2011 goals ~ January update

New Year Goals update for January

Inspired by Carrie at Life on a Back Road , I thought I would try and post an update each month concerning where I'm at with my goals. I'm hoping this accountability might be helpful in attaining my new year goals.

So here are the goals in italics and my progress report in regular print.

1. To go to bed earlier than I do now. How I'm doing with this: right now, not well at all. Mr. T's work schedule has undergone a change and I'm staying up later than usual. Still getting up early, however!

2. To exercise and drink plenty of water every day; to eat more healthfully and get more sunshine and fresh air. How I'm doing with this: Poorly, except in the area of eating healthfully and getting enough water and those could use improvement too. So tempting to hibernate in icy cold and falling snow...

3. To make my daily quiet time with God ever more meaningful. How I'm doing with this: very well.

4. To grow in the areas of perseverance, self-control and unselfishness. How I'm doing with this: hmmm... I see growth in all three areas as a result of this schedule change, but of course much more growth is needed.

5. To continue to grow in the practical skills of homemaking, money management, and time management. One specific goal in this area is to spend less money on groceries in the coming year, remembering the principle that money not spent is money saved. How I'm doing with this: Not too badly. We are spending a bit less money on groceries, plus I'm getting back to weekly and daily scheduling. There's still plenty of room for improvement, of course.

6. To get back to and then stick with the housekeeping routines that work for me and to declutter the entire house. How I'm doing with this: making progress on the routines, and have done some decluttering -- of magazines, in particular. I'm hoping to really get back on the routine track and get lots of decluttering done during the month or so Mr. T is on this new schedule.

7. To continue to grow spiritually and to use my talents and my spiritual gifts for God's glory. To spend more time in Bible study in the coming year, and to apply what I learn to my daily life. One goal is a study of Psalm 119. How I'm doing with this: seeing progress. I'm currently working my way through a couple of other studies, so haven't started Psalm 119 yet.

8. To use my God-given interests and abilities to help bring in some household income. How I'm doing with this: still in the thinking and planning stages.

9. To be more of a help to my husband; to make our home more of a refuge from the world for both of us; to nurture our relationship with little getaways and regular dates. How I'm doing with this: fairly well.

10. To learn and profit from the lessons that God has for me so I that I won’t have to learn them more than once. How I'm doing with this: too soon to tell, although I have recently identified several more character flaws that I've begun praying about.

11. To stay in closer touch with my friends and to be a better friend and encourager. How I'm doing with this: I feel as if I have fallen down miserably in this area, but I have had several good conversations with a friend recently.

12. To do something creative, no matter how small, every day. How I'm doing with this: Fairly well; I do seem to be finding time for something creative, even if small, every day.