Happy New Year, everyone! With the new year almost upon us, it’s easy to fall into the groove of making all those New Year’s resolutions that sometimes stick, and well, sometimes fall away into the grind of everyday life. Don’t get me wrong; it’s great to make resolutions and goals for our lives, but we have to be realistic and yet at the same time, optimistic about them. It’s important to make sure that they have a lasting, eternal effect, whatever they may be.

I always get a little excited about this time of year because it’s a fresh start, a chance to officially wipe the slate clean of the last year and start anew with a renewed sense of purpose and fresh faith. I’ve been thinking a lot about goals I could set and things that I could write about here, but it can get overwhelming if I try to make a huge list of things I want to do in 2009. So, I’m just going to wipe my slate clean. I’m going to start out by forgiving myself for my shortcomings and all the things I could have handled differently in 2008. After all, it’s a new year, a new day! Sometimes it’s easy to ask God for forgiveness, but at the same time we have to learn to forgive ourselves and move on. He wants us to have a joyful life, and if we are still stuck in that rut of unforgiveness towards ourselves, it’s not going to be so joyful; it’s going to be filled with guilt. Once God forgives us, He forgets and wipes our hearts clean.

Another thing I am definitely going to do is to read through the Bible in one year. Whether I read it from my Bible or listen to it online or even read online, I’m going to do this. Think of the spiritual growth that can come through this. If you would like to take part, you can check out the One Year Bible Blog. In 15 minutes a day, I can read through both the Old and New Testaments. I am very excited about this because so often I try to follow a plan, and I get discouraged or sidetracked. This will help me to stay more accountable.

Another thing I’m working on is being there more for my children and husband. I know, this is not supposed to be a resolutions list, but this is definitely something that is important and has eternal effects. I want to give them more of my time, for it is the single, most important thing I could ever give them. To give Jacob and Jaden my undivided attention and talk to them and give them the sense that they can feel safe and secure in our home is of major importance to me. Also, to do the same for Dan, giving him more of my time and really listening to him with my eyes and ears is something I want to do more of because so often it’s easy to just keep on working, listening in part, but not fully. I know you mothers all know what I’m talking about here. My sister said something a long time ago that I have constantly remembered but that is slowly coming to mean more to me…..”You have to put your husband before your children.” And it’s so true; we are a team. Without that team effort, I may as well be a single parent. This is something I have to wrap my heart and mind around and work on because it’s so easy to sometimes ignore the needs of my husband in lieu of the needs of my children.

Last of all, not only do I want to be there spiritually and emotionally for my family, but physically as well. I really want to shape up physically. I want to first of all, make sure my spiritual body is beautiful but also work on the physical. It starts by eating more healthy foods and actually exercising. I am definitely not motivated to exercise, but it’s something I want to do because not only is this good for myself, but it’s good for my family. It gives me the opportunity to be at my best not only for myself but for them. Also, I want to fill my brain with all kinds of good things by reading, writing (I hope to start a book), and just listening.

So, there’s all the things that have been going in and out of my head concerning this post. I know it’s kinda a novel, but I hope it helps you to see my heart and can encourage someone out there who may be struggling. What are your thoughts in this New Year? What do you want to accomplish this year? I’d love an accountability partner/s. I’ll leave you with this video, which was on the One year Bible Blog and is just so cute.

Happy New Year, everyone! May you start this year with a clean slate and fresh new beginnings!

Last night I was supposed to get together with my best friend from high school; she was in town visiting her family for Christmas. We weren’t able to, though, because Jaden was sick, and she was also sick. It still didn’t stop me from thinking of some really funny memories that we, no doubt, would have rehashed if we had gotten together. She had come up at Thanksgiving too, and we had laughed and laughed over some of the things we did “way back when.”

Sarah and I both apprenticed with a vet our senior year, and we would go every Wednesday to the doc’s office. Usually, we weren’t at the office; we were out running around to different farms to work. This one particular time, we were again chasing the vet down this country gravel road, trying to keep up with her; we could never keep up with her and were always getting lost way out in the boonies. We were in my little Chevy Luv pickup, and all of a sudden, we heard this pop, and Sarah looked back, and the bed had fallen off of my pickup! Yep, you read that right; it fell plumb off. My brother ended up having to help us get it welded back on, but I had forgotten all about this, and I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard in a long time, just picturing that happening all over again. It was hilarious, almost like one of those old Disney comedies you would see.

Then there were the Saturday nights where I was at her house, and we would make sure to have the dishes all done, showers done, etc, just in time to sit down to our can’t miss episodes of “Walker, Texas Ranger.” I know, what in the world? But we loved that show and even had the song to it memorized, and I can still probably sing that song today. LOL

Anyway, it’s fun rehashing old memories; since I’ve had kids, I feel like part of my brain cells have died away or something. I can’t remember anything to save my life, but every once in a while, something will happen to bring back old familiar feelings and memories. What funny memories do you have from high school? I would love to hear them….once you remember one thing, it’s likely a host of things will come back to you. Have a great day!

FOR TODAY, Monday, December 29,2008…
Outside My Window… it is dark and cold.
I am thinking… that Mondays should really be outlawed.
I am thankful for… a warm house and a blanket.
From the learning rooms… we are taking the week off school, but I’m hoping to go to the library this week to get Jacob some audiobooks and other books to read.
From the kitchen… will be the aroma of butterscotch chocolate chip cookies this afternoon.
I am wearing… jammies right now.
I am creating… Dan made me a framed mirror for Christmas, but it has room all around it to scrapbook pictures or whatever my heart desires, so I’m wanting to work on that, plus curtains for our bedroom and new throw pillow covers.
I am going… to hopefully see my best friend from high school tonight while she’s here visiting family (oh the memories we will rehash:)). Jacob also has Tae Kwon Do this week, and I hope to get to Walmart this week to get a little fabric before it’s all gone.
I am reading… The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise; it is so interesting and informative; also, still reading The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks and The Other Side of Love by Gary Chapman.
I am hoping… to be able to relax a little bit this week, since we don’t have school.
I am hearing… quiet peace with everyone sleeping right now.
Around the house… today is home blessing day.
One of my favorite things… is when Dan has the day off and we get to spend it together.
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Hopefully, I can get a lot done this week as well as relax a little bit. Dan will have Thursday off, so that will be nice.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing…(this was my maternal grandparents after they first got married)

The Simple Woman

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