What do you need to start today that one year from now you will be glad you started?  A lot of us have good intentions and good ideas, but we never get started on them.  I Peter 4:17 reminds us, “Knowing what is right to do and not doing it is sin.”

We have to get started.  I remember hearing about a young man who was talking about the possibility of peace in today’s world.  He believed it could happen.  A cynical person said he was just a dreamer and he was unimpressed by that idealistic viewpoint.  The cynic remarked, “The desire for peace does not necessarily ensure it.”

The young man who prayed about making peace a possibility said, “That is true, but neither does the desire for food satisfy your hunger, but at least it gets you started toward a restaurant!”

What are some of the things you need to start today that one year from now you will be glad you started?  Here are some possibilities – you add to your list!

1. Lose weight. We like to talk about this, but very few people do anything about it.  The reason is that they never get started.  CDC has ranked Alabama #3 in the nation for adult obesity – about 35%.  We need to get started on the problem.  This means it starts with me.  I will certainly feel better and be healthier mentally, physically and spiritually.
2. Change my attitude. Our attitude determines so much of what we do in life.  Our actions are a result of our attitude.  The altitude we achieve in life is often dictated by an attitude that needs to be improved.  I have discovered that the reality of circumstances in life is not nearly as important as my attitude toward them.  It’s time to change my attitude.
3. Drop the profanity. Our society has become more and more accepting of profanity.  That troubles me.  I believe the use of profanity is a lack of knowing how to express ourselves.  It’s also a symptom of a lack of self-control and latent anger.  The dictionary offers a lot of words that could be used to substitute for the profanity.  I’ve been around coaches recently who are working to eliminate profanity personally and professionally as a coaching staff.  The best time to start monitoring my speech is today.
4. Save money. We are living in an age where we are so easily influenced to buy things we don’t need and to spend money we don’t have.  When a crisis occurs, we are in the red.  Our nation needs to start being responsible with our financial resources.  A year from now most of us would be glad if we started today to save more than we have in the past.  Start saving today.
5. Build a personal relationship. In a day of social media that is driving people to communicate and interact by text, twitter, email, Facebook, etc. we are creating a world of “isolates.”  The second commandment of Jesus is to love our neighbors.  You can’t love someone without relating to them in person.  Start today to build better and more authentic relationships.

I went to see two of my grand kids participating in cross country races with a couple hundred runners from about 20 schools.  The runners had trained; they had received instructions from their coaches; they had stretched, and had spent some time mentally psyching themselves up.  But there was no way to win the race as an individual or as a team until they stepped up to the starting line and started when the gun sounded.  You can’t finish until you start!

Someone has said the best time to plant an oak tree was 25 years ago.  The second best time is today.  When confronted with a challenge, the best thing is to do the right thing.  The second best thing is to do the wrong thing.  The worst thing is to do nothing.

Start today!  You will be much better off a year from now.

I think I hear the starting gun!