Y is for Youthful Goals

This is one of my favorite pages (number 94)  in the whole legacy book that my dad wrote.   Not only does the content make my heart swell--to know how many of my father's dreams he realized (and these were written in 1999)--but his organized, methodical, structured analysis (and underlined conclusions) of those dreams makes me nod and say to myself, "Yup. That's Daddy for ya."  Gushy husband, proud father, humble pastor, brilliant engineer.

The question at the top of the page reads as such:


What were your youthful goals and ambitions for life? Which ones have you been able to fulfill?

Daddy said,

I aspired to a good life filled with happiness.  I wanted a good, professional job, a beautiful wife, lovely and loving children/grandchildren, a home with yard and trees, and a good education.   All these came to be fulfilled. 

                              I wanted to work for God and be pleasing to Him. I wanted respect. I wanted a car that didn't have to be cranked or pushed to get it started.  I wanted to be able to travel. 

All these have, to a good degree, been fulfilled. 

I wanted to serve in the Army. I wanted to be a scientist and inventor.  I wanted to become an athlete of renown.   I scored a 10, a 5, and a 0 on these respective ambitions. 

I can't boast very much about my accomplishments, but I can boast about the goodness of God, the loving relationship of my wife, Brenda, and my progeny.  No man has been blessed more than me!

                              

Monthly Goals vs. New Year's Resolutions

Why hadn't I thought of this before? Some people are geniuses, and some people (like me) steal their great ideas. Here is what my friend Briana wrote in response to her husband's fantastic idea for setting reasonable goals. ( I would personally insert "wife" where she has "mom," and "marriage" instead of parenting, since I find it the more challenging endeavor, but I empathize with her and share a few of the same personality traits which lend themselves better to the following plan than long-term ones.)

I really enjoy setting goals, especially since becoming a mom. I think because the task of parenting is so incredibly daunting to me most days, and the goal of parenting often seems intangible, difficult to measure and impossible to obtain, I nearly crave goals that are otherwise.

So, at the start of each year, I take stock. As I consider the present circumstances, I anticipate the future possibilities as best I can given all things remain the same (which, of course, we all know they do not!)

To me, 30 days seems more doable than 365...I'm hoping that some of the things I attempt in the following 30 day challenges may just "stick" and last beyond 30 days, maybe even 365 days. We'll see!

...At the start of each month, my plan is to write a separate post detailing that month's challenge(s), the why behind it, and the plan for executing it successfully. My hope is that publishing my goals on the world wide web will be some incentive to actually sticking with the challenges.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've given this plan some thought, and have come up with my own set of monthly goals/challenges.

Jan- Big Goal-- find a part-time job to help ease the financial pressure we're under right now.

Smaller goals: practice listening intently to people and not interrupting or overtalking them; exercise 3-4x/wk; lose 8 lbs; send 8 cards by snail mail; finish the gift for my mom's b'day

Feb- Big Goal: lose 8 more pounds and crave good colorful food. How? Eat 5 different colors of fruit and/or veggies every day.

March-- Big Goal: Get Ben happily married off! How: Do everything possible within me to live peaceably in the midst of stress. Smaller goals: lose 4 more pounds. How? "Burn, baby, burn your buns off!"

April- Big Goal: To rekindle the romance in our relationship and celebrate it. How? Take a trip together, just the two of us.

May- Big Goal: to improve the aesthetics in one room of the house for under $50. How: Thoroughly declutter ,deep clean, repaint, change fixtures and/or furniture as necessary.

June- Big Goal: walk the dog 4x/ wk for 15 mins minimum. How? With the leash:)

July- Big Goal: Beat the heat.. How? Go swimming at least twice with the boy.

August-- Big Goal: to keep working part-time in a meaningful, decent-paying job. How? Re-evaluate and apply elsewhere if need be.

September-- Big Goal: Make most of the Christmas gifts for people who'd appreciate them. How? With art supplies or sewing machine. Shop for stuff that the rest would appreciate.

October--Big Goal: Deep clean the public rooms of the house. How? One room at a time. Continue working on Christmas presents.

November: Big Goal: Deep clean the private rooms of the house. How: Same way. Also help with Samaritan's Purse as a volunteer packer.

December: Big Goal: enjoy plays and productions (including The Nutcracker) How: Schedule them, reserve tickets early, invite people, and keep weekends free.

Two New Leaves

Come November I would like to "turn over a new leaf" or two. Since I tend to go from the pits to the moon when I think of making changes, I had better set realistic goals.

So, here goes.

1. Walk 26.2 miles in November .That's what one of my friends is running in a single day (yes, the Marine Corps marathon) so I think I can walk 26.2 in a single month. Considering I haven't done much in the way of a physical challenge lately, it's time. It's past time. It's waaaaaaaaay past time. I knew it was way past time when my little boy patted my belly last week and called it "rumpage."

2. Send two greeting cards a week. Any kind--birthday, thinking of you, thanks, sympathy, humor, whatever. It's something I have been meaning to do. You know what they say about good intentions. ("The road to hell is paved with good intentions.") Far be it from me to help pave any road, but I certainly don't have to pour asphalt for that one. My husband has been encouraging me to write notes to people for quite some time.

So, feel free to ask me randomly during November how I'm doing with those two goals. How about new leaves for yourself? Which ones would you like to turn over in November?

Bucket List Commentary

Back in December I made a bucket list for 2011. I'm thinking it's time I check in and maybe check offat least 3 things. Let's see here...



1. Have a regular game night every month with my friends. I need more fun in my life.
Played Battle of the Sexes with my kids and their significant others. Fun. Haven't gotten w/ my friends yet.
2. Redecorate the living room. The sofa and chair are very comfy but quite outdated and too big for the space. Nope. Same old, same old. And it's really starting to bug me.
3 Memorize Romans 5 or 8 . Haven't decided for sure. Still decidin'...
4. Lose 46 pounds before I'm 46 (late August). Just fuhgettabowdit. Maybe 30.
5. Do a 5K run/walk for a good cause. See #4 for the good cause.
6. Visit my sister Rachel in TX. DONE! Happened Dec 28-Jan 3.
7. Visit my sister Andrea in AZ. hoping...
8. Celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary (next December) in Europe. (A girl can dream, can't she?) Really depends on finances.
10. Do something special for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary (October). Being discussed amongst us girls.
11. Take an art class at the community college. (Preferably painting.) Itching to do this.
12. Have necessary surgery and recover quickly from it. Had surgery. Recovery is still ongoing. I am discouraged daily because I don't think it was a success.
13. Learn to play our hammered dulcimer. I aspire to play like the late Rich Mullins. I would start with "Jesus Loves Me" and, if I mastered that, aspire to play the music to the song "Creed,"as heard in the background of this video. Kind of lost motivation
14. Get professional counseling and be finally free of longstanding issues in my life. Need to concentrate on physical wellness at the moment. One thing at a time.
15. Support my friend Bonnie in Zambia in myriad ways--prayer, money, cards, care packages, etc. DOING THIS. A care package from a bunch of us will go to Africa in early March with the fellow in charge.
16. Make one new dish from a different culture each month, including the beef stew as seen in the movie Julie & Julia. I think I made something in January. Not sure. Tonight I made a new Italian dish from Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals. Pasta w/ Broccoli & Sausage with a Ricotta Surprise. (pg. 80. Everyone liked it.)
17. Help Ben move out, per his desire to have a place of his own after college graduation.
18. Remodel the master bathroom. The mold will drive Paul either to Lowe's or the hospital.
19. Visit the Brownes in NH.
20. Sponsor another child.
21. Read at least 13 books in various genres. Slow going. I need to give up Facebook or blogging for a while, and get serious about real reading.

21 Bucket List for 2011

I've been thinking of things I'd love to try, do, make, or otherwise check off my bucket list in the New Year. In no particular order:

1. Have a regular game night every month with my friends. I need more fun in my life.
2. Redecorate the living room. The sofa and chair are very comfy but quite outdated and too big fo the space.
3 Memorize Romans 5 or 8 . Haven't decided for sure.
4. Lose 46 pounds before I'm 46 (late August).
5. Do a 5K run/walk for a good cause.
6. Visit my sister Rachel in TX.
7. Visit my sister Andrea in AZ.
8. Celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary (next December) in Europe. (A girl can dream, can't she?)
10. Do something special for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary (October).
11. Take an art class at the community college. (Preferably painting.)
12. Have necessary surgery and recover quickly from it.
13. Learn to play our hammered dulcimer. I aspire to play like the late Rich Mullins. I would start with "Jesus Loves Me" and, if I mastered that, aspire to play the music to the song "Creed,"as heard in the background of this video.
14. Get professional counseling and be finally free of longstanding issues in my life.
15. Support my friend Bonnie in Zambia in myriad ways--prayer, money, cards, care packages, etc.
16. Make one new dish from a different culture each month, including the beef stew as seen in the movie Julie & Julia.
17. Help Ben move out, per his desire to have a place of his own after college graduation.
18. Remodel the master bathroom.
19. Visit the Brownes in NH.
20. Sponsor another child.
21. Read at least 13 books in various genres.

2010: Big Number, Bigger God

Just looking at the number 2010 brings sci-fi images to mind. I remember when I was little, thinking about how old I'd be in the year 2000. Oh my goodness, 34? Ancient! Now I'm ten years past that and think I'm fairly young!

I am a goal maker, I won't lie. But I don't call them resolutions because that's cliche'. Goofy, huh? I guess I don't make more goals on New Year's Eve than any other time, because I feel like I'm always evaluating success and failure throughout the year. I'm an idealist, and I was thinking today "but I'm not a perfectionist." And then I wondered, "What's the difference? Is there a difference? Is it just a matter of semantics?" I think of perfectionism as a sin because it's prideful and there is a sense of one-upping other people who get things done but with flaws, or flaws perceived by the perfectionist. But idealism sounds so, well...ideal. And "ideal" sounds like a good thing.

However, I am reflecting on how many times I got my expectations of people up way too high, and didn't even realize it. The thing with expectations is that, no matter if people say, "don't get your hopes up," my hopes are already up. Is it possible to reconcile the outside (the words) with the inside (the feelings)? I grew up with affirming parents who seldom told us "no" without a really good reason. They weren't rich and they didn't spoil us, and they had backbone, but they didn't give a kneejerk "no" to our requests, so I have ingrained in me that usually what I want is possible to get, to attain, to achieve. I'm not pessimistic, usually. (I have mood swings from time to time, or if I hang around pessimistic people I either get like them or wish they'd snap out of it.)

But nonetheless, my idealism has led to much disappointment in people--and in myself, so it's time to get serious about lowering my expectations of people, and increasing my expectations of God. I don't ask enough of Him. I ask amiss. I ask the same old, same old. I haven't asked "what if?" often enough. What if God saved so-and-so? Would I be surprised? If so, why? What if God healed my loved ones completely --and I don't mean by taking them to heaven. Would I believe it?

So that's my one big goal: behold God's majesty.

The other thing I've been practicing with a mind to continue daily is to jot down my thanks, a minimum of five. I know most days I should be able to fill a notebook with them, but in my humanness, I will have days I can't think of one positive thing. (The mood swing, remember?) My plan is to post a weekly Gratitude List in 2010.

How about you? What's your "big" God-ward goal this year?

A Look Back at my Summer Goals

Spiritual
1. Finish current Bible study, Believing God, by Beth Moore. Done. It was very good. I believe God more now. Start a group of prayer walkers (or go it alone) one evening a week for at least 8 weeks
2. Walked five times. Sometimes alone, but enjoyed company more. The most notable answers to the prayer appear to be: a) a healthy pregnancy/no miscarriage for my friend Leanne
b) sense of revival among some youth in our church and c) God's removal of my fear over a certain issue.

Physical
3. Lose 2 pounds a week on average. No. I've lost 18.6 since April 29. So much for lofty goals. I think when I told the staffer at WW that I wanted to lose 100 in a year and her response was "ain't gonna happen," it deeply discouraged me. I mean, I have since thought about the power of her words and have wondered how it is she is a weight-loss coach. It was just after her comment that my journey became a burden to my soul that hasn't lifted. She probably meant well and didn't want me to get my hopes dashed by real life; nonetheless I am wired to achieve with encouragement. I wasn't raised with discouragement that made me say, "I'll show you." I have had to realize that this last half of my life has been filled with more negativity than the first 22, including learning to believe that I can succeed even when I don't really have cheerleaders under my roof. Thank God for my girlfriends!


4. Get new glasses, new hairdo. Accomplished as of last update. I'm liking a tad bit longer hair. I can do more with it. Doesn't seem to matter to Paul how I wear it, as long as I don't look butch. "Hair is hair," he says. Does anyone else's husband have the same attitude?

5.Plan an exciting school year (world history, geog, grammar, writing, and art). Speaking for myself, having a good time in history and geography. I have yet to make grammar fun, but I am up for ideas! Art will be pretty cool most of the time, Lord willing. This week: clay sculpture, next week Andy Warhol.

6. Read a missionary biography. Not over the summer, but currently reading Amazing Grace (life of Wm Wilberforce) by John Piper.


Social

7. Host missionaries Andrey and Valeria from Birobidzhan . Yes.
8. Meet Sarah's host family in PA . Yes. They were wonderful.


Home Improvements

9. Paint the basement. No, but I painted my office (one wall) myself. Botched it, but love the color!
10. Redecorate the little bathroom. Done, except for trim and hanging art. The art is framed and on display, though.



Organization

11. Reorganize my office. Pshaw! This room is the proverbial thorn in my side.
12. Declutter all kitchen cabinets. More have been done. Conclusion: kitchen is NEVER done!

Other

13. Keep up with the veggie and flower gardens and enjoy their bounty . Bounty, good. Keeping up, not so good.

Service/Outreach:
Decided to be Paul's helper when he decided he wanted to start teaching Kindergarten Sunday School. Next week is our first time. Nervous/excited about it. No more fear about what else I may be asked to do. I have peace, though I do think a storm may be coming.

Joel's Goals:
Learn to tie his shoes: not yet
Read 100 books: Probably. Lost track at 74.
Play with a friend at least once a week: no.
Spend time with Pappaw and Ima every week : No. Spent maybe 6 hours with them all summer. Crying shame when they live 15 minutes away.
Lose his first tooth lost: TWO.
Visit Sarah : Yes! It was fun! A summner highlight.
Play tennis with Dad and me : No.
Go to Sandy Cove 5 times a month . Got there once.

So, all in all, not the least or most productive summer we've ever had, nor the most memorable for me. But I am a believer in setting goals; you're more likely to accomplish them if they're made and written than if you never put them out there to begin with. I like the quote: "Anything worth doing is worth failing at." Though I hate the "at" at the end of it, the point remains.

A Baker's Dozen Goals for the Summer: Checking in with my Checklist

Updates are in green:

It's that time again. I like to make a list at the beginning of summer break to take advantage of the long days and larger chunks of time. I really don't want to waste it. Therefore, here is my list of goals in several areas. In faith, I will look back on this list in about 12 weeks to see the accomplishments and fruit.

Spiritual

1. Finish current Bible study, Believing God, by Beth Moore. Still going strong. Hope to share soon some of the best nuggets.
2. Start a group of prayer walkers (or go it alone) one evening a week for at least 8 weeks-- Walked twice alone, twice with friends, skipped this last week due to hip pain


Physical

3. Lose 2 pounds a week on average Was holding my average for 7 weeks, then have had setbacks.
4. Get new glasses, new hairdo Accomplished, though I have yet for anyone to notice either one. I guess I should've gotten a butch haircut or colored it red or gold or tried dreadlocks. Maybe next time red dreads?

Mental

5. Plan an exciting school year (world history, geog, grammar, writing, and art) Art and social studies plans are started
6. Read a missionary biography no

Social

7. Host missionaries Andrey and Valeria from Birobidzhan yes, pictures coming
8. Meet Sarah's host family in PA maybe next weekend?

Home Improvements

9. Paint the basement (er--watch Paul ) no
10 Redecorate little bathroom painting is done except trim; also done: fixtures, new vanity, sink, faucet, accessories bought, no art up yet

Organization

11. Reorganize my office hahahahaahhaha
12. Declutter all kitchen cabinets some are done

Other

13. Keep up with the veggie and flower gardens and enjoy their bounty Does keeping up mean noticing the steady growth....of weeds? Thankfully God has proviced a healthy mix of sun and rain. He doesn't like to weed any more than I do, apparently.


Service/Outreach: praying about this I'm fighting fear in this area because I think it may hit close to home.

Joel's Goals:

Learn to tie his shoes not yet
Read 100 books 54 so far
Play with a friend at least once a week I think so
Spend time with Pappaw and Ima every week no, they've had house guests...seems all they can handle
Lose his first tooth lost TWO
Visit Sarah not yet, but glad she visited us!
Play tennis with Dad and me not yet
Go to Sandy Cove 5 times a month . (Um, maybe 5x/whole summer, honey.) nope


What about you? Got summer goals? Updates?

Wednesday Weight Weport #2

I'll probably start blogging my progress in the health arena of self-control each Wednesday since that's the day I go to Weight Watchers with Karen . First the stats, or should I say "stat" since I'm not measuring inches lost or having medical tests of any kind to assess.

So, this week I lost 1.6 pounds. Yay, right? Yes and no was my reaction. What I know about myself is that I set high goals, sometimes too high. I started out with a goal of losing 9 pounds in the first 2 weeks. Last week I dropped 5.8, so this week was shooting for 3.2 . To only get halfway to my weekly goal was a disappointment to me, but at least I didn't gain back and at least it was closer to 2 than 1. I'm headed in the right direction, but to counter my disappointment, I will recount the victories the Lord gave me this week. It's been mostly about exercise.

1. I set a goal to move 5x/week. Accomplished.
2. It used to be that my warm-up walk on the treadmill started at 1.0 mile/hr for 2 minutes and I needed to "run" (I use the term flabbily) at 2.8. Now my "warm up" pace is 1.8 for 1 minute and I don't need to "run" till 4.0.
3. Several times I've exceeded my 20 minutes or 100 calories/session goal.
4. Monday night came and I had not exercised all day. I prayed to God for strength and felt He said, "Put your tennis shoes on." Well, He's smart, God is, because now that the weather's warm and my feet are 90% pain-free, I don't need tenners in the house anymore except on the treadmill. Where does that leave me to go? Outside. So I headed up the hill and around the loop of our n'hood which is exactly one mile, and I did that in 29 minutes.
5. Tuesday morning came and I was stiff and saw no time in my day I would want to exercise. I was telling myself I wouldn't feel like it after school or in the evening. Negative talk is a health menace. Again I asked God for motivation to just move. Again I felt a little heavenly push to do just ten minutes of higher intensity to loosen up. Did that and felt much better.
6. Today I needed Karen's "atta girl" to reassure me, to help me see the big picture. By April 29 of next year , I want to lose 100 pounds total --a daunting figure (pun intended)--and when I called her, she said "If you only lost one pound a week, in a year that's 52 pounds. If you lose 2 a week, you'll definitely have your 100 off." Thanks, Karen.
7. I didn't feed my sadness yesterday. In fact, after two sad bits in my school day , plus literally falling down on the job, I normally would have comforted myself with ice cream or a pastry. However, within minutes of getting news that made me want to cry, I started sensing God's comfort and peace. I controlled my emotions rather than let them control me. And I used fat-free prayer instead of highly calorie food.
8. This morning I ate a 4 point breakfast and then walked it all off in 20 intense minutes even with cheesy music on.

Okay, now I feel better. God has given me 8 graces to share in my Wednesday Weport. There are more, but they're in my paper journal.

Wiggling and Reading and Labeling Pillowcases without Partners

I had thought I'd read the Bible again in a year.
Changed plans, as I remember when I did it two years it ago it was sooooo good but I had to go at a Kentucky Derby pace (about 4 chapter a day) and it was hard to do any deep study.

So I decided to make a list of 26 topics to study study for two weeks each this year. Some topics came easily off the tip of my pen. They are the ones that I didn't sense conviction about. That's right...the ones that did NOT make me wiggle. Or ones that actually reinforced my temptation to self-righteousness. You know the ones--the areas that come easily to you most of the time. But when I came up short by about eight topics, I asked for input from the family.

Trust me, if you don't want to wiggle, don't ask your husband, kids, or best friends what topics they think you should take a hard look at. But I did, and I wiggled, and I wrote them down. Actually, I had to scratch out a couple of original "easies" to make room for the newbies. Ouch.


So here's the plan now, after having sought the Lord on what to start the year with:

1) Read 1 Corinthians 13 every day, first thing, this year.
2) Study what He says about marriage, bibical womanhood, and sacrifice.
3) Don't stray far from studying forgiveness, anger, gentleness, and gratitude.
4) Revisit passages frequently on my identity in Christ.
5) Apply hospitality principles. Don't wait. Initiate.

So far it it's been quite a discipline to get my Bible open to these passages every day. And this is only January third! Don't get me wrong, it's not the time with God I dread, not at all. But boy, I started with 1 Corinthians 13 and realize just how UNloving I can be so often. As a performance evaluation, this chapter was not encouraging. As a description of God, it is thorough and comforting. I'm so glad I'm secure in my identity as a child of God or else I wouldn't have gone through with the reading on Day 2.

To accompany my Bible reading, I picked up a book yesterday I've read before, Biblical Womanhood in the Home, edited by Nancy Leigh deMoss. Little did I realize how I must have skimmed the chapter on the foolish woman the first time; either that or I was a wiser woman a couple years back. This time I was underlining and copying whole paragraphs into my journal.
-----------------
Then I got busy doing things I'd asked my husband to list as important. "Tell me seven things you'd call priorities," I asked him, "so I can try to knock them out before Monday." (I'm having abdominal surgery.)

So he did, and I took care of organizing the linen closet. I was so tickled with how it turned out. When he walked in the door last night, he said "The house looks great!" and I said, "Thanks, but you should see the linen closet." Okay, just how many times in a man's career does he get to come home and hear that? I should've called WJZ TV and nominated myself for a Gold 13. "Oh", did I just fish for a compliment?" I asked "Sorry. Old habits die hard."

I'm sure Paul was busting at the seams to see my linen closet. (When it looks good, I call it my linen closet. The rest of the time, it's "the linen closet.") :) "It's got labels and everything, honey!" I told him as he went up to change clothes.

His interest was piqued. I have to applaud the man for even caring about the state of the linen closet, but considering he had taken everything out of it on New Year's Day just trying to find a new toothbrush, filling three laundry baskets in the process, it's no wonder he put it on The New Year's Projects List.

He came back down after changing clothes and said, "looks good, labeled and everything. "

"Did you read ALL my labels?" I asked. I was a bit too enthusiastic. It's just a linen closet, for crying out loud.

"No, I didn't."

"Well, there's even a label for the mismatched pillowcases. I called it "PILLOWCASES WITHOUT PARTNERS." He rolled his eyes and smiled. Then he sat down and enjoyed every bite of his favorite dinner: meatloaf.

Tonight he wants to take me out to La Tolteca. I don't want to say no, but I want to enjoy this last evening with Sarah before she goes to New Hampshire for a week. I'm already missing her and she hasn't even left. But I will go out if he still wants to.

As for the hospitality, that was easy. I had my dear friend Renee' over to celebrate her birthday. A very good day, but now it's time to tackle the next project on this famous priority list: the master bedroom.

Honestly, it deserves to be categorized by the compass: South corner clutter; East Corner sock basket: North Corner bookcase; West Corner homeless photos (ie photos that need to be put in albums). The closet is a room unto its own. When I finish it, it'll be renamed my closet.

18 Goals for 2008

This morning I sat down and made a chart with 18 goals: six categories, each with three items I'd like to accomplish in a 12-month span. Here's my chart:

Spiritual:
1) Read thru the Bible again (Josh 1: 8,9)
2) Pursue righteousness and kindness (Prov 21:21)(namely by quick forgiveness and gentle words)
3) Share gospel w/ 4 ppl (neighbor Sue, a child, a foreigner, one other) (Matt 28)

Mental:
1) Practice Russian that I know; learn 2 new words/phrases a month (I Cor 10:31)
2) Memorize a Bible verse every week (be accountable to Paul for this) (I Tim . 3:16-17)
3) Practice an art form every week (drawing, painting, cooking, sewing, scrapping, floral design)
(need a verse to support this)

Physical
1) Have surgery Jan 7th as scheduled (common grace of healing....verse?)
2) Lose 60 lbs by graduation day (my body is His temple)
3) Wean completely off Rx (Rom. 12:1-2)


Social:
1) Be a respectful wife and serving mother (Eph 6, Prov 31)
2) Host one function a month (practice hospitality)
3)  Show kindness to strangers

Financial:
1) Work 10-12 hrs/week, preferably as tutor at HCC (submitting to Paul's request, not my will)
2) Use my income as so: 10% tithe, 10% giving, 10% spending, 10% saving, 60% debt reduction (whole Bible)
3) Put pocket change each month toward foreign missions (Mexico trip, GAIN, OCC) (stretch out your hand to the poor and needy)

Domestic:
1) Redo office by April 15th (let all things be done decently and in order)
2) Finish sewing and hanging kitchen curtains (Prov 31...she works w/ her hands)
3) Plant cutting garden from seeds or others' gardens (spend less than $15) (He has created all things for His pleasure) and I love all the flowers He created and want many in my yard and home and to be able to give away to cheer up or thank someone else. Okay, I went on too long about flowers. Do you sense a bit of passion here? I've always said if I were wealthy, or got to be good friends with someone who is, I'd have fresh flowers in my home 365 days a year.


Dear, dear Father,
By your grace, for your glory and not mine, please hear me and grant the desires of my heart if they line up with what you want. I think they do, but I could be deceived. Speak to me if there are selfish ambitions here; redirect my thinking and my actions so that You are glorified. I have the most faith for the Domestic category (or should I say I am most confident because I like those things in that category?). I need the most faith to be the wife Paul needs, a true helper, a kindhearted woman, a selfless giver, and thinner too! Oh, Abba, help me. I've prayed this prayer for so many years, so many times, but rather than feel discouraged, I am sure You enjoy the fragrant aroma of your children's prayers the way I enjoy lighting a vanilla candle every day. I want to want what You want. My heart is light and thrilled when I get out of the way and watch You do what want. I am miserable and defeated when I buck Your system. Thank You for Your patience with me! Thank You for forgiving me every time I ask. Thank You for putting people in my life who love me no matter what. Thank You for putting the desire for righteousness and kindness in my heart. I am so looking forward to a happier marriage in 2008 as I seek to change rather than to change Paul. I am eager to be a more caring mom, to care about everything the kids care about by really devoting myself to their care, by really listening, by taking them out one-=on-one like the good ole days, by blessing them intentionally by keeping plenty of good food stocked, the house and my heart ready for people, and making the clock my slave, not the other way around. Give me eyes to see the needs within and without and the courage and wisdom to know if, how, and when to meet those needs. May I be able to see at the end of 2008 that much fruit has been borne from this prayer because of Your faithfulness to me and my cooperation with Your Word.
I love You, and it is for that reason that I'm compelled to change and have faith for it. May You smile as you hear my prayers. I'm smiling knowing that You care more about me than I do. Thanks again for your new mercies every day.

Happy New Year!

To all my friends in blogland, Happy New Year. I hope you feel the pleasure of mercy that accompanies a new, clean calendar.

On New Year's Eve I listed, rather randomly, my goals, desires, and plans for 2007. There are about 20 or so. At the top of the list is a renewed commitment to read through the Bible again. It's a treasure trove and I have just lifted the lid!

The second priority is physical: to return to the Daniel Diet. I was on it for three weeks in the fall and lost 9 pounds. The other benefits far exceeded my hopes of just losing weight. I may post them later. Basically the Daniel Diet, which I tailored to fit my needs, meant no meat, sugar or dairy for 10 days at at time. On the 11th day I would eat whatever I wanted. For me, meat and sugar and dairy are "king's meat" and I very easily overindulge myself on them. This plan also included only water and fruit juice, but to avoid legalism I would allow myself one cup of coffee with hazelnut creamer in the morning. I also ate fish when I felt starved for protein or when there was no meatless protein at Alpha and I was really
hungry. The greatest relief besides wearing relaxed fit jeans that could actually relax, was waking up without kidney pain for those two weeks.

So would you please pray for me when you think to? This area is one of the hardest to submit to God longterm, to keep in mind every day that my body is not my own, it is HIs temple, I was bought with a price and need to glorify Him in my body. I want to try to do this without becoming self-absorbed about it.

God gave me abundant grace for both of those adventures last year and I am persuaded that He is able to do it again.

Looking forward to hearing what your two top priorities are for this year.