During the month of December, I did a lot of reflecting on the year 2006. God revealed to me areas in my life that need some type of change, either for the good or for the bad. Some of those areas were very obvious and some weren't. I also have admired those who keep a regular journal, I have a prayer journal that I started about 5 1/2 years ago, there isn't very much in there. My biggest goal this year is to journal every day, this is were my blog comes in. I really have enjoyed journaling and writing using my blog as a medium. I appreciate the words of encouragement and support that my family and friends (as well as other bloggers that I haven't meet) have given me regarding my journal. In the past, I usually think about my goals for a new year in my head and never really write them down, that away I'm not held accountable if I don't achieve those goals no one will know and I won't know because I didn't write down what my goals were! Writing it in my blog will give me some accountability for those goals.
I have divided my goals in areas of most important to least important. The areas of change that I'm hoping to achieve in the year 2007 are Spiritual, Relationships, Physical, Financial and Daily Living. They all are important but I think without the previous the other doesn't mean anything.
Spiritual
My spiritual goals are to have a daily devotion when I first get up, this means that I need to get to bed early enough so I'm not getting up just before I need to wake up the kids to get them ready for school! I would like to start each day by reading a devotion. After I get the kids to school and do my morning chores and activities, I would like to have a more intense study and quiet time each day. I honestly believe that God is telling me that I don't spend enough time with him each day. With out this important time with him everything else in my life doesn't get blessed. I'm not saying that I haven't been blessed, I have been blessed but I want to honestly say that God blessed every aspect of my life, my family, my home, my career....The most important goal for me for 2007 is to give God every area of my life and I truly believe that my other goals will be so easy to achieve.
Relationships
I really need to work on relationships. I have people in my life that I haven't extended grace to, forgiven them or asked for their forgiveness, or made an effort to help our relationship grow. One goal for 2007 is a goal for my marriage. My husband and I have 4 children, our oldest is almost 14 and our youngest will be 6 in June, and we don't spend anytime together as a couple. This year, I will like for us to find time in our schedule to schedule a date night at least once a month-two times would be great but I want to set a goal that I might be able to keep! I also think that it is important that I spend time with each of my children by themselves...like take CSH out for a subway sandwich and a drink and spend time talking with him about...yes...since he is almost 14...the birds and the bees, about his dreams for his future, about being a gentleman and most important talk with him about his faith. My husband needs to take his daughters' out on "dates". We need to nourish our relationships this year by spending time with those we love.
Physical
This next area in my life is a big struggle for me...one I never had a struggle with...my weight. I never had to diet growing up and truly that was a blessing as a teenager to not have a weight problem. I could eat whatever I wanted and I didn't have to worry about it! That's not the case any more, after four children, my metabolism is very different then it was as a teenager. I feel miserable about the extra weight. I am at the point in my life that I refuse to buy the next size jeans....size 14 is as big as I am willing to go. I will wear them even if I have to unbutton the top button and be miserable....I refuse to buy clothes any bigger than that! BUT I have to make some changes which include exercising each day, drinking more water (I drink ONLY Dt Dr Pepper) and watching what I eat as well as the portions. I know that I will feel much better about myself if I can start to add these elements into my daily routine. I would love to lose the 50 (75 pounds would be better) by the end of 2007 but I am willing to settle for achieving the goal of working out on a regular basis and drinking more water. I think the weight will come off very easy if these two elements are in my daily routine.
Financial
I told my husband on New Year's Eve that this was going to be a very good year for us! This year I am going to have all, yes all, of our bills paid off (this doesn't include the house...so I guess not all of them!). Each year we get a nice tax refund and I blow it on stuff... this year I am going to get the carpet paid off that I should have paid off 2 years ago with our tax refund. So I am giving my finances to God each day and asking him to keep me from being self-indulgence and to remind me daily that if I'm going to achieve this financial goal that I need to be frugal and not spend money to be spending money. To help with this goal, I have set our family on a $500 a month food budget. I think I can stay within this budget by using coupons, which I purchased a binder and have my coupons organized, being better at planning a weekly menu. I have noticed that our food expenses have gone down since I joined a Freezer Co-op. So menu planning, using coupons and not eating out will help us to stay in our monthly budget and to help me achieve this financial goal for 2007!
Daily Living
Last area-daily living...this means, my household is organized and clutter free . In a previous
post, I wrote about a book that I have been reading-"The Warm and Welcome Home" and what caught my attention the most was that God is a God of order! I would be
embarrassed if God knocked on my door and asked to come to dinner! Or better yet, God can see in our closets...even if no one else can! My goal for 2007 is to take baby steps into getting every area of my home in order! I want to be able to welcome God and anyone else who knocks on my door into my home! More importantly for my family! The home should be a save haven that builds up my family, a place where communication is ongoing and creativity flows. This can't happen if my home isn't warm and welcome for my family. This means keeping the house clean, the launry done, the kitchen in order, the pantry and the frig full, the bed made, etc.
These are my goals for 2007. Check back often as I blog about my goals and if I have achieved any of them. I will be excited to see how much of them I have achieved when I reflect in December. Good luck to each of you who have set goals or made resolutions for the New Year.
Original Post (12/30/06)
I came across another bloggers post Sting My Heart about a great idea for 2007! Her blogging friend has posted this idea:
"I would like you to post on your site about your hopes, dreams, goals, for the next year. What would you like to see God do in your life? How would you like to see Him move in things? make this as general or as personal as you feel comfortable. What are your goals for the next year? I am not looking for the "lose 10lbs this year" answer, something a little bit deeper. When you look back December 2007, where would you like to be? Many of us look forward to new changes in the new year, some of use dread the changes. Changes are sometimes good , sometimes dreaded and sometimes dreamed. What is your change or dream for this next year?" From Laurel Wreath
This was really inspiring...I always reflect and think about things that I would like to do differently the next year. But never really thought deeply about those changes, I make a list and lose the next the next week because already broke those resolutions! I'm going to think about my hopes, my dreams, and my goals for 2007 and will post those next year (right now I need to finish the Futsal-indoor soccer schedule!)
.jpg)
.jpg)
