2015 resolutions
a fresh year is in full swing. and here i am, still holding onto those remaining elements of the holiday season. the tree will come down this week (we leave it up until epiphany) and then, all that festive cheer will be behind us and we will officially be in a new year. january holds such beauty. new things and a new start. like opening a brand new journal. glorious, clean, empty pages just waiting for ink to mark the paper. nothing written yet. ripe with hope and possibility. that is a great feeling. but honestly, i can't help but feel a tad blue this time of year. i love december so much. it feels so warm and bright and full. and january can feel cold and barren at times. everything is behind you but everything is before you. you have a whole year ahead! such an exciting and daunting prospect.
naturally, i feel that need to get back at it. to make the most of it. to be productive and make it a good one. but it also seems overwhelming at times. for me, sitting down and making a plan - making a list - always makes things seem more manageable. breaking down those twelve months gives me smaller chunks and items to tick-off. you know, eating the elephant and all that jazz.
for this year, i looked over my lists from the last couple of years. i wrote down things that were successful and things that still required some attention. i made adjustments. i added new things. new goals. new areas of focus. and so, here is my crazy list of resolutions for 2015. some are guiding principles. some are daily activities, habits to form, routines. and a couple are one time actions. there are some serious things and some fun. but they are all important to me. important to the health and vibrance of our family.
morning devotional time as a couple.
start each day with purpose and goals...and quiet time to meditate and pore over scripture.
continue reading through the book of romans and committing it to memory.
live graciously. be intentional.
let kindness prevail. maintain a heart and attitude and actions that are gracious.
choose to focus on the good and the best.
maintain a varied movement routine. mix it up and have fun working up a sweat.
be balanced and organized.
be spontaneous...enjoy more family outings and adventures.
read more. by myself and to elinor.
engage more meaningful conversations.
guard my time. say no so i can say yes. not everything that comes along is necessary or beneficial or prudent. learn to say no to trivial things or excess, non-sensical things to make room for what matters.
donate more time/treasure/talents to meaningful ministries and our home benevolent fund.
invest more.
date my husband.
speak sweetly in our home. mind our manners. live by example.
listen to more music.
play more board and card games, make believe, play dress-up.
hang more pictures on the wall.
make new friends and deepen relationships.
pray more.
focus on deliberate parenting practices. intentional moments of instruction and discipline.
plan and book our "just us" trip to seattle this fall + plan and book our 10 year trip to france.
oh, learn french.