I was asked to share some of my new year goals! As I said, they are mostly simple ones this year, but here are a few of them if you'd like a peek into my head at the beginning of 2015 (scary, I know ;). And feel free to share yours in the comment section if you like, to catch me up on some of your goals for this year! :o)
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Bible study:
- Tackling God's Word at both ends: O.T. and N.T. starting in Genesis and Matthew, 1 chapter minimum each per day.
- Gary Henry's Reaching Forward.
- And memorizing the book of James. I started this last year, but fell ungracefully off the metaphorical bandwagon and am still working on climbing back on, just as ungracefully. It's tough when the bandwagon's moving. Okay, I went too far with that metaphor. Moving on ...
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Journal. Daily, at best - weekly, at the least.
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Thankful Book: I pulled out one of the pretty blank notebooks I am known for compulsively collecting ;o), and am using it this year to daily record five things I'm thankful for. I'm
quite excited about this, and I think it will be a great way to stay focused on God's goodness -- and a lovely book to look back through when I've filled it.
~ Keeping up with my
menu plan by
staying scheduled at least a month out. I have come to be a real fan of menu planners. So nice to know what I'm cooking a week in advance ... who knew. ;-)
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Reading aloud to mom and my sis. This has been
so much fun, and it's been a joy to share some of my favorite books with them, including
The Ordinary Princess,
The Reb and the Redcoats,
Enemy Brothers,
We Were There at the Normandy Invasion, and currently
The Treasure Seekers books by E. Nesbit. Hurrah for girl time!
~ C
orrespondence: Returning mail within two weeks of receiving it. And if you are one of my correspondents reading this, y'all get to keep me accountable! :)
~ Keep at least one
crochet/knitting/sewing project going per month.
~ Start
saving for a (HOPEFUL) trip to Ireland next year with my family! Lord willing, we are planning to check out the old family homestead, roam through some auld castles, eat haggis and the like. ;o) Or well, scratch the haggis. I think my Irish roots have been a LEETLE too watered down to stomach that kind of fare (no pun intended). So I may go with Irish cheese instead.
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Goal planning makes me think of Proverbs 16:3 & 9 ... "
Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established" and "
The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps." (
NASB) Yes, plan away ... but let the Lord lead those plans. Be flexible with them -- because He may change them up a little (or a lot!). But only because He loves us more than we can understand -- because in the end, His own goals for us are infinitely superior to our own. May HE be glorified in my plans and in yours for this year!
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