New Year's Resolutions anyone?

Well, I've never been one of "those people" who make resolutions each year because, well, I make a new resolution every Monday to do something better than the week before so who needs a yearly resolution!  This year I want to actually make a list...crazy, huh?!  So here it goes and I'm looking forward to December 31, 2011 to see how I did!

In 2011 I will....

1.  ...put God first and everything else second more in my life.  I can't ever become perfect at this because I'm, well, a sinner saved by grace but I want to do better at this every year.  Speaking of being "second" check out www.iamsecond.com if you haven't and listen to some of the testimonies.  Powerful!

2.  ...do my daily devotional study every day.  Every few months these last couple years I have committed and then for various reasons I let my study that I'm tackling fall by the wayside till I decide to do another one.  I'm praying that this is going to be the year I change that.  I read through a Proverbs 31 daily devotional every day and I do take the time almost every day to read through the scriptures and questions it has with it and think about them, but I want to commit to a more substantial time of day to spend with my Lord and Savior.  I'm starting with "Made to Crave" by Lysa Terquerst and I'm excited about it.  It will tie in with my next item on the list actually!  The ladies' Sunday School class that I teach is studying her "Becoming more than a Good Bible Study Girl" right now and it is great!

3. ...get healthier.  This may be the one I struggle with the most.  I know I can't count how many times I've lost 15 pounds and turned around 6 months later and gained it back...before I went on to lose the 20 more I needed to lose.  As a friend of mine says about herself...I'm a "-tion" eater....celebrations, devastation, frustration....and I want to get this under control.  So, I'm starting the "Made to Crave" study about letting God feed my soul and not food.  I need to lose the weight...seriously!

4.  ...get in shape.  Granted it's part of getting healthier but specifically I want to have less flab no matter what size I am.  I love to run...I'm weird like that once I get in the habit.  But, I'm terrible at letting it be the 1st thing to slide when I get tired and busy.  I know I will feel better if I will stop the 3 month on, 3 months off cycle and just get consistent.  I'm going to aim for 6 days a week and try to make a minimum of 4 days a week in any given week.  My goal is another half marathon this year.  Did one a few years ago and frustrates me that now I will struggle to run a mile as I start the new year.

5.  ...not define myself by my size.  I start a lot of days of my life feeling "good" or "bad" about myself depending on how my clothes fit when I got ready that morning.  I want to do better at this....which reflects back on my new study...letting God define my day and not my waistline!  This is really going to be hard for me...

6.  ...quit carrying the entire load myself.  I don't mean this critically of my family, but I do everything at home that gets done and I do mean everything...house, finances, you name it and I'm the one doing it! LOL! I've typed up charts, lists and they last a day or so till everyone is busy and then I just go back to doing it.  I have been letting the rest of my family slide by without contributing much and I'm not doing any of a service with this. This does not lead to a very relaxed mommy and wife because as any mommy out there will tell you...there is SO much to do to run a household.  I need to start delegating and require my family to contribute.  I can't do it all.  I don't need to resolve to be cleaner, more organized, etc. if I just had some help doing these things that would take care of itself I think...we'll see.

I know this list may seem like I think I'm a complete failure, but actually I did some things well in 2010.  I think I did a good job at reaching out to others whether it was a struggling friend who needed a card or a call to check on them or a stranger in need...I can always do better of course but I tried to focus more on this area this year and I think I succeeded more than I failed.  I think I did a good job of being a supportive wife and mom with all of my family's interests and activities....countless trips to ballfields, gyms and piano lessons.  I cooked more in 2010 and hope to do even better in 2011.   I tried to be always mindful of my blessings God has given me....always above and beyond what I deserve.

So, be in prayer for me as I tackle these specific 6 things....it's a lot to focus on...my spiritual life, my physical health and my stress level just to name a few. I welcome any advice in any of these areas that my handful of readers have to offer...seriously I do!!!

Have a blessed 2011 and remember He is the reason we are here!

Can you see my smile from there?

Last night Carson came up to me and said, "Mom, I should've known Santa wasn't real." I asked him why and he said, "There's only one man who knows everything and that's Jesus." I couldn't have been more proud!
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Masquerade: Hiding from God

I don't know if you have ever heard of this preacher, but Craig Groeschel is a great preacher that I discovered a couple years ago when researching some things for starting my Sunday School class.  Regardless of what you might think about his ministry, this series he has just completed called Masquerade: Hiding from God is awesome!  I'm attaching the link to part 1 which last about 30 minutes and I encourage you to watch it when you can.  It is just so good.  I'm home with Marty today while he's hurt and I watched it this morning since I couldn't be at church and it relates to the study my SS class is doing right now and wow...I was really convicted by it...hope you can watch it and let me know what you think!

 

 

http://www.lifechurch.tv/watch/masquerade/1