Looking back, Looking forward

I'm going to add to the mountain on posts about New Year. I'm not one of those people who get hung up with New Year, I don't see it as 'a fresh start', or anything special from yesterday. Years are artificial, it is no different to the changing of a second.

That said, 2012 was a pretty interesting year, one that I'll remember for a long time. Leaving aside the Olympics/Paralympics and the Jubilee, some amazing things happened. I went to Palestine and Israel, something I am going to do again sometime! I got a job and moved to the other end of the country (well, technically another country, kinda) and found out that I can spend more than 9 days at a time with my girlfriend, which is good. I was the best man for two wonderful people, and even managed to make a room full of people laugh with my speech (something I was really worried wouldn't happen). I've made new friends, got back in touch with old ones, and unfortunately lost touch with some.

When I look back over 2012, it gets me excited about the surprises I'll face in 2013. I had no idea that 2012 would bring up what it did, so I can only dream of the opportunities and chance encounters I'll face over the next 12 months. I'll be looking for a new job, probably a new house, and the next adventure. I'm getting a bit of a buzz thinking just about it.

Now, it's Resolution Time! (I have just sung that to 'Hammer Time' in my head... oh dear...)

Last year's resolution was to do the Bible in a Year. Well, according to my Bible App, I managed 15%, and I gave up some time in March. So I have hit the 'recalculate' button and will pick up from where I left off. I am really going to try and stick to it this year.

As well as Bible reading, I am pledging to dedicate 5 minutes a day to prayer time. Prayer is something I struggle with, I often say to people 'I'm praying for you', but rarely to I stop what I am doing, switch off distractions and truly spend time in the presence of God. My prayers are very one way, I hardly ever just sit and listen. I know this is one I'll struggle with, so if anyone has any tips, suggests or resources to help me with this, please let me know. I'm also looking for a good piece of music to have playing while I do this.

Also, I am going to do more with this blog. I am going to blog at least once a week, and am going to set Sundays as my default blogging day, starting this one coming. There will obviously be more OPP Posts, as my job continues to stretch me, and there will be more rambling thoughts when things whirl around my head. But I'm also open to suggestions, if you have ideas for things you'd like me to blog about, feel free to drop me a line. And who knows, I might even get a guest blogger in every so often, so watch this space. I'm also going to try and finish each blog with a little challenge, question or thought-provoker, and it would be great if you could interact with me, so I don't feel like I'm talking to myself when I write these.

My final resolution is to try and get myself into a better daily routine. I find this very difficult, partly due to the ever changing work hours I get, but I know that I waste a lot of time in the morning when I could be doing productive things. So I am going to (try to) be disciplined in being out of bed by 9.30 weekdays, and use the time I do have better than I do at the moment.

I look forward to looking back this time next year. I'll probably blog about how I did, and hopefully I won't have failed all of them. And I'll be able to look back on the adventures of 2013 and same the same grin on my face as I do now, looking back on 2012.

I'd like to hear from you - comment on here, on Facebook or on Twitter.

What was your favourite moment of 2012?

Do you find New Year exciting, scary, or are you not fussed?