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| The New
Year yawns displaying its cavernous
months of potential lying ahead.
This January ALOVE takes as look
at new beginnings and so, top
ten wise, we’ve come up
with a handy mini-cyclopaedia
of New Years resolutions. They’re
in no particular order so just
read, enjoy and try them out! |
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1.
Learn to play a musical instrument
How about taking a year to push your musical
membranes to the full? How? Get hold of an
instrument from somewhere and learn it! Beg,
borrow or steal an instrument (actually…
don’t steal it) – have a strum
on a banjo, puff on a harmonica, honk tastefully
on some bagpipes, snort into a Mongolian nose
flute or fashion a steal drum from a kitchen
sieve and some silver foil. The sky’s
the limit when it comes to learning how to
play a new year’s instrument!
2. Read the bible
in a year
So you think your bible knowledge would rival
that of Dr Rowan Williams’? Try reading
the bible in chronological order this year
then you’ll really know if you can tell
Elijah and Elisha apart. Test your scriptural
dexterity against the mysteries in the book
of Daniel. Find out exactly whom begat whom
in the literary white-knuckle ride that is
1 chronicles! And eventually go on to read
about Jesus Christ, the saviour of the world.
There are tons of chronological guidebooks
to the bible in all good Christian bookshops.
3. Give up chocolate
Turkey mixed with gravy mixed with sweets
mixed with puddings mixed with peanuts: the
list goes on and on. Give your stomach a chance
to recover from all those unhealthy festive
treats in the New Year by giving up chocolate.
To be honest I’ve yet to see this ‘classic’
resolution be carried out successfully by
anyone for more than a few days – but
if you think you can do it, don’t let
me put you off!
4. Find an e-pen pal
or start ‘blogging’
Sometimes it’s a lot easier to understand
people through the words they write rather
than the things they say. This New Year find
an email ‘pen pal’ to share everything
with as the year goes on. Alternatively, if
you want to be a bit more public in your sharing,
write a ‘blog’ – an online
journal that anyone can read! (See links below)
5. Use less energy
We can all save energy one way or another.
By always watching out for the little things
we help the bigger picture. This January 1st
resolve to do your part. Don’t leave
electrical things on standby: make sure you
switch them off at the mains. Turn off (or
fix) dripping taps. Turn the heating down
a little. Recycle paper, card, bottles and
cans. Alternatively save energy and money
by constructing useful household items out
of rubbish – Blue Peter style!
6. Set a reading target
Every year 1000s of people regret not reading
enough. Set yourself a reading target for
this year. Write a list of books you definitely
want to read this year making sure it’s
really varied! Include factual, fictional,
classics, best sellers, Christian, mainstream,
cartoon, current affairs, political, satirical…the
list goes on and on. Capitalise on your interests
and create a list of about 15 good books for
the year; give or take a few. You might just
learn something!
7. Put your money
to better use
We’re all guilty of spending too much
money on the wrong stuff. Clothes, CDs, mobile
credit… This year why not start tithing
your money – by giving 10% back to God
through your church. Why not buy a pig or
a chicken with the Salvation Army’s
‘Two by Two’ appeal? Why not invest
your money in an ISA and give the interest
to a good cause. There are tons of opportunities
to spend money better.
8. Watch less TV
Let’s face it – there is some
great TV but there’s a load of rubbish
too. Miss out on some viewing this year and
you’ll be amazed at how much time suddenly
appears every week. If you find that you’re
bored without TV – find some new stuff
to do! (But not DVDs – they’re
TV too, cheat!)
9. Dip into politics
If you don’t know the difference is
between the left wing and the right wing it’s
worth finding out. This stuff is essential
to understand if we, as a Salvation Army,
want to speak into our world where it’s
at. Ask someone you trust to give you their
spin on politics. Write to your MP and ask
for some simple answers to your questions.
If you discover something cool – email
us here at ALOVE, we’d love to hear
from you.
10. Have time off
from your mobile
Everyone’s busy nowadays and it doesn’t
help that most of us are contactable 24/7.
This New Year schedule in some private time
away from your phone: i.e. turn it off and
put it in a different room. So what if people
can’t get you for a few hours? Enjoy
the space it allows you. (You’ll probably
find this harder than you expect – but
persevere.) Take a non-communicatory chill
pill this New Year!
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Useful web links
...
Save energy:
www.saveenergy.co.uk
Read the bible in a year:
www.cover2cover.org
Learn an instrument:
www.ohek.co.uk
Blogger:
www.blogger.com
The Salvation Army Two
by Two appeal:
www.salvationarmy.org.uk |
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Youthwork -
The Partnership ...
ALOVE,
Youthwork Magazine, Youth For Christ, Spring Harvest and
Oasis are working together to equip and resource the Church
for effective youth work and ministry. |
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