Here we are again, on the verge of another New Year. If you are like me, you start off the year with good intentions - resolutions for how you wish to change or improve your life. Last year I blogged about my resolutions. So I thought it would be a good idea to revisit the resolutions to see how many I actually accomplished. (You can read last year's resolutions at http://bloggin4god.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-years-resolution.html.)
My Top 10 Resolutions for 2009:
#10 Exercise & Eat Right! Okay, I failed miserably at this one. I had 'spurts' of excercise and eating right. That pretty much went down the drain after my kidney stone back in the spring - brought on by the diet I was on. And it didn't end well, either, me and my stupid broken foot! Oh well, there's always 2010!
#9 Simplify - give up my perfectionistic ways! (ha, yeah right!) Well, I think I did make some headway in this area. However, I think it was due more to time constraints and having to just let some things go - allowing things to be a little less perfect than I would have liked. Definitely room for improvement in this area.
#8 Don't take on so many projects/tasks! Delegate! Again, some improvement in this area but still much more work needs to be done.
#7 Less Stress! Okay, so I can truthfully say that this is the most difficult one I've had to deal with. 2009 was a year of surprises for me. I had no idea when I wrote these resolutions last year that God would call me to step down from children's ministry. I can say that did reduce my stress levels, but don't worry, I found other things to stress about. However, I am doing much better than in the past with God's help. I've still got a ways to go, though!
#6 Live More! Laugh More! Love More! I can truthfully say that I am enjoying life far more than I have in many, many years. Since stepping down from ministry, I'm not working 24/7. I praise God that we are working on our marriage, our family relationships (both immediate and extended), and friendships. I am thankful for the years I did serve in children's ministry. We grew as a family and as individuals. But now I am thankful for the precious time I have with family and friends. Since my family lives so far away, we are able to travel more to be with those we love. We have freed up our time to be able to hang with our family and friends. We are not so overcommitted in our lives that there is no room to live life the way God intended. There needs to be flexibility in our schedule so that we can respond to crisis and help our brothers and sisters in Christ.
#5 Hang more with my friends! See #6. In addition, I have a great group of ladies that I am in Bible Study with. Love our little group!
#4 Make a difference in the lives of others for Jesus Christ! To be honest, I don't know if I have done enough in this area. I was surprised at several facebook messages I've received from friends, highschool classmates, and former students who said that I had been such an encouragement to them in 2009. Not tooting my own horn because I really didn't realize I had that kind of impact. I'm thankful that God gave me the right words at the right time for the person who needed them most. I still need to work on this area BIG TIME. However, we must ensure our motives are righteous, that our serving is a fruit of our love for Christ and others. Too often, I can become a workaholic, allowing the work to be the focus instead of people. Our works don't make us worthy, Christ does. A lesson I learned was that not all good works is really of or for Christ. Sometimes we have to say 'No.' even to good works. Saying "No." to many good things means a bigger "Yes." to those things that God has truly called us to do. I don't want to be a Jack of All Trades and Master of None. I want to do my best in those things Christ has truly called me to do! (More on this later.)
#3 Spend more time with Scott, Mathew, Michael, and Brittany! Being a good wife and mother requires time. After Christ, our families are our priority - they are our ministry. One of the reasons I stepped down from children's ministry is because the ministry to my family was suffering big time. They had been neglected of my time and focus for many years. It was difficult to work a full time job and lead a growing ministry the right way. I was working myself ragged. But it wasn't just me, it was my family as well. So often, they would step in when we were shorthanded - plugging in the gaps when at the last minute, volunteers couldn't serve. God made me realize that it's now time to focus on the family. So, with God's help, this is an area that there has been significant improvement. I am thankful for that. I love my husband. I love my children. And though I love my church and the children in the ministry, my kids are growing up fast and time with them at home is a precious commodity. I only have limited time to be an influence in their lives and their walk with Christ. Though this may sound selfish to some, it isn't. It's fulfilling the first ministry that Christ called me to and that I spoke vows to follow - the ministry of a wife and mother. Though not limited to just this ministry to my family, it is the priority after my relationship with Christ.
#2 Continue to seek God daily! (Prayer, Bible Study, worship, quiet time, meditation).
For the most part, I believe that I have done well in this area. However, like all relationships, there is always room to grow. There are days that I struggle, just like everyone else - whether it be due to getting up too late to have my morning quiet time, having a busy schedule, or just not feeling like it. However, I ask Christ to help me overcome the obstacles in my life that would keep me away from Him. I look forward to the time I spend in quiet prayer, worship, and Bible Study. I look forward to church and fellowship with other believers. I pray that I always seek Christ first each and every day of my life, in every moment of my life.
And my #1 Resolution: Let My Lifesong Sing to YOU, LORD! I pray that my lifesong sang to others in 2009. After all, it's all about Him!
"Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19
In His Love, Cathy
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