I'm saying no to Resolutions...

Well it's 7 days into the new year and I haven't made any resolutions...and I'm not going to!  When I make resolutions I fail pretty early in the year and then I feel badly!  So no more!  Instead I have decided to break it down into monthly goals.  If I make a goal and give myself  one month to complete it or at least make a habit out of it, I am more likely to succeed.  And that makes Momma happy! :-)

I will post what my goal is at the beginning of every month and also I will try to update on my progress.  I am hoping that this method will keep me accountable and by the end of 2012 I have 12 projects completed or habits learned!  Please pray for me in this endeavor and if you want to join me, please do!  Let me know because I would love to encourage you along the way and I certainly could use the encouragement!

My goal for January is going to be a smaller project due to a trip we are taking at the end of January, which I'll tell you about in another post.  Because we own our business and I am the Business Manager we have paperwork filed everywhere!  With tax season upon us I feel like I really need to get better organized.  At the end of December I already started that project and it is moving along nicely.  However, I am also the Business Manager of my home, like many of you.  We all know how much paperwork needs to be filed away, shredded, purged, organized, etc!  Ladies, it is time!  January is the month that my personal filing cabinet will be getting her overhaul!  I will need several...several days for this undertaking.  Purging is the big step that I need to overcome!  I am fairly organized when it comes to filing but I keep EVERYTHING for a really long time!  The problem I have is that I that I hate to waste time at my paper shredder and I refuse to throw anything in the trash that has ANY personal information on it.  We were under a burn ban for months and months so I couldn't even burn...so I have way, WAY to much stuff to be disposed of properly.  Not to mention a GIGANTIC stack of junk mail that needs to be shredded.

So this January my goal is to get my filing cabinet under control and also make a habit of shredding when necessary.  By the end of January I hope to not have ANY stacks of papers anywhere and for my filing cabinet to shut properly! :-)

Let me know what you think and if you have any goals this month! If you have a minute please send up a prayer that God will help me along the way!  Thanks in advance!  Blessings to you this beautiful Saturday afternoon!

Intentionally Living in 2012

I am a homemaker.  I love being a homemaker.  I typically find so much joy in serving my family.  However, the last few months I have felt so absent.  My family has gone through some yuck, but we have made it through to the other side and it's time that I pull up my boot straps and keep on trucking. 

The last few months my house got cleaned when it was dirty, picked up when it was messy, meals made when there were hungry bellies (usually), school was accomplished - albeit half heartedly, and my prayers to my Heavenly Father were seriously lacking in heart and soul!   I trudged through the day, sun up to sun down, fell into bed at night, complained to God that nothing I did really mattered to anyone, slept restlessly and got up early in the morning and did it all over again.  I was just existing and allowing my days to fly by, just to get to the next day.  I missed so much!  I missed playing and reading to Arrow - for fun.  I missed laughing with the Mister and cuddling on the couch.  I missed looking out over all I accomplished in the day and feeling joy.  But most importantly I missed having a close relationship with my Creator God!  My only goal was to get though the day.  This has been an exhausting way to live! 

I want to head into this new year with a new outlook.  I want to remember WHY I stay at home, WHY I homeschool and WHY taking care of my husband and son are not drudgery that keeps me in bondage but why its total freedom!  I want to fall into bed at night, exhausted but joyful, thank God for the family He has blessed me with, remember Who I am truly doing this for and enjoy a blessed sleep that God promises.

In this new year, with God's help I am going to INTENTIONALLY  make my home a haven for my family,  INTENTIONALLY  teach my son, not only academically but Biblically, INTENTIONALLY  feed my family wholesome nutritious meals, INTENTIONALLY  love my husband so he finds joy in coming home and  INTENTIONALLY  grow closer to the ONE who makes my life possible!

So hears to a fresh start and a fresh out look on Homemaking!  I pray that you will join me and find some encouragement in my imperfect but from-the-heart ramblings!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!  I pray blessings over you and your households for 2012!  May you grow closer to the One who has given us with another year.  May everything that your hands find to do, be done unto the Lord!

Blessings...