Resolving with...uh...resolve!

In the immortal words of Austin Powers, "allow myself to introduce...myself."

I am Mike.  Many of you know me -- and, by "many", I mean three out of the four of you.  For those who don't, and for those who do, allow me to tell you about the Me I Intend to Be in 2012.

I will be a better Christian.  I don't mean I will attend church services more regularly, considering I am there every Sunday and Wednesday unless I am ill or out of town.  I don't mean I will read my Bible more often, although I am resolving to do that as well.  What I mean is this: I will live and love more like Christ than I ever have.  Simple, right?  Well, it can be; I just need to let it.

I will be a better husband.  I will listen more intently and stop putting Me ahead of She.  I will care for her more directly and pray for -- and with -- her more intently.  I will be the Man of the House instead of the Dictator of the House.  That means I set the example for my family and I lead not with an iron fist, but with an eye toward compromise.

I will be a better father.  I will stop sitting idly by while my pregnant wife provides most of the care for our daughter.  I will lead by the same example Christ has set for me.  I will discipline with love.  I will set proper boundaries and stand firmly on them.

I will be a better blogger.  I will update you more frequently, because you care enough to wait for me to write something.  I will write with more passion, the way I did before life became so complex.

I will be a better me.  There is no other Mike Frazer, so I will be what I expect of me.  I will go to bed earlier, wake up on time, eat the foods God created rather than the ones man fouled up and clean up this run-down Temple of God through exercise.

Okay, now that the poetry is out of the way, let's talk in prose.

We all make resolutions, and 99.999 percent of the time we fail.  We fail because we have no willpower and because we set vague goals.  Honestly, I think we do that specifically because we have no more intention to keep our resolutions than we do to keep pet cockroaches in the vegetable crisper drawer.

So, rather than set vague goals, here are my specific ones -- stated publicly so you can all hold me accountable.

1) I will work to lose two pounds per week until my weight is down to 170 pounds.  I will do this through diet and aerobic exercise.  My diet will be high-protein, low-fat and delicious.

2) I will then add anaerobic exercise to my workout to allow me to tone and add muscle.

3) I will get to bed no later than 10:30 at least four nights per week on average, with lights out by 11:00.

4) I will save at least $10 from my monthly allowance so I can make the purchases I want without affecting the rest of my family.

5) I will encourage my family to eat home-cooked meals at least five nights per week.  I will do this by planning meals with my wife at least for the upcoming week, if not the month, and ensure that all the necessary supplies are in the house by the time I need to prepare the meal.

6) Most important of all: I will live my life for God.

You can hold me to it.