New Years Resolutions

I love January.  After the hustle and bustle and just plain surviving we do for the holiday season, it's so nice to take a deep breath, exhale, and PLAN!  I admit, I'm a nerd who loves lists and planners and the like.  But, regardless of your affinity (or lack there of) for plans I'm convinced that New Years Resolutions just make good sense.  If you don't set any goals, how will you ever move forward?  And, if you do happen to move forward, how will you ever realize it?  That's my take on the issue at hand.  Our pastor preached an excellent sermon this past Sunday on what the ultimate New Years resolution should look like for believers.  You can listen here.

In light of his sermon, my theme for the year will be "Enthusiastically," from Colossians 3:23, "Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men."  

More specifically, I have a few goals for the year that fall under that.  I share, hoping that maybe you'll find some inspiration for your own goals for the year and that I'll have some accountability.  (Gulp.) 

Here goes. 

1. Strengthen my prayer life.  In the last couple of years I've gained a lot of ground with consistency regarding my Bible study.  Prayer often gets left out.  At least diligent, more than one sentence "help me please" prayer.  So, I'm starting with Beth Moore's "Praying God's Word"- and after that is done I plan to do Kay Arthur's "Lord Teach Me to Pray." 

2. Read through the New Testament.  I read through the Bible in 2011 and loved it.  Lately I've felt a need to really examine Jesus' words.  I mean He did say, "If you love me, you will do as I command."    

3. Read more.  This has been a goal for the past couple of years but hopefully my new-to-me iPad with Kindle app will help make this a reality.  I'm going to start easy with one book a month, trying to alternate fiction and non-fiction.  This month I'm starting with "Les Miserables."  I'm telling you, after the movie, I'm completely obsessed.  Again, if you haven't seen it...GO!! NOW!! 

4. Write more.  I'm not sure how this is going to play out.  Maybe more here on the blog?  Maybe some studies with my hubs?  Maybe nothing no one ever even gets to read besides myself.  I've just noticed a growing sense of helplessness when it comes to crystalizing my thoughts for others.  I used to really enjoy writing.  But, it's been about 10 years since I've really HAD to do any that counted for anything.  I feel like I need to brush up on my skills.  

5. Invest in the lives of those around me that I love.  This is very broad, but I've got a few small things that fit in under it's heading.  Things like, eat dinner by candlelight with my husband most nights.  We've gotten entirely to used to eating in front of the TV.  Maybe we will be eating hot dogs by candlelight, but at least we will be SHARING the meal, and hopefully our thoughts and ideas and days with it...instead of just consuming food next to one another.  And, maybe it will inspire me to start cooking a little more again.  I haven't a lot lately.  I miss it.  I want to plan visits to stay with our siblings and their families.  It seems like we only ever see them a few hours in passing.  It means a lot to have people step into your world/home and to step into theirs.  

6.  Get a new kitchen.  I mean it.  I'm declaring 2013 the year of the Kitchen!  I've wanted one since we moved in four and a half years ago.  It's falling apart and is the last great eye-sore left in our home.  It's going to be an investment.  Thus, concurrent with this goal is to actually make and STICK TO a budget that will actually allow me to do said kitchen by about September.  That is the plan anyway.  I know myself and the budget is not requiring me to forgo every little enjoyment until then (if it did, the budget would be blown and thus pointless) but for more reasons than just a kitchen I need to cut the clothing habit and be wise with my dollars.  

That's it!  Enough huh? What are you resolving for the next year?  

  Beginning today...soup and sandwiches by candlelight!