Goals for 2011

Christmas isn't even here yet, and I 've heard people talking about new year's resolutions already.  I don't like to make resolutions~mainly because I've given up on them by the middle of January.  But I have been thinking a lot lately about goals I would like to set for myself and my family.  I like to set goals~things that I would like to accomplish for the year, not just a couple of months (or weeks!).  This is not my complete list, but here are a few things I have been pondering lately.

• Sending birthday cards out each month.  I used to be soo good at this, even having them done at the beginning of the month so all I had to do was send them out as the birthday drew near.  Somewhere along life's journey, I started slipping on this, then stopped altogether.  I love to get birthday cards, so I am going to get back into sending out birthday cards to my family and friends.  We have a couple of birthdays in our family in January already, so I get to start right away.
• Read the Bible every day in 2011.  Every year I say that this is going to be the year that I read through the entire Bible in that year.  I start out with a bang, then life happens and I feel like I'm behind.  Then I'm always trying to keep up and I'm reading just to say that I did it.  I'm not really applying the Word to my life and self, and this is just not a good way to go about reading the Bible.  So this year, I'm just going to say it is my desire to read from His Word daily.  Even if it is only a chapter.  Even if it is only a few verses.  Even if I don't finish the entire Bible in the year.  This is a more realistic goal for myself.
• Monthly date night with my husband.  I really enjoyed going out last week alone together.  It has been years (yes, years!) since we went out without any children.   For several years I have been nursing babies, so the baby went with us.  Or we would take the older children and leave the little's with a babysitter.  While I still think it is good to have alone time with each child, I say we (hubs and I) need to get out alone together.  Even if all we do is go to get groceries, it would be time to be together and talk.  It will be good for our marriage.
• Live healthier.  Everyone has the loose weight resolution, but I want to go farther than that.  Loosing weight is something that I want for myself, but I want to live a healthier lifestyle.  Exercising more and eating better is something that will be good for our entire family.
• Family worship time.  We have devotions together after our dinner, but I would like to spend some extra time as a family reading the Bible, praying, and worshiping together.
• Spend less.  'Nuff said!
• Be more organized.

I'll have the entire list as the new year approaches.  Have you started thinking about goals for your 2011?  Have a great day!

Blessings,