New Year...New Goals!

As I posted earlier in December, we spend some of our Christmas morning writing down and sharing things we want to give to Jesus this year. We put those things in a pretty little box that hangs on the tree. That is such a special, sweet part of the day for all four of us.

This year, we were reading through some of the old things we had "given" to Jesus and we noticed a slight trend in a few of our gifts. It seems we are really good at thinking of things we should give to Jesus and not so good at actually giving them to Him! So that got me to thinking. (must add the words of my sweet friend Pooh Bear....think, think, think) Anyway, what do we need to do to make those gifts a reality this year so we don't see the same things written down again? Then it hit me...goals! We need to do more than just write it down, pray about and think about it for a bit. We need to do all that but then set up goals to helps us reach these desires. So we spent New Years Day setting up our new goals for the year in hopes to honor the gifts we have given Jesus this year. I must say, I was humbled by my girls lists. We had them come up with ways to make their gift happen and they so did that over and beyond my expectations. I will not share their goals as I feel they are theirs to share with whom they choose, but I feel I need to share mine so I will have others helping me stay accountable to this goal in my life. So, the following are my gifts to Jesus and my goals to make those gifts a reality:

1. Honor God through my time, talents and treasures. How?
~turn off the tv, computer and phone. If I have not had my quiet time, done my study etc, they do not turn on.
~give more money to the missions we support and tithe in abundance
~ serve God when He calls me to the ministry He desires me to serve

2. Care for those He has place in my care with a cheerful heart. How?
~ again, by studying His Word each morning and spending time in prayer, I am able to do just that. When I wait to get up when they are up and start my day at the same time, I am spent by noon. :)

~consider the "mundane" chores a blessing with each load of laundry I fold, each dish I dry, each toilet I clean for it is not those things I am doing it for. I need to remember that with each of those things, my heart should be focused on the blessing of having a family to care for and having the gift of clothes to wash, dishes to clean and toilets to scrub for there are people who have none of that including the family and would give their right arm to trade places.

3. Care for His temple...(AKA my body!) How?
~ exercise 3-4 times per week.
~ lose weight

4. Love Him with all of my mind, heart, soul. How?
~Memorize 20 new scriptures to bring to mind and hold me accountable to 'what is true'.
~ spend time with him...we love those we spend time with!

5. Pray....talk to Him! How?
~ easy....PRAY daily, weekly, hourly....moment by moment.
~ keep a prayer journal and note answered prayers