New Habits...

With the new year I decided it was time my kids start using their own alarm clocks to get up in the morning and that the mom clock was retiring. So now every night before bedtime I ask if alarms are set for the morning. I'm sure I am super late coming to this but....MOM WIN.  I don't worry about it (now, honestly speaking, I'm not sure that I really worried about it...but it's no longer my concern.) 

I also made a list of 5 things they need to accomplish before school begins each day. This has helped our homeschool mornings start much more smoothly. I sent these lists to them via text message so that they would have no excuse for forgetting what was on the list....another MOM WIN.

I had grown a little bit lazy in my parenting before the end of the year. I had let some good behaviors and habits slide because...holidays get crazy in the parsonage. But in the end the one that was left overwhelmed and stressed was me and it just wasn't worth it. I was grumpy, yelling and in a disorganized state of mind. 

As the caretaker of the house, I get to make routines and choices and decisions that can either help or hinder me from running a smooth household. There are certain things that are important to me, and others that while I like to have them done, are less important. So, since I am the caretaker I am forming new habits that help our home run smoothly, help instill responsibility and good habits in my kids (hopefully....we are a work in progress). No, the house isn't perfect, and sometimes we have to adjust to different things that come our way, but we are doing better and these new routines are becoming new habits that will help us run our house more efficiently. 

What new habits are you forming this new year?

Recovery

Seems like some of the best things in life require a recovery period....babies being born, vacations, surgeries that help us feel better. Recovery is a good thing. It means you're still around.

I feel like my house is in recovery mode from Christmas. There are still amazon boxes lying around, the wrapping paper hasn't found its way back to the closet, the tree is still up and the lights are hanging from the house just like they were a month ago. Somebody needs to get busy around here.

But that's life. And life in the parsonage sometimes gets out of hand...the messes overwhelm me and the work to get everything back into shape isn't very appealing. I wish I could say I was motivated, but honestly, the thing that motivates me today is that the dog threw up in the kitchen and now I don't have a choice but to mop and throw away my shoes that he aimed for this morning.

So, while I am not super motivated, the house is getting cleaned today. Everyone has been warned....mom's not kidding. And while I am sure I will get eye rolls and responses that are less than energetic, I have to remember....recovery is a good thing. It brings order and less stress and hope and a clean slate...it's a rescue of sorts... and really, aren't these all things we love?

Is there an area of your life that needs a recovery? Sometimes it's physical or mental and we need to rest. Sometimes it's a chore or an activity we don't enjoy. Sometimes it's a spiritual issue that we need to give over to the Lord and ask for His healing touch. In the parsonage, I find myself needing recovery time often. This world is messy...and much like my mopping chore today, it can feel like we've been thrown up on if we don't take some time to recover. So wherever you find yourself...physically, mentally or spiritually...take time to recover.

Signing off, so I can go recover this house! Now...where's that mop?!?!?!

Why We All Need a Fresh Start

Everyone needs a fresh start...

The prodigal child, the distant spouse, the bored housewife, the drug addict, the overeater, the proud, the angry, the disrespectful. 

Let's be real. There's been a time in all our lives when we needed a do-over. And January is a good place to get one. Everyone is busy doing their own self-examination and our shortcomings are being analyzed and new more attainable goals are being written down. It's like a fresh page in a book, or a newly painted wall...clean...spacious...unspotted...perfect. 

And we have the momentum to be anything, do anything, achieve anything....because we have a fresh start...and that feeling of rock-stardom, "I believe I can fly", mentality sends adrenaline pumping through our veins like coffee on a cold winter's day. We are unstoppable. 

For about 5 minutes. That's when it happens...one of the kids spills his cereal, husband can't find his keys, you're sure you had your phone in the bedroom, the dog ate the backyard furniture (true story), the garbage disposal smells like rotten eggs (another true story). And any hope of you being the super-woman you are aspiring to be goes down the drain...because our clean page is now spotted with cheerios and smells like egg salad. 

And that's why I love love love this verse --Lamentations 3:23....His mercy is new every day. 

Because we all need a January 1...more than once a year. In fact...some of us need one everyday! And isn't it just like the Lord to know that His mercy would be just what we would need to get through each day...not just New Year's Day! See supermom gets this lavish mercy extended to her just like the prodigal son or daughter. And that man who cut you off in traffic needs new mercy just like your grandmother. No one is immune...we all need it!

So...next time...probably today or tomorrow, when you feel the pangs of exasperation flooding your soul..When plans haven't gone according to the planner...or when you're feeling depleted...embrace the mercy for that day...the new mercy...perfectly measured out in the perfect dose for you and me. 

Now if you'll excuse me...something smells like rotten eggs in the garbage disposal....somebody might need some mercy!!!

New Year...New You...More or Less

Are you a goal setter? I like to refer to myself as a list maker...and on any given day, some of the stuff on that list gets done and other things, well...don't. On the large scale of New Year's Resolutions, I have failed so miserably over the years, that I don't even like to think about making lofty goals...and yet, every year I find myself trying to figure out how I am going to achieve the ideas and dreams that are floating around in my head.

So this year I've jumped on the bandwagon and chosen one word to describe what I'd like to achieve this year. I thought long and hard (ok...it was really only 30 minutes) to think of a word that would encompass what my heart and mind truly desired. Over the last months I have had some time to think about what my heart was desiring, even needing at this stage in my life...and easily I knew that word that encapsulated my thoughts was "less".

And I have to say with the word "less" there is a bit of guilt...guilt because the world needs so much more...more Jesus, more love, more understanding, more truth, more kindness..and here I am saying "less in '16"....but honestly....for me...this is a year of cutting back on the things that don't matter so that I can give more. I've felt almost suffocated by stuff and pride and waste and conflict that I don't think I can do another 2015. 

So this is the year of intentionally living a less of me lifestyle...and all that entails...spending, calories, stuff, shopping, waste, worry, striving to please others, conflict...and anything else that robs, destroys or kills the "more" abundant life that Jesus wants me to be living. 

How about you? What's God prompting you to do in 2016? Do you make resolutions? Goals? Share in the comments section...and let's cheer each other on this year...to do more of what really matters!

Whatcha Gonna Do?

Every new year there's hype about resolution and goals and blah, blah, blah. I cringe. I think I feel my skin crawl with the force of self discipline, determination and perseverance. Scales are dusted off, water bottles filled, finances evaluated, self help books bought....and yet, statistics show us that most of us won't get through the month of January with our determination in tact.

I've been a casualty of new year goals. Most years I fail miserably. In fact....if I had kept all my goals over the years...I'd be 110 pounds, read thousands of books, drank the equivalent of the water held in Hoover Dam and become the exact woman spoken of in Proverbs 31. I'm a failure at keeping new year goals. But why?

I look back on last year and the only goal I achieved was my goal to be more intentional about giving thanks. Easy you say? Well maybe for you, but if you have a bad day, week or year, it's not quiet that easy. How did I keep it? And could these be keys to keeping other goals? Let's see:

1. Posted my thanks before I got out of bed in the morning.

2. Decided to give thanks even when it was hard.

3. Decided to be more lighthearted about looking at my life, instead of so serious.

4. Looked beyond circumstances.

5. Was encouraged and thankful for what God had done.

Oh wow....there it is....that might just be the key...5 simple steps...

1. Do something before you get out of bed...decide, pray, post...whatever...but think about your goals before your feet hit the ground.

2. Do something towards your goal even when it's hard.

3. Look at your goal through the eyes of humor and joy...sometimes we get too serious or too focused and sometimes we just need to laugh through the tough times.

4. Look beyond today.

5. See what God is doing. He's transforming you...He's helping you....be encouraged and give thanks!

Here's a few goals I'm setting for the new year....

* drink more water (get my water bottle in the fridge at night so I have it first thing in the morning!
* read more....for fun and for learning.
* write more thank you notes
* encourage more
* notice the good
* blog consistently

So whatcha gonna do this new year? Something big or small....doesn't really matter...just do something!

On the 2nd Day of New Years….

I've thought a lot about what I need to be resolving to do this year. Seems all over the blogs I read, the Facebook friends I follow, the tweets I read …even instagram is full of inspiring quotes and pledges to do everything from the mundane to the extraordinary. And yet, here I sit, not really sure what to say I'm pledging my motivation to. Maybe because it's when you resolve and you do your part, you expect good results…like dieting = lose weight or keeping organized = saved time or clipping coupons = saving money. But what happens when you do your part…you resolve…and follow through and things don't turn our like you think they should.

See…that's one of the lessons I've been learning the past year. Sometimes, you don't get to have control. Sometimes you can do the right things, you can follow God's plan as good as anyone and still things don't turn out like you think they should. Sometimes your resolve is not enough. Sometimes the chips fall where they may and you're left holding the dip (or whatever…cause I've never really understood that cliche').

By no means am I claiming perfection (just in case you've never seen me really mess up things and think that's what I was saying). But what I am saying is that sometimes as hard as I may try to obey God, follow His word, believe He has a greater plan…sometimes things look worse than when I didn't care.

Just ask Noah…I mean, how do you think he and the Mrs. must have felt as they climbed aboard the ark with their 3 sons and their wives…made one last plea for people to get on board and then heard God shut the door. Surely they knew then they had followed God's plan, but what about their hearts and humanity as they listened as those around them succumbed to the waves and water. Surely there wasn't great rejoicing because they had followed God's plan…surely they wondered if this wasn't a worse plan…a plan that couldn't possibly be right. A plan where people died and met eternity in an unbelieving state of heart.

Think of our own Jesus…a sweet baby…a manger…and yet 33 years later brutally beaten….hanging nearly naked, dead upon a cross…how could this possible be the resolved plan of God..the better way? Certainly the surge of pain through an earthly mother's heart begged to ask God….WHY? HOW COULD THIS BE THE BETTER WAY?

Sometimes the better way is messy. Sometimes our good resolutions don't always end up looking so good. Worth it??…oh yes….Just ask Noah or Jesus...but how it leaves us feeling, how it leaves us looking, how it leaves us wondering….is messy. And instead of feeling like you accomplished something wonderfully beautiful….you're left wishing you didn't have to feel anything at all.

But here's the catcher or the clincher or whatever…I'm not responsible for the end result…..that's up to the Lord. I'm responsible for the obedience to His voice, His word, His call. Sure it may look like a poor reflection of me and people may not understand or care and they may mock as Job's friends asked "Where's your God now?" But it doesn't matter…because He trumps every thing that man thinks. His plans are higher and deeper and wider and steeper. WE CANNOT FATHOM THEM! All we know is that after the trying and refining and purifying He promises we will come out of it as gold. Valuable, treasured, worth more than we could ever imagine, priceless….and truly there is nothing more than I want to resolved to be.

What I've Loved About Christmas Break

I think more than any other time before I have enjoyed this Christmas Break...and being a creature of routine this has surprised me just a bit.

I've loved...

1. Spending time with my family (of course)

2. Sleeping in (of course...although that has a different meaning since I have Early Bird Tucker)

3. Mapping out some plans for remodeling out dated bathroom and picking out colors for painting our den.

4. Playing games with my kids...they are finally old enough not to get bent out of shape when they lose...makes gaming much more fun!

5. Cooking/Baking more

6. Cleaning the house from top to bottom and getting rid of stuff we don't need.

7. New Years Eve text party with girlfriends....our hubbies just thought they could keep us apart! LOL!

8. Watching Christmas movies

9. Celebrating Christ's birth with church family, my class, my family, our community.

10. And ....SNOW!...on Christmas Day!

It's been wonderful....and I really don't know how I can get back in the routine of school in 5 more days....oh well....I'll figure that out when it gets here!

The Belly of the Whale

Jonah 2:6 says, But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit.

I woke up thinking about Jonah today. His story resounds loudly with my own as I think of my own life journey. Knowing the right thing to do and yet, somehow thinking I can outsmart God, buy a ticket to someplace else, get on a boat, where surely God won't find me, cause a big mess (storm), get thrown overboard and then have a heart to heart with God.

At the start of a new year it's easy to get caught up in all the regrets, the past mistakes, the roads less traveled, the diets undone, the money wasted, the time released. Just like Jonah....all those things that we know we should've and could've done, all those commands from God that we ignored, all those things that would have brought Him glory that we ignored for our own selfish ways...it's easy to get bogged down in the reflection of failure we see when we look in the mirror. And that's what the enemy wants.

But the truth is...the Lord my God has brought my life up from the pit. Even without being spit out of the belly of the whale, Jonah knew God had brought Him up from the pit. He claimed the promises that He already knew about His God, while He was at the lowest point of His life...in the churning belly of the nasty whale. He remembered what God had done for Him in the past. The constant God, the faithful God, the one who was strong enough to bring His life up from the pit.

I think that's my greatest defense these days...Remembering who God is, what He's done in the past, recalling how He has brought my life up from the pit.  Rejoicing in the faithfulness of a God who isn't finished with me, who has a plan for this life, who loves me....loves me....loves ME.

Isn't that the greatest gift?...His love. It encompasses every other attribute He has...His grace, His forgiveness, His compassion. It's that love that brings my life out of the pit. It's that love that helps me look forward instead of backwards and it's that love that gives me hope that He has a plan for my future....just like my past....and He's already done so much with my life I can't imagine what else He has in store.

That belly of the whale isn't a place I want to go back to....and that's not where God intends His redeemed, reconciled, justified children to live. So I'm rejoicing in my rescue from the pit and pray that God will keep my heart and mind fixed on His Son, His love and His plans for the future.

The To Do's

I've been wanting to make a home binder for a while...a central place where all things home related could be found. I began searching blogs and pinterest for free printables that might meet my needs and what do you know....I found everything I needed to get organized for the new year...at least on paper.

Bill Pay Schedule

Menu Planner

Weekly Goal Setting 

Really Cute Monthly Calendars

Family Contact Sheet

Monthly Cleaning 

Grocery Check List

52 Weeks to an Organized Home 

Customizable Cover Sheet

I found these sheets at Money Saving Mom and at The Organizing Home Life websites. I just went through and picked out the ones that I needed. There are many more printable sheets that I did not print out...budgeting, address sheets, chore charts...and more.

So, after a morning of getting the binder all together, I spent part of the afternoon making our favorite New Year Meal... Chili. I had some ripe bananas so I made some homemade banana bread to put in the freezer for a rainy day. Bruce is feeling under the weather still so the kids and I hung out in the den watching Christmas movies and playing games. I'm loving this break from all things routine!

Happy New Years Day! 

Year in Review 2012

Here are the highlights from our year:

January- Our senior pastor or 27 years resigned from our church and Bruce submitted his resume to be considered as a candidate. We said goodbye to good friends who moved to NC to finish up training with JAARS. 

February- Savannah and Bruce went to a Father Daughter dance and had a great time. They share such a special bond. We had our Missions Conference at church and I was blessed to meet and get reacquainted with truly beautiful people who are sharing Christ around the world.

March- We spent Spring Break in Georgia and had a wonderful time just enjoying the beauty of the deep south. The kids enjoyed playing with their cousins and the puppies. Sissy took us to a huge trampoline gym and the kids had more fun than they could have imagined. We enjoyed a trip up to NC to see The Brewers since we were so close. Traveled back through my birth state...TN and enjoyed the gorgeous blossoms on the trees and flowers. Savannah started taking Tae Kwon Do with Tucker. 

April- Easter and preparations for end of the school year were underway. Welcomed home missionary friends from Peru. 

May- Tucker graduated from Kindergarten and we finished up the school year with a Fun Day with bounce houses and parachutes and snow cones. Super fun.

June- both kids earned their new belts for Tae Kwon Do, we did VBS at church. Bruce candidated at the church for the pastorate and was voted in at 99%. God taught us gobs during the waiting process.

July- Savannah went to church camp, Bruce and Tucker went to visit her at camp and I wasted 2 days of my life watching 3 seasons of Heartland. We spent 2 days away with our church staff for staff planning....it was a God-anointed time. 

August- Made another trip to GA. Mom and I toured the Southern Living 2012 Home and enjoyed some girl time. We also took a trip to Lake Lanier with my brother, sister in law and niece and my sister and Mom and Tom. Three glorious days...it was the best thing in the world we could do! I turned 40 and the ladies at church threw me a hilarious surprise party. Savannah turned 10 and we took a Mother Daughter trip out of town with Debbie and one of Savannah's friends. 

September- School started back...me teaching 1st grade, Tucker in my class and Savannah doing work in Mrs. Ali's class. I also was blessed to begin teaching a Wednesday night small group of women. We worked our way through Priscilla Shirer's Resolution for Women. God began doing some work in my life during that study. Both kids advanced to the next belt rank in TaeKwonDo. Bruce shared his vision (God's really) for the church for the next 18 months. 

October- We had our Fall Festival at church. It was a great time of outreach. Bruce's dad was diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma. He had his first chemo.

November- Women's Night of Worship, Friend Day at church with Daves Highway, Bruce dad was hospitalized, Mom and Tom came early for Thanksgiving to help with kids, Bruce's Dad passed away right before Thanksgiving. Hard month. God was with us each step of the way...and our incredible, loving church family ....words fail me....

December- Christmas festivities at church and school. Savannah went with Debbie to see the Rockettes, Tucker rode his first bronco bull. We took the kids to Prestonwood's Gift of Christmas and they loved it. Enjoyed a night out with some girlfriends.  Tucker turned 7. We took the kids to their first hibachi grill. Savannah and I got the flu for Christmas. We enjoyed seeing Scott Anderson and having the Erwin family with us for our last Sunday in 2012.

And through it all...God was faithful. And He will be in 2013 because that's who He is. Faithful. Always. Always. Always.

Happy New Year!

How We're Spending New Year's Eve

Bruce declared this New Year's Eve "family night" so we are all hunkered down for some Fruit Ninja on the Xbox, some computer time, some TV watching (still have 30 unwatched Hallmark movies from the holidays to watch) and some good food.

The kids started their day playing a new online game they've discovered:

Bruce started the day quarantined to the back of the house that we are lovingly calling "sick hall". He's feeling better now, but I really can't pass up an opportunity to share a great picture:

I started the day out with a few loads of laundry and inbetween I sat down to read all about onions...yes...I'm thinking gardening already

Then on to way more appetizing things:

And to wrap up the night....the best pizza in town

Can you smell all that yummy goodness?

As the year closes and another one welcomes us...I'm finding myself reflecting on the things that God has allowed our family to experience in 2012. Whether good or bad, He's always in the process of making me new...better...more like Him. I'm thankful, eternally for the work He's accomplishing and humbled by the beauty and truth that He desires to use ordinary, sinful, redeemed people to worship Him, serve Him, and draw men and women to Him. What an amazing gift to give Him when we can abandon ourselves and totally surrender to Him!

February: Something or Another's Update

Updates are in yellow. Many of the goals are continuous from month to month.

1. Revamp current filing system for bills and important papers. Clean out ones we don't need and keep up with the filing on a daily basis so it never gets out of hand.  Completed on January 2

2. Eat out less. Ate out 6 of 93 meals....that's drastically different from any month in the last year. 

3. Grow a container garden (yard gardening doesn't work for me since my yard is so shaded...been there, done that, wasted a ton of money...and was very sad). 

4. Weekly Random Acts of Kindness with my kids. Savannah took brownies to share with her friends at AWANA.

5. Read from the Jesus Storybook Bible every night with the kids. 

6. Find a hairstyle that I actually like. Don't laugh if you see me experimenting...LOL! Decided to perm my hair and I like it much better....we will see how long it lasts...the liking and the perm.

7. Pray for Bruce more.

8. Live more healthy...meaning make more decisions in the right direction than the wrong. Since January 2 I have not bought a 2 liter diet coke. I have had diet coke when we have eaten out at a restaurant and at school I have had some....overall a huge change of habit. The eating out less has helped with the Diet Coke addiction and with the healthier eating. Even most of the recipes I'm making are altered to be slightly more healthy than normal. Down 5 pounds. 

9. Keep track of and write my first 1000 gifts using the app on my iPhone UPDATE: I have my first 90 done

10. Visit the shut-ins from church more. 

Curly Sue

In an effort to fulfill one of my new year's something or another's...I got a kinda new look today at the hairdresser. As a throw back to the 80's or maybe 90's...or heck...I had a perm in 2000 too...I went curly again....for no other reason than I wanted change...and maybe to drive my very stylish friends crazy! We'll see how long it lasts...the perm, the style, the smell....most all of this will depend on how long it takes to fix in the morning!

Static Cling to the Promises

This time of year it's not unusual to struggle with static cling. Most recently I introduce Savannah to a can of aerosol hairspray that I used solely for the purpose of getting rid of static electricity. She was a little weirded out when I told her to spray it on her pants and they would quit clinging to her skin....but it worked!

As I was thinking about the many spiritual lessons that God taught me over the last year they all seemed to center around one thing....clinging to the promises of God. I'm just like the next woman...I struggle with real-to-me issues....health, family, friends, money, home, schedules, busyness, reading God's Word, sorrow, pain...but of all the issues I've struggled with over the last 12 months, the greatest amount of peace and comfort I've found is when I've clung to the promises of God. His Word is full of nuggets of encouragement and understanding. Sure, my friends are great, my mom is great, my husband is the best....but when it comes to bearing my soul...there is no one I trust like Jesus. There are no one's words that comfort quite like the Father's. There's no one who can empathize with me, quite like the Father. He is who I want to cling to in the good and the bad. His promises are the advice I want to seek in the good and the bad. I want to be clinging...always....like static cling on a winter's day...to the promises of our all knowing, loving God.

Thank you God for proving yourself to me .... for proving your promises true every day. 

If you're struggling to trust the promises of God, here are some verses to get you started:

Source: tumblr.com via Megan on Pinterest

Do you have a favorite promise of God?

New Year's Something Or Anothers

Source: homegrownhospitality.typepad.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

I've failed more times than not at making resolutions at the new year. It's terrible, embarrassing, disappointed and usually leaves me in an undesirable rebound position. So this year I'm not making promises. I've got goals but there are no deadlines. January 1st is a good starting day but truth be told, I've already started on a few of these New Year's Something or Anothers.

So, here goes-

1. Revamp current filing system for bills and important papers. Clean out ones we don't need and keep up with the filing on a daily basis so it never gets out of hand.

2. Eat out less.

3. Grow a container garden (yard gardening doesn't work for me since my yard is so shaded...been there, done that, wasted a ton of money...and was very sad).

4. Weekly Random Acts of Kindness with my kids.

5. Read from the Jesus Storybook Bible every night with the kids.

6. Find a hairstyle that I actually like. Don't laugh if you see me experimenting...LOL!

7. Pray for Bruce more.

8. Live more healthy...meaning make more decisions in the right direction than the wrong.

9. Keep track of and write my first 1000 gifts using the app on my iPhone

10. Visit the shut-ins from church more.

I'm sure these will keep me busy ...and some might change or get deleted altogether...that's the nice thing about making something or anothers rather than resolutions...or at least that's what I'm telling myself!

Are you resolving or making goals or promises or something or anothers for the new year? Whatcha aiming for?

Backfire!

This is how it went down:

After a long night of Disney's New Year's Eve Showdown, Savannah and I headed to bed (Tuck and Bruce were at Winter Freeze with the youth from church). Savannah was trying to settle down but was grunting, complaining a bit and fidgeting like she couldn't settle down.

I asked, Savannah, do you need some Geritol?
She asked What's that?
I say, It's medicine for old people. You sound like an old person complaining like you are.
She says, Do you take Geritol?

LONG PAUSE

I say, No I am only 37
She says, That IS old

Never mind Savannah.
Happy New Year to me.

Achoooooo

I remember Y2K. Do you? I remember because I was sick as a dog...with flu type symptoms and was snugged in bed wishing someone would just put me out of my misery.

Guess what? I have that feeling again....I could make the Nyquil commerical. So today, between sneezes, I've been reading with Savannah, helping her make some new goals for the new year, snacking way to much, watching TV and playing a little wii. I tried to clean out the pantry, but only got 1/2 way through before I was in a sweaty feverish state (TMI?).

For the last few days I have been thinking about what I want to be saying at the end of 2010. I am constantly reminded that my days are in HIS hands and that no matter the goals, resolutions or plans I make...without His guidance, His plan and His power, I am weak and will fail. So, with that in mind I have been praying about the things I've been sensing Him leading to do in my life. Bruce and I have talked about some of our family goals and even today as Savannah and I chatted about things for her to strive for, we prayed that God would help her achieve her own milestones.

Here mine are:

1. Love Jesus More = Love Others More
2. Read more of God's Word
3. Be more consistant in our parenting.
4. Take better care of these bodies God gave us.
5. De-clutter (does this sound familiar? it's on my list every year!...I made lots of progress last year..more to come in '10.)
6. Eat more meals together as a family
7. Plant garden in spring
8. Re-establish date night with spouse
9. Write more
10. SELL HOUSE in GUNTER

Praying you achieve all that God has for you in 2010!

Daily Resolutions

The last few years I haven’t made New Year’s Resolutions. For years I made the common resolutions – lose weight, read my Bible more, spend less, get more organized. – and each year, somewhere around January 15th, I fail. I beat myself up, did some pretty degrading self-talk and sometimes even tried again. But, with only a few exceptions, I would eventually give up. What a disappointment!

For a couple of years I conveniently ignored all the hype regarding resolutions and just opted for a resolve-free year. That was a commitment I could keep. That worked well, until I realized what God’s Word had to say about New Year’s Resolutions.

Paul knew the secret to successful New Year’s Resolutions. He said in I Corinthians 15:31b: I die daily. Paul knew in order to live in this fleshly life that we would have to take it a day at a time. That purposeful, driven, intentional decision, made daily, assured a greater success rate. That personal decision to die to myself each day hasn’t turned me into a perfect-professional-daily-resolution maker; instead God has tenderly uncovered those areas in true need for a make-over.

So this year, the resolutions will come, but in a different package. One that arrives daily, focused on the work God wants to do in my life. Less focus on what I think takes precedence and more attention focused on what He wants. It’s tough…and I am sure I will fail Him, but there’s a calm assurance knowing I’m able to approach Him daily. I don’t have to wait until next year.

VERSE: I die daily. I Corinthians 15:31b

Father, your steadfast love never ceases to amaze me and Your mercies are new everyday. Thank You for renewal and forgiveness. Thank You for daily directing my steps. Please help me to welcome those quiet moments with you, when I die to what my flesh wants and resolve to do Your will for my life. In Jesus precious name, Amen

Running-Reaching-Resting

Three little words that fit nicely below the "Journaling Gina" blog title.  They perfectly describe this life that I've been given. And lately- I've been doing some thinkin' about this life....a lot!

I was spurred to thinking more deeply about all this after a sermon by missionary Brent Williams (to Peru). He and his sweet family are making our church and town home for their year of furlough. Bruce and I went to college with Brent and Miriam so it's been great to re-connect after all these years. Brent spoke about how we (Christians)  are so consumed with having the next latest and greatest that we (in general...maybe not you, but certainly me, sometimes) get caught up in working too hard (on anything not eternal) and not hard enough on putting a priority on family. He gave some extremely interesting stats on families that eat together and the positive way this influences children. I was stunned.

Being a homeschooling family I have let myself off the hook more times that I'd like to admit when it comes to "family" issues- After all....I HOMESCHOOL! I am with my kids 24/7. But in the quietness of a sanctuary a couple of Sunday evenings ago, I realized that I've let some priorities get out of whack. Some of my good intentions have taken a back burner and some of them remained in the intentions pile. Laziness has crept in to areas that I'd rather not think about and discipline in my life has taken a back seat. You see raising kids has as much to do with me being disciplined as it does them being disciplined!

So, I have been using the last couple of weeks to evaluate some things. I am seeking God's plan in this life He's given me. Running a godly household with Bruce, reaching for GOD's HAND and Resting in the plan HE has for MY family is a daily goal. I don't need to keep up with the Jones', I don't need to be so busy that my family falls by the wayside. I need to model a Godly family, be wise with what God has entrusted me with, shine a light from the corner of my street so that what I say matches what I live and unbelievers can see the difference HE can make in their homes too.

So this new year...there's gonna be more cooking and less fast food, more reading and less TV, more discipline for me...and probably the kids (they will LOVE that)  and more focus on breaking the stronghold of materialism, worldliness and busyness.....all with the help of the Savior.

So, I'd like to know something from you....what's something you are going to do differently with your family for the coming year? Leave me a comment...I'd love to know!