My New Year's Goals

Every year, people make New Year's resolutions. Every year people break their resolutions almost as soon as they are made. I had every intention of making the same resolutions I make every year and like always, probably break them by the 2nd week in January. Yet, as I was contemplating which lifestyle changes I was going to under take in 2011, I got the strangest feeling that I needed to make some goals instead of resolutions. Both are kinda the same concept but goals require planning and action. It will require some vision casting, prayer, and decision making.

What do I want to accomplish in 2011? What do I want my year to look like? What direction is God pulling me in? What amazing things do I want say I did? I have been very excited about 2011 for some reason. Not because I need a do over from 2010 but because I sincerely think that 2011 is the year of change, shifting, molding, stretching, and breaking out of my comfort zone. In order to do all these magnificent things, I need a plan. I need a starting point, something to strive for.

There are a lot of things that I have wanted to do but have limited myself for various reason. Lack of money, lack of motivation, fear, you name it. But as much as I pray to God for boldness, none of these lame excuses should be a deterrent from living my life abundantly and fearlessly. I've decided to jot down all the things I have wanted to do (within reason of course) and let those be my goals for 2011. This should be very interesting.

Creativity

1. Keep a plant alive
2. Cook through the Pioneer Woman blog
3. Learn to sew
4. Write at least one blog on sex trafficking for Change.org
5. Update my personal blog at least twice a week
6. Do one random act of kindness every week
7. Decorate every room in my house.

Health and Beauty

1. Lose 40lbs.
2. Create a weekly meal plan for me and the boys.
3. Do the 28 day beauty challenge and wear some kind of makeup every day for 30 days.
4. Try a new hair style once a month
5. Treat myself to a new article of clothing or shoes periodically and not feel guilty about it.
6. Be able to walk up Brasstown Bald Mountain and Stone Mountain without feeling like I am going to die.

Experience

1. Travel to Peru with the Fusion mission team
2. Learn the fundamentals of at least one pro sport
3. Attend one pro basketball, baseball and football game
4. Go to one concert this year
5. Take a plane ride
6. Get a tattoo
7. Go to the Cabbage Patch Hospital in Cleveland, GA
8. Spend a weekend in the mountains in cabin
9. Travel to Washington DC and New York City
10. Go ice skating.
11. Try AUTHENTIC dishes from at least 5 different countries.

Knowledge/Skills

1. Learn Spanish
2. Learn to change a tire
3. Refurbish a piece of furniture

Money

1. Create and stick to a budget
2. Consistently tithe 10% of my income to the church
3. Consistently put 10% of my income into savings
4. Pay off at least 50% of my debt
5. Take Crown and Financial Peace at Victory

Reading

1. Read the entire Bible courtesy of the One Year Bible
2. Read Ragmuffin Gospel and Abba's Child by Brennan Manning
3. Read Crazy Love by Franis Chan
4. Read The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel
5. Read When Heaven Invades Earth by Bill Johnson
6. Finish reading Captivating

Spiritual Well being

1. Take Ancient Paths at Victory.
2. Take the Relating or Dating Seminar at Victory
3. Read one devotional everyday
4. Do at least 3 outreaches this year
5. Solidify my accountability partners and schedule regular check up meetings
6. Successfully apprentice a small group
7. Create boundaries with people
8. Write a letter to Jesus each quarter
9. Maintain a prayer journal
10. Commit to a day of total fasting and prayer each month

Social and Family Responsibility

1. Take the boys on a proper vacation
2. Schedule at least 1 movie night a week
3. Schedule 1 family outing a month
4. Spend at least 2 weekends in Mississippi
5. Call my siblings, mother, grandmother, and aunt at least once a week
6. Write one letter a month to friends that live out of state.
7. Send birthday and holiday cards to friends and family this year
8. Take professional pictures with the boys

After looking at this list, it looks pretty extensive and I do believe it is subject to change. But this is the result of about 3 hours of hard thought and concentration. To me, these are small life changes and goals. It's very rewarding to look back at the year and realize you have actually done something. Something that you can measure, something that you can check off your list. Even if I don't accomplish everything on the list, just knowing I had a fun year trying is well worth it. Bring it on 2011.

To be continued...