.
It helps prep our selves for the response that He will give us.
And keep in mind - it is a response; an encouragement. Not a slap on the hand rebuke.
Just a re-situating of what we are supposed to, where we are supposed go, and who we are supposed to look to.
So meet Him where your at. Trust Him for where you want to be.
We confidently chime “Mmm thanks Jesus - but I have a treadmill to tackle and a horse to exercise, you looked super cute in the nativity scene! See ya next Christmas!”
If He is the gift we receive then let’s not just leave Him locked up in the plastic packaging like we are going to exchange His gift for something better.
If you need to, tuck that literal figurine nativity scene Jesus in your pocket. And while your running on your treadmill and riding your horse He’ll keep stabbing you in the leg - to remind you to respond to what He’s asking you.
Who touched me? What are you looking for? What do you want me to do for you?
Here’s the thing: your new years resolutions aren’t stupid. But call me a liar if you haven’t smugly remarked by Feb 15th that, ‘These new years resolutions are stupid’.
We just need to need peace in the process more than we need the product of a result. Otherwise we’ll never be happy when we do get the product of our labor, and we’ll never be happy on our way to getting there.
Our willpower during a run doesn’t hold any power to Thy will be done. *Matthew 6:10
Thy will be done on these buns.
Thy will be done on these runs.
For when I’m weak THEN I’m strong. *2 Cor 12:10
Sounds to me like Gods drafting underdogs ya’ll. So back to the point of this - your New Year’s Resolution List….just list this ONE thing:
Resolve to ask for His help. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
You can do it! And He will do it - He is our greatest helper.
Just a parting word of warning - Jesus will WRECK YOU and REDEEM you way past what you thought your New Years Resolutions offered. The best is yet to come friends.
Verses used:
'And Jesus said, "Who was it that touched me?" When all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!" Luke 8:45
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/LUK.8.45
'Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, "What are you seeking?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" John 1:38
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.1.38
'And stopping, Jesus called them and said, "What do you want me to do for you?" Matthew 20:32
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MAT.20.32
'Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ Matthew 6:10
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MAT.6.10
'For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ‘ 2 Corinthians 12:10