Dec 30, 2014

A Resolution

 — Elianna Chroniger

     Alfred Station SDB Church, NY

One evening, early in January, a family was gathered at their dining room table for supper. Harold Jones, the father of this quaint group, asked his family what kind of resolutions they were planning on carrying out for the next year. His wife, Kristi, was ready with her answer in a heartbeat. She said, enthusiastically, “I joined the gym downtown, and I’m going to work out every morning for 45 minutes after I take the kids to school!” Harold smiled and allowed his eldest son, Jeremy, to answer next. Jeremy, a freshman at the local college, gave his dad a quick look and said, “I was thinking about maybe joining the school’s soccer team. I guess that my resolution is to work hard and make the team.” Kristi squealed in delight at her son’s proposition. Harold chuckled at his wife’s reaction and moved on to his daughter Delia. He questioned, “Delia, how about you?” Delia, a junior in high school, shied back into her chair and asked if her dad could come back to her. He eagerly agreed in order to save her some embarrassment. Next up was Mark. Being a seventh grade boy, Mark thought he knew best and quickly shouted out his resolution, “I promise to have a girlfriend this year!” Kristi choked on the water she had just taken a sip of, and Harold said, “Mark, I think you’re a little young to be making that kind of a promise.” Delia was giggling as she said, “Dad I’m ready! My resolution is to make more friends at school! I never have anyone to talk to and I think some friends to hang out with might make me like school a little more.” Kristi gushed, “Oh Delia, that’s a wonderful idea!” Harold nodded in agreement and moved on to their youngest, Melody. Melody was only in fourth grade. However, she knew a lot for one so young. Harold inquired, “Melody, honey, what is your resolution for this year?” Melody thought for a while, and finally said, “Well, first I have a question.” Mark groaned, and Kristi shot him a look while saying, “Alright sweetheart, go ahead.” Melody took a deep breath in and spoke. ”I don’t really understand what the point of all this is. Jeremy might make the team, and Delia might make friends, but Mark won’t get a girlfriend, and Mommy always says she’s going to exercise and then she forgets. My question is, why do we promise these things if we just forget about them?” Everyone was quiet. No one had thought about it that way before. Harold was stunned into silence, so Kristi replied, “Melody, you have a very good point. I will get busy and forget, so I think I take back my resolution.” The family nodded in quiet agreement. Melody smiled and said, “You don’t have to Mommy and Daddy. I think I promise to eat more cookies! I know I can keep that one!” They all laughed as they finished dinner together.

 

1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.