Checking on Those Goals!

I find it hard to believe that January is already over.  It seemed to have flown by!  As is so often the case, I make goals for the year and don't always remember to check on them so I wanted to try and make this a monthly or at least an every other month activity.  

I don't want to just shoot wildly with my goals I actually want to aim and hit them.  So revisiting this here on a regular basis should help in that way.  I'll highlight in blue under each category to give an update.

2014 Goals

Spiritual 
►  Skip one meal a week to fast and pray.
►  Have consistent quiet times each week.

I'm doing well on the consistent quiet times, though I haven't fasted at all.  Some of that is I'm still trying to get my blood sugar issues under control so I'm not quite sure how that will work.  I'm not giving up on it but just need to figure it out.  

Marriage Relationship
► Encourage my husband through my words and supporting him in ministry
► Have a date night twice per month 

We had two dates this past month.  Yay!  I think I'm doing okay with supporting Dan in his ministry.  I have to be honest and say, I always need work on the words. :-(

Health & Nutrition
I think I want to worry less about losing weight, though I need to do that, and more about changing some bad habits.

► Some form of exercise at least 5 days per week and at least 30 minutes each time
► Get outside in the fresh air at least 20 minutes each day instead of staying cooped up in the house
► Cut back on fatty foods & sweets
► At least 3 meatless meals per week.
► One salad per day  

I haven't done 5 days a week at all, but I have been exercising on a much more consistent basis.  I'd say it's closer to 3 days a week.  Getting outside - not so good on that one.  It's COLD here!!  Brrrrrrr!!!!

I've done well on eating and making 3 meatless meals per week.


Financial 
► Set aside $100 from each paycheck in a separate "emergency fund" account.
► Save $100 each paycheck in general savings.
► Curtail going out to eat or ordering out to twice a month.  We wasted so much money this past year because I was feeling lazy and didn't want to cook or didn't plan ahead when I had an event going on.  I always feel sick inside when I think of how that money could have been better used.
► Work on building up craft & book business 

Financial goals just haven't happened yet, except we have curtailed the going out to eat.  When I set the goal of saving $200 per month, I wasn't remembering that we were going to help Stephen out with his room & board and expenses so the savings plus some has been going for that.  Once he comes home for the summer in May, I'll be able to start working on that goal. 

Household Organization
► Come up with household organization journal
► Deliberate cooking lessons with Emily  
► Garden put in this spring.  There are two large garden beds all set to go here and after no garden last year, I'm looking forward to it!

Bust on all these this month!  Major fail!  However, we did just move in and I unpacked and set up an entire house so I'm cutting myself some slack here.

Ministry
► Pray and figure out what the Lord wants me to do and then be ruthless about not adding to that.  This is a huge mistake I made in our last church.  I took on more and more and all that did was make me feel overwhelmed and burned out and never allowed others to be able to use their gifts.
► Send out cards of encouragement on a regular basis.
► Invite a family over for dinner at least two times per month. 

I'm doing okay with this.  We've had people over much more than twice a month, mostly because we are trying to get to know our new church members.  I have to work on sending the cards.  

My biggest issue is going to be not to keep taking things on.  Currently, I am Dan's secretary (involves doing the bulletins, typing up the outline for the bulletin, inserts, questions for small group, email, updating website and facebook).  I love doing the secretarial stuff and it really fits well with my spiritual gift of administration.  

I sing on the worship team and we will be hosting an every other week small group here starting this coming week.  I want to be available to visit with Dan and be available for counsel and women's ministry too so I really think I have to say no to other things as much as possible. 

A huge role I took on is not for our church, but our district.  I am stepping in as the Assistant Director for our district women's missions organization. As part of this role, I am also the chairperson for our district wide Spring Retreat at an area hotel.  

I truly am feeling like I've taken on about all I can handle at the moment.   Please pray for me in this area because I have a very hard time saying no.  I feel tremendously guilty when someone wants something and I automatically feel like I have to do it, which is just silly! 

Personal
►  Spend time doing the things I love and am gifted in - crafting, photography, creating, writing.  I struggle so much of the time with a weird sense of guilt assuming responsibilities that aren't mine to assume.  What happens is I run around feeling a bit joyless because I'm not working where I'm gifted.
► Work on living in the moment with my family, and not always stuck behind a computer screen.  In other words, when they are home - engage!  Spend my computer time for the times they aren't around or are busy.
► Work on the next book.  It's in the process. :-) 

I've been really doing well in this area.  I have a little sewing area set up so I've done some sewing, made some cards and done a lot of writing.  I'm making good progress on the next book. 

The second point is a work in progress but I am doing better.  

So, not too shabby for the first month.  It helps to see what I need to work on and where I'm doing well.  I'm determined to not let these goals fall by the wayside this year!