Goals for 2011!

I know I'm late to the whole new year's resolution/goal setting party for 2011.  I'm sure some people know exactly what they're going to resolve to do come January 1st, and others don't care, and still others (like me) ponder and marinade in the process of thinking about the year ahead.  What is it that I want to accomplish, experience, share and be this year?  Where will God lead me?  Will I be still enough to hear his voice?  What does 2011 hold?  What do I want it to hold?

These are all the questions that tend to overwhelm me.  Then I avoid making commitments and another year passes me by.  Not this year.  This year I am making a few decisions.  And yes, I know it's already begun.  That's just me, a little late but right on time. :)

I've broken up my goals into four different categories just to help me along.  Whenever it's goal season at work, I get stressed and anxious, but I wanted this process to be fun since this is simply for my own personal enjoyment.  It should be fun!  I love planning things so what's better to plan than goals for myself in 2011?!  It's all God's anyway, so I'm welcoming him to trump anything I've written down here.  I pray that if it's not God's way, then he'd change my heart to seek more of him and less of my way.  Oh that he would have his way in me!


Accomplish.  These are the goals I have regarding what I want to do this year. 

• Make our bed.  Every day.  Am I the only 28 year old who doesn't make the bed?!
• Write on this blog twice a week.  It's therapy for me!
• Complete the certification requirements to teach CPR and become a part of an organization where I can teach.
• Reach out to local community colleges and schedule informational meetings with the A.D.'s so I can learn what I need to do to teach there (one down, 2 to go!)
• Come in or under our new Lillard budget-- every month. 
• Finish the cabinets and floors in our kitchen (more painting, argh!)

Experience. Things I will do to make the experiences I want actually happen.

• Plan a date for David and me once a month.  He always plans, so it's time for me to step up and be intentional about planning something special for us.
•  Seek new friendships.  Reach outside of our circle.
• Less is More Lifestyle.  I know this is vague.  If I was at work my boss would want a metric with a timeframe and and a clear objective.  Thank goodness this isn't work! :) I want this to be my mantra for 2011- Less is More.  If I'm ever going to be a stay at home mom one day, I'm going to need to learn this lifestyle of living on less and making more of what I have.  Being creative and resourceful.  Less really can be more fulfilling.
• Eliminate most convenience foods from my grocery list and eat most meals from whole foods in their natural state.  I put this under Experience rather than Accomplishments because I truly believe this is a lifestyle experience, not just a task to complete.  Notice the word most.  David loves bagged lettuce because it's easy so I know we'll probably buy it every once in a while.  And while I love to bake bread, realistically I'm going to buy it, not make it every week.  However, I know that it's healthy and less expensive to eat whole foods that require preparation and don't come from a package or are packed into a 'protein bar'.  I'll finish whatever convenience foods are in my cupboard (hello Zone bars and microwave popcorn) and then that's it. 

Share.  What I want to contribute to or be a part of.

• Find an area at WCC that I want to serve in, and do it.
• Give more of our resources than we did in 2011.  I'm not sure what percentage or increase that should be, but I know it should be more!

Be.  The character attributes I'd like to focus on.  It's the woman I want to be more like- as a daughter of the King.

• Spend time in God's word- every day.
• Allow my husband to lead me- without questioning his every move or being unsupportive.  Let him have the role God's given him as the leader in our marriage.
• Look for true joy in something- every day.

There are a million other things I want to do, go to, be a part of, and transform myself to be like, but these are the things that have been tugging at my heart in this season of my life.  Like I said previously, if any of this isn't in God's timing or God's best then I pray that he will change my heart to mirror his (now that's a lifelong goal!).  I know his best truly is the best.  You have my heart Lord Jesus.  Be my source and sustainer, my all and everything, my guide and direction, my love and my passion.  Your way above my way, it's all yours anyway!  Make me more like you, and may these 'goals' I have be only a tool to grow more into the gal you've created me to be as your daughter.  What a joy, blessing and gift it is to be a daughter of the king!