Things to work on in the New Year

I love new years. It's fresh and it's new. It's the ability to reflect on the past year and see the things that were wonderful, and the things that were not so wonderful. The not so wonderful things are what drives me to want to do better the next year with the help of God. I really don't like the whole 'resolution' thing because it never lasts. I don't know if it's psychological or what, but I find the word 'goal' to be a better term. Setting goals for myself just seems to work out better in my mind. So without further ado, here are some goals I would like to accomplish in 2009: (most of these are things I will work on for the rest of my life, but ya gotta start somewhere :)

• Be consistent with my quiet time/prayer time/bible reading. I know that God deserves my attention way more than I give Him and I honestly crave and desire that time as well! This also includes praying for people when I have said that I will pray for them.
  
• Be submissive and obedient to the Lord and listen to Him above all else each and every day.
  
• Be a better helper and wife to Tim -- there is ALWAYS room for improvement!
  
• Be more proactive! This includes church, small group, volunteering my time, duties within my home, keeping up with birthdays, etc.
  
• Keep my house clean and presentable -- you just never know when someone will drop by, plus I enjoy my home much more when it's clean. I also think it's important to have a tranquil environment when Tim comes home from work each day. It keeps me sane, thus keeping him sane :)
• Exercise 4-5 days per week, not just to lose weight, but for my health. I am 24 years old, and I lack energy a lot of times which I'm sure is due to inactivity. I want to be strong and feel alive!! For the other 2-3 days, I still want to be fairly active.
• No credit cards! About a week ago I took them out of my wallet so that I wouldn't be tempted to use them. We're currently going through difficult times, financially, like many others we know, and I do not want to be reliant on credit cards. In a lot of ways I feel that takes away trusting in God to provide for us in all circumstances, even the ones that seem impossible and nothing is impossible with God!
• Be debt free. This probably will not happen this year, unless things drastically change with both of our job situations (which is always possible, who knows!) but I would like to make a huge dent in that debt.
• Live a more simplistic lifestyle and learn to live with what we have.
  
• Tithe and give to a ministry that that the Lord places on our hearts. We have never been very consistent with tithing, but I know the Lord is working on me and Tim's hearts in this area and we want to be obedient and better stewards with our money.
  
• Limit my time on the computer and the TV -- these are very easily time wasters, and I have better things to do with my time
• I enjoy reading and want to read several books this year. The ones I am starting and hoping to finish in the next couple of weeks are: The Reason for God: Belief in the age of skepticism by Tim Keller and Love and Respect: The love she most desires; The respect he desperately needs by Emerson Eggerichs. I started Love and Respect awhile back, but never finished it, so I think I'm going to start it over and actually finish it this time! I'm terrible when it comes to sticking with one book and finishing it. I start reading about 2 or 3 different books at once and never finish any of them. Anyone else do this? I hope to stop doing that and actually complete what I've started.

I could go on and on I'm sure, but these are the main things I would like to work on this year and for the rest of my life! I have to remember that through all of this I cannot do any of it on my own. I must continue to lean and rely on my Lord and savior for all things and look to him for guidance in all that I do.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

*love*