“For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” I Peter 3:17

I have never been one to buy into the whole “New Year’s Resolution” mumbo jumbo, mainly because I believe it is just useless.  Why even do them?  It makes no sense to me since statistics say most of the resolutions will be given up within a couple of months; Prime example: gym memberships increase right around December/January time frame but then members stop showing up mid February to early March.

Having said all that I am reminded, the first of the year, to refocus because as life gets rough it is really simple to take the easy route of evil-doing instead of suffering the doing-good route.  There have been many times that I have taken the easy route and although what I was doing, in my opinion, was not evil I can say that my demeanor was not focused on God.  Hence the need to refocus.

This year my refocus reminder was not in the turning of the calendar from December 31st to January 1st or the year increase from 2013 to 2014 but in my 5 year olds struggle to calm herself down.

A few days ago she was working on reading blends, after about 10 minutes became very agitated that she could not make her tongue speak what she was trying to say.  She got upset, started tearing up and breathing heavily.  I told her she needs some time to refocus, to grab a book and go sit down to read in the reading area.  After about five minutes she was ready to get going.

It made me think about how stressful the past couple of months have been with all the holiday happenings, to the point where I knew exactly how my little lady was feeling.  All she needed was a few minutes to rest her heart and mind so that she could come back in full force ready to get to it.  Last night was just that night for me.

I have had many friends in my past and present who have not done what was right in God’s eyes; seeming to have a blast at doing it.  I have been asked in the past to join them at bars, bad parties and sinful behavior because once upon a time I was that person.  Now some of them are still my friends, out of sheer respect for sticking with my faith, but they do believe I am missing out and somehow suffering for not doing as they do.

Although last night was only a hand full of ladies who joined me at home for a breakfast for dinner pajama party, to which we spent nearly 6+ hours just talking, it was a spectacular way to “suffer.”

I truly believe the word “suffer” is up for debate depending on whom you ask but to me suffering for God feels great.  I am refocused because of it and ready to get to it full force.  Thank you to the lovely ladies in my life.