From December to January... and Beyond

Hello, and (dare I say???) welcome to 2020!

No, I am not Barbara Walters, introducing you to my television show. Rather I am Katie from “Katie’s View,” welcoming you to my blog, and into a brand new year.

Over the recent New Years holiday, Todd and I had a lovely couple of days; first welcoming in 2020 at midnight on Tuesday, and then having a whole day off from work on Wednesday. It gave me time to reflect on a few things… and reflect I did!

I got to thinking about my “olden days” when I was a much younger person. Back in high school, and shortly thereafter, it seemed as though all of my New Years ambitions revolved around what I might do differently after January 1^st of any given new year. OR, if we’re being brutally honest, what I might do differently after January 2^nd because who really wants to make changes before the holidays are officially over? Am I right? I bet you can predict that no NY resolution I made ever stuck for more than a few days… maybe two weeks at the most. But... what about the rest of the year??? 

Since my weight has always been an issue, my resolutions usually included losing anywhere from 5-75 pounds, depending on the year. As time ticked by, I expanded my thinking and also included other resolution ideas. While these were noble attempts, my old behaviors usually returned somewhere around the 11^th of January, likely due to my extremely low blood sugar levels from all of that dieting.

I’m kidding, of course, but I bet I wasn’t alone in my thinking. This might sound silly, but did I really think that because the calendar moved us into January of a new year, all present problems (weight or otherwise) could be left in the previous December? That somehow, as if by magic, I could hang the new year on my wall, and that would bring enough motivation for me to become an entirely new person, inside and out? No more binge eating, no more negativity?  

I might have been a late bloomer, but I must say that in recent years (keep in mind I’m already 58, so it took me a while!) I’ve come to realize a few important things. True weight loss, and all other important life changes, only truly come about when I ask God into the situation, and revise my own thinking entirely. Everyone is different, but for me, I find that the more I try to control food and other situations, the tighter control the situations seem to have over me. I need to assess what practical action I can exercise every day, to make a lasting difference. If, by January 11, I haven’t yet lost 50 pounds (wink), then I’ll need to continue making changes into February and March, July and August; and as you can guess, to infinity and beyond, to look and feel better every day… well, certainly most days. Maturity has shown me there is no magical solution to anything, much less the flip of a calendar.

When I was young, I somehow perceived things as being “all about me.” Yes, it’s a narrow view and it’s certainly a natural human tendency, but as I grew in love and in relationships, I saw that’s not how things really work at all. A life filled with relationships such as marriage, children, grandchildren, friends, neighbors, and whoever else fills that bill, becomes quite wide. Many pieces (most pieces) of our lives follow us from December into January, follow us year after year, possibly even generation to generation. Much of what we live and work through has no expiration date at all! There are an ever-increasing number of life events I cannot quit after January 11, or ever.

I shared in a previous blog post (here’s the link) https://katiekolbergmemmel.blogspot.com/2019/11/alzheimersdementia-long-goodbye.html that I have a loved one who entered a nursing home this past year. Moving from December to January did not (and will not) change that fact. My father is 97 years old, and though he’s doing well, things can change all-too quickly. My children's lives – their families and careers - are rapidly evolving, gathering steam, ebbing and flowing. Todd and I now have three grandchildren who are all growing into their own little people, trying out the world and all its offerings. As adults who’ve lived through, we know that some of their attempts will be good and some not-so-good. That’s life, but my mind does “go there” as I wonder about their futures. It's only natural, right?

Exciting times? Yes. Scary times? Ummm, about that… For me lately, it all boils down to this old saying I’ve been leaning into more and more often:

“One day at a time, sweet Jesus…”

On New Years Eve, when it came my turn to share any resolutions I might have for 2020, I left all ridiculous weight loss and similar ideas out in the cold. When I answered, I simply said, “Over the past few years, with God’s help, I’ve been attempting to ‘worry less and trust God more.’ I think I’ll continue doing that as I enter 2020.”

It’s as simple (or as difficult) as that. I’ve been putting everything from my personal weight loss efforts, to loved ones’ health realities, to relationship issues, into God’s capable hands, and watching how it all falls into place. Knowing I’m not alone in all of this has made me so much stronger. Realizing I don’t have control over anyone else, and can place all worry and burden into His hands, frees my thoughts and actions into doing only what I can (and should) do. I highly recommend this method.

Here’s to a new year, hopefully filled with lots of good things. But here’s also to a new year where we move with God’s help from December to January, and beyond!

God’s Blessings, Katie

Katie Kolberg Memmel is the author of three books: “Five Fingers, Ten Toes – a Mother’s Story of Raising a Child Born with a Limb Difference”;  “Silly Stories and Sentimental Stuff”; and “From This Day Forward”. Each is available as an electronic download as well as a paperback version. For more information, visit her website at www.katiekolbergmemmel.com  

#onedayatatime #trustGodmore #worryless #intheyear2020 #2020