Goals Revisited

We have made some great headway on the 2009 Goals, personally, as a family and as a couple. We certainly have a ways to go and I pray that we will never be finished. But progress is a wonderful thing and I praise God for the Blessings and opportunities He continues to provide for our family

So here go my goals for 2009: REVISITED

Religious/Spiritual goals: To read scripture everyday. To join a Bible study at our church. To make a time each day that as a family we read scripture and talk about it with the kids (looking for a devotional book for preschoolers if anyone has any suggestions). To work on and deepen my relationship with and understanding of the Holy Spirit. REVISITED: Just recently I have begun to read the corresponding Proverbs in the morning pertaining to that day. I have been reading it out loud while the children play in the family room. I know that they are not comprehending what I am reading, but I want to instill in them the importance of reading the Bible and pray that as they grow and mature that our Bible time together can be a forum for discussion and reflection. I pray that as a family we can carve out some time in our daily lives to do the same. With Trent's work/school/travel schedule it is difficult, so it is a matter of prayer. I am also in prayer about our church home. We have been members at a wonderful church for the last 3 years. However, for the last year a huge void has been placed in my heart. After much prayer we believe it might be best for us to start looking for a new church. We will begin the search in the next few weeks but will continue to pray on the matter and will go or stay wherever the Lord directs us.

Financial: To gain complete FREEDOM from credit card debt. This we hope to accomplish by September 2009. Then once free from cc debt we want to sock away savings for our emergency fund. We also want to start saving for Charlie's preschool next year and for a family vacation for summer 2010. REVISITED: We feel incredibly blessed to have been able to make significant gains in this area. Thanks be to God!

House goals: To accomplish a thorough Spring cleaning of the entire house and garage. To be more organized and more efficient. My goal is to complete Spring cleaning by June 1st and garage cleaning by July 1st. To finish the ceiling in the basement and to refinish the hardwood floors. REVISITED: Spring cleaning of the house was completed and we have yet to tackle the garage. Trent will work on the hardwood floors perhaps late in the summer? Just depends on his schedule.

Marriage goals: To have a monthly date night with my honey! To plan a get away of 2 nights with Trent, kid free. :) To be more of a help mate to Trent and to make our home more of a haven for him to come home to! REVISITED: We have had a few date nights and have planned a 2 night getaway with just us to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. Working on being a better helpmate and making the house more of a haven....these are things that will always be a work in progress!!

Children goals: To design a curriculum for the summer for the boys. It should contain a theme for each week, crafts, science, literary, and music sections. To find a daily devotional book for preschoolers/toddlers and spend time each day reading, discussing it and praying with them. REVISITED: Instead of designing a curriculum for the boys I have started doing "learning time" with Charlie several days a week right after I have put Tommy down for his nap and before Charlie's nap begins. We do workbook pages, crafts, Bible lessons, puzzles etc. We love spending the time together and he is excited to do his work. A prayer that is heavy on my heart is if we should home school the boys. It has always been a thought in the back of my mind and has become something that we are researching and praying about.

Personal goals: To exercise at least three times a week. To read a book a month. Not over commit, simplify. REVISITED: Yeah, not like over committing myself with my personal goals or anything! Geesh! Not really exercising on a consistent basis but have been doing Weight Watchers...down 6 pounds in one week!!! Reading the Bible daily and some Christian discipline books. Doing better about simplifying certain aspects of my life but really need to work on over committing.

Gardening goals: To plant 2 types of vegetables this year in containers. REVISITED: Next year!

All in all I am pretty pleased with the progress. There is a lot of things I want to accomplish, that I need to pray about and that I need to investigate.