LET IT BE

How faith can guide our New Year’s resolutions

The new year brings New Year’s resolutions to do better and to be better this year than last. These resolutions normally have undergirding assumptions that become familiar clichés (a moment of silence for the clever motivational speaker from Dallas, the late Zig Ziglar, along with his prudent ilk):

•If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.

•

•

•

Jack

•A goal properly set is halfway reached. •Your attitude, more than your aptitude, will determine your altitude.

•Do it. Do it right. Do it right now.

There’s nothing wrong with resolutions. In fact, if you make them, I recommend keeping them modest and achievable, and enlisting support from others to reinforce you beyond Jan. 1.

But we have just come off the Christmas season in the Christian faith, in which Mary plays a prominent part. Her role begins with wonder at the way things happen to you more than the things you make happen. Can you imagine her sitting down on that New Year’s Day before the angel Gabriel arrived and saying “I resolve to become a mother this year by a divine act of love alone”? Like so many things in life we could never anticipate, the course is not what we chart but how we navigate.

Mary’s life was altered for good and for good the day the angel brought her the good news. She could never have conceived it on her own. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor human mind conceived what God has planned for those who love him,” St. Paul said in paraphrasing the prophet Isaiah. What she could do was consent. She could agree. She could cooperate with God in welcoming the Christ and bearing God’s love into the world.

“Let it be unto me, according your word,” Mary said. Let it be. What a lovely way of seeing our way forward. Instead of striving to do something for God, we allow God to strive within us to do something through us. Faith is first a letting-be. It’s letting God have God’s way with us.

The prayer journal of the wonderful Southern short-story writer Flannery O’Connor was published this year. In her early 20s, she wrote: “I do not know You

God because I am in the way. Please help me to push myself aside.” How very Mary of her!

One of the hazards of resolutions is the temptation to preoccupation with oneself. The more you think of yourself, the harder it is to think of anything or anyone else. Which is why the French mystic Simone Weil would say: “It’s not my business to think of myself. It’s my business to think of God. It’s [God’s] business to think of me.” And God is good at God’s business.

So the first thing to do this year might be to leave your heart open to the unexpected divine appointment that you don’t get to schedule for yourself. The next is to let it be, to allow God to work in you so that God can work through you.

But Mary’s initial “let it be unto me” had to be followed by acts of obedience to that call that would call forth her best efforts, too. So be it resolved that first faith leads to lasting faithfulness this year.

Anglican

ALL SAINTS DALLAS / 2733 Oak Lawn / 972.755.3505

Radical Inclusivity, Profound Transformation. Come and See! 9:00 & 11:00 am Sunday Services. www.allsaintschurchdallas.org

Baptist

LAKESIDE BAPTIST / 9150 Garland Rd / 214.324.1425

Worship — 8:30 am Classic & 11:00 am Contemporary

Pastor Jeff Donnell / www.lbcdallas.com

PARK CITIES BAPTIST CHURCH / 3933 Northwest Pky / pcbc.org

All services & Bible Study 9:15 & 10:45. Trad. & Blended (Sanctuary), Contemporary (Great Hall), Amigos de Dios (Gym) / 214.860.1500

PRESTONWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH / “A Church to Call Home”

Sundays: Bible Fellowship (all ages) 9:15 am /Service Time 11:00 am

12123 Hillcrest Road / 972.820.5000 / prestonwood.org

RIDGECREST BAPTIST / 5470 Ellsworth / 214.826.2744

Sun. Life Groups 9:30 am, Worship 10:45 am / Wed. Nights 6:00 pm

Pastor Greg Byrd / www.rcbcdallas.org

WILSHIRE BAPTIST / 4316 Abrams / 214.452.3100

Pastor George A. Mason Ph.D. / Worship 8:30 & 11:00am

Bible Study 9:40 am / www.wilshirebc.org

Disciples Of Christ

EAST DALLAS CHRISTIAN CHURCH / 629 N. Peak Street / 214.824.8185

Sunday School 9:30 am / THE TABLE Worship Gathering 9:30 am

Worship 8:30 & 10:50 am / Rev. Deborah Morgan / www.edcc.org

HIGHLANDS CHRISTIAN CHURCH (Lake Highlands) 9949 McCree Rd. 214-348-2805 / www.highlandschristianchurch.com

Sundays: School 9:45 am / Worship 11:00 am / Rev. Paul Carpenter

Eckankar

HU CHANT CLASS / A Love Song to God / expand awareness, experience divine love, bring peace and calm / January 9, 7:15 pm

Lakewood Library / 972.820.0530 / meetup.com/Eckankar-Dallas

Episcopal

ST. MATTHEW’S CATHEDRAL / 5100 Ross Ave.

Sunday Traditional: 8:00 & 10:30 am / Adult Education 9:30 am

Servicio en español 12:30 pm / 214.823.8134 / episcopalcathedral.org

Lutheran

CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, ELCA / 1000 Easton Road

Sunday School for all ages 9:00 am / Worship Service 10:30 am

Pastor Rich Pounds / CentralLutheran.org / 214.327.2222

FIRST UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH / 6202 E Mockingbird Lane

Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am / Call for class schedule. 214.821.5929 / www.dallaslutheran.org

Methodist

LAKE HIGHLANDS UMC / 9015 Plano Rd. / 214.348.6600 / lhumc.com

Sunday Morning: 9:30 am Sunday School / 10:30 am Coffee

Worship: 8:30 am & 10:50 am Traditional / 10:50 am Contemporary

MUNGER PLACE CHURCH / Expect Great Things.

Worship Sundays, 9:30 and 11:00 am / 5200 Bryan Street 214.823.9929 / www.mungerplacechurch.org

RIDGEWOOD PARK UMC / 6445 E. Lovers Lane / 214.369.9259

Sunday Worship: 9:30 am Traditional and 11:35 am Contemporary

Sunday School: 10:30 am / Rev. Ann Willet / ridgewoodparkchurch.org

WHITE ROCK UNITED METHODIST / www.wrumc.org

1450 Oldgate Lane / 214.324.3661

Sunday Worship 10:50 am / Rev. George Fisk

Presbyterian

NORTHRIDGE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Coffeeshop people

After being inspired by the Starbucks culture and idea of the “third place,” East Dallas artist Shannon Kincaid embarked on Project Starbucks, in which she paints locals who, like herself, haunt the Lakewood location on a regular basis.

The best of times

CLASSES/TUTORING/ LESSONS

ALL AGES: LEARN PIANO WITH WADE COTTINGHAM LakewoodPianoLab.com Since 1998. 214-564-6456

ART: Draw or Paint. All Levels. Lake Highlands N. Rec. Ctr. Jane Cross, 214-534-6829. Linda, 214-808-4919.

ARTISTIC GATHERINGS

Casa Linda Plaza. Art Classes & Drop In Pottery Painting For All Ages. 214-821-8383. Tues-Sat 10am-6pm

DRUM & PIANO LESSONS Your location. UNT Grad. BucherMusicSchool.com or call 214-484-5360, 469-831-7012

GUITAR OR PIANO Fun/Easy. Your Home. 11 Yrs Exp. Reasonable rates. UNT Grad. Larry 469-358-8784

WRITING. ENGLISH. GRAMMAR. Grade School through University and Beyond. 20+ yrs. exp. 469-263-7004

Childcare

LOVING, CHRIST-CENTERED CARE SINCE 1982 Lake Highlands Christian Child Enrichment Center Ages 2 mo.-12 yrs. 9919 McCree. 214-348-1123.

Employment

AIRLINE CAREERS begin here. Get FAA approved maintenance training. housing & financial aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. Aviation institute Of Maintenance Houston 877-846-4155 or Dallas 888-896-8006

PET SITTERS, DOG WALKERS Email Recruiting@pcpsi.com

Services For You

AT ODDS WITH YOUR COMPUTER? Easily Learn Essential Skills. Services include Digital Photo Help. Sharon 214-679-9688

CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let A Seasoned Pro Be The Interface Between You & That Pesky Computer. Hardware & Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training. $50/hr. 1 hr min. Dan 214-660-3733 or stykidan@sbcglobal.net

GRAPHIC DESIGN BY SOZA DESIGN Logos, Brochures, Posters & More. wsoza@yahoo.com 214-287-6499

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA FROM HOME 6-8 Wks. Accredited. Free brochure. No computer needed. 1-800-264-8330 Benjamin Franklin High School www.diplomafromhome.com

VAPOR MART ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES 214-321-1944. Across from Highland Park Cafeteria. 9533 Losa Drive #2

February Deadline

JANUARY 8

Professional Services

A WILL? THERE IS A WAY Estate/Probate Matters-Free Consultation. 214-802-6768 MaryGlennAttorney.com

ACCOUNTING, TAXES Small Businesses & Individuals. Chris King, CPA 214-824-5313 www.chriskingcpa.com

BOOKKEEPING NEEDS? Need Help Organizing Finances? No Job Too Small or Big. Call C.A.S. Bookkeeping Services. Cindy 214-821-6903

HOLLOWAY BENEFIT CONCEPTS Benefit strategy for area businesses. www.hollowaybenefitconcepts.com 214-329-0097

REED & RIORDAN PLLC Dallas Family Law Attorneys 10000 N Central Expy Dallas, Tx 214-570-9555 reedriordan.com

Travel

CRUISEONE DALLAS Doug Thompson bigDcruises.com Plan your cruise vacation today! 214-254-4980

TO ADVERTISE CALL 214.560.4203

POOP

Teachers of the year

Six teachers from neighborhood schools were honored by the East Dallas Chamber of Commerce recently as part of the group’s annual Teacher of the Year Awards luncheon sponsored by Doctors Hospital. Among the honorees are Elizabeth Dry, Alex Sanger Elementary; Rochelle Rasheed and Julie Ann Riggs, Lakehill Preparatory School; Juli Powers , Gaston Middle School; Amy Solorio , Bryan Adams High School; and Andy Zihlman , Bishop Lynch High School.