While most people will try incorporating more physical and financial willpower into their lives in the new year, others will resolve to get closer to a higher power by offering more prayers. Some might even pray for their other resolutions.
Obviously, any New Year's resolution that includes praying will be welcomed by religious leaders — and God, of course.
"Prayer is the poetry of the heart," according to the Rev. Tom Goldsmith of the First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake.
A common conundrum, though, is this: How long should the paradisiacal poems last?
Some subscribe to the following theory:
Prayers, like haiku,
should be short, sweet, straight from soul,
brief but beautiful.
On the other hand, some prefer eloquent and elongated forms, more like the works of William Shakespeare. Yep, they're the ones whose prayers are so long the hot food turns cold before the final "Amen" is repeated.
So, does the length of prayers matter? Is it possible pleas and praises to the heavens are judged on time taken? Is there an angel with a stopwatch keeping track?
A consensus from local ministers stresses that it's not so important how long a prayer is but rather that it is done consistently.
"We're admonished by the New Testament to pray always," said Bishop George Niederauer of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake. "We need to make a regular habit of it."
He also believes some of the more special times in prayer happen when we are thanking God, not asking for something.
Pastor Steve Goodier of Christ United Methodist Church of Salt Lake said having a regular time to pray each day will enhance a person spiritually.
"One-half hour a day," he said. "That would be great."
Of course, haiku prayers might need to work on that.
The pastor is not aware of any scriptural advice on the length of the prayer, but sincerity should be a key ingredient. Prayers can be both oral or silent.
"If you have the need to pray, find the time to do so," the Rev. Goldsmith advised. "Don't put it on hold."
He said some public prayers can certainly be too long, and with such a diversity in the world his rule for public prayer is to always keep it short.
But the length of personal prayer is up to you to decide.
Pastor Steve Klemz of Zion Lutheran Church said that prayer also involves listening and some prayers, like those on Sunday, may be more formal than others.
"There are many different types of prayer," he said.
The Rev. Neal Humphrey of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Fruit Heights said prayer has a potential for being an art form. He also believes quantity is important. For him personally, prayer and meditation take up 10 to 12 hours a week.
"I used to go to retreats in California where we'd pray for four days," he said. Presbyterians also have a daily prayer book with some for morning, midday, evening and night.
The Archbishop Michael Ramsey of Canterbury (Anglican Church, 1961-74) was once asked how long he prayed each day. "Oh, a few minutes, I suppose," was his answer, according to one report. "Though it might take half an hour to get there!"
"How glad we can be that God puts no limit on how long or how often we may talk to him in prayer," the Sept. 15 issue of the Watchtower for Jehovah's Witnesses states.
This article stresses that we pray incessantly and also give thanks, as 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 states.
It advises that we build friendship with God through prayer.
"Appropriate moments for private prayer present themselves many times each day as we face problems, encounter temptations and make decisions . . . Our personal prayers can be brief or lengthy according to the need and circumstances. . . . Regular prayer is essential to our faith," the Watchtower reads.
According to the "Encyclopedia of Mormonism," prayer is especially important to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because it marked the beginning of the faith with Joseph Smith and his First Vision.
Latter-day Saints are also taught that preparation is important if they are to communicate effectively with God.
The late Elder Bruce R. McConkie, in his Mormon Doctrine book, said the phrase "pray always" refers to a prayer always being in the heart of the righteous and that frequent secret prayers should be spoken.
He advises that public prayers should be short, which are welcomed words by worshippers who wonder why some blessings and benedictions last longer than sermons.
But how long is long enough for a public prayer?
McConkie quoted Francis M. Lyman, an LDS apostle, as saying "two minutes will open any kind of meeting, and a half minute will close it."
"Perfect prayers," Elder McConkie wrote, "are those which are inspired."
For more information, pray about it.
E-mail: lynn@desnews.com; jody@desnews.com