New Year Resolutions (just a tad late!)



My new Amplified Bible by Joyce Meyers
that will be my partner this year!!

 Alright, so last week I talked about my long list of unrealistic expectations for this year & that I needed to write a realistic list with a plan of action. I gave myself til this past Friday to have it posted...well, it really was done...but just in my head! So here I am posting "the list". While I was thinking about what was realistic, what was ridicuclous & how to even pare it all down, I re-read the paragraph at the top of my blog & realized 1/2 of my work was already done! This is what my blog is all about! It says "See, this is my creative way of holding myself accountable...as I continue to learn & grow in God, raise 4 happy kids with my hubby & strive to bring some lasting organization to our chaotic house!" So that gives me this list:

1. learn & grown in God
2. raise 4 happy kids
3. bring lasting organization to our home

Short, sweet & simple. Now for the action plan!!

1. learn & grow in God - a GF & I have committed to a read-thru-the-Bible-in-a-year-plan. We'll be encouraging & holding each other accountable. This past year God's been showing me just how important time spent JUST with Him EVERY day really is!! I see a huge difference in my attitude, drive & actions when I'm daily focusing on Him. Right now with the napping schedule as it is, most days DS#2 is out for an hour in the late morning & my DD#2 will play by herself giving me a bit of time to sit down with a coffee, my Bible & a devotional type book. Plus, in early Feb I'll be attending a Prayer Ministry Training Day. While I'm not certain that I'm called to pray as part of a ministry team, I am SO excited about learning to pray for others & how to pray more effectively.
2. raise 4 happy kids - build RELATIONSHIPS with my kids & pray in specifics for each of them. During the two 10 wk periods that my DH was away at school, our wonderful Pastor came for several lunch visits to make sure I wasn't going crazy! He knows my personality is very anal, specific, perfectionistic & that I've had struggles with depression. I've shared with him how much I long to not be continually frustrated with & yelling at my kids. One major point he made was - put building a solid relationship with each child before the rules. My two fav parenting books also carry that same message - screamfree Parenting by Hal Runkel & Grace Based Parenting by Dr Tim Kimmel. Parenting is 1st about the parent - 1st examine & change your own habits, attitudes & outlook. Kids learn by example, so what example are you setting?? (ouch!) The 2nd part of the action plan is praying for each of my kids. That seems a little obvious but its easy to pray very general prayers & yet I know that God wants to do a whole lot more than generally blessing my kids!!!
3. bring lasting organization to our home - participate in the 52 Weeks To An Organized Home Challenge. This Challenge really seems made just for me! I tried a shorter but way more intensive challenge last year & it bombed! I needed a specific yet flexible plan. Having 4 kids makes an awfully busy household, plus there'll be another 10 wks in the summer when DH is away, so I definitely need the whole week to get an assignment done! My DH is more than supportive on this as he is just as sick of the clutter & mess as I, so we are doing this ALL together.