Monthly Review

This was the view from my back door the other day.  So I've obviously had plenty of time to evaluate my goals for 2015.  :-)    I want to be intentional about carrying out my goals for the year so I'm going to do my best to come back at the end of each month and see how I'm doing and what I'm accomplishing.

I'll relist the goals and at the end of each category, evaluate how I'm progressing.

Spiritual
* Consistent quiet times with the Lord each week.
* Go on a retreat this year to write, meditate and connect with the Lord. (by myself).

I've done very well with being consistent.  I was having such a dry spell there for a while so it's nice to hear the Lord speaking to me in new ways.  No retreat yet.

Marriage
* Build up my husband with my words, and not tear him down.
* Take over a couple tasks to take the burden off him.
* Continue date nights

Obviously, the first one will be an ongoing work in progress.  I'm working on the not snapping when I feel stressed or frustrated or impatient; actually working on not feeling impatient!  I'm not sure if it's the weather or the beginnings of menopause or what but I do feel very impatient lately.  None of those things are an excuse for bad attitudes but just means I need to pray and make more of a conscious effort to respond correctly.  

The second goal still needs to happen and we've had a couple of date nights this month, including last night when we found ourselves alone at home and decided to go out.

Health & Nutrition
* Lose 25 lbs.  I did lose 26 this past year but still have a ways to go.
* Consistent, weekly exercise.

Well, I had gained some of my weight loss back over the holidays but am also back to where I started with the 26 lb. loss so I'm still behind.  But I've gotten back on track with eating and am working on it.  Exercise has not been consistent, but I have done some this month.  Obviously, I'm not a fan of it but know it's something that needs to happen if I'm going to lose weight and if I'm going to be healthy.

Financial
* Put money way in an emergency fund every week.
* Pay off two bills (outstanding debt)
* Make up spreadsheet for our finances.

I did manage to put away $200 in an emergency fund this month and I made up the spreadsheet.  Two out of three isn't bad! :-)

Household Organization
* Find a system for paperwork & mail and stick with it so I don't have piles of clutter.
* Come up with a cleaning schedule so things are getting cleaned consistently
* Find a more efficient plan for the garden so I can grow more and then consistently weed.

I don't think moving something from one pile of clutter to another constitutes a filing system!  :-)  I didn't work on this category at all other than cleaning when I couldn't take a mess any more.  I did tell Dan that I need to truly work on a schedule for everything so I don't spend an entire day cleaning or another entire day sewing.  Rather than be all or nothing, if I do a bit of everything each day, it'll be much more efficient.  I used to do this all the time but have slipped into a slip shod way of managing things.

Ministry
* Make a conscious effort to invite people over (at least twice per month)
* Focus on building relationships and less on "doing"

I've done great at this in January.  We've had people over a couple of times this month and I've been able to send out a few notes.  The second goal is something that is a work in progress but I've been able to work at living in the moment when I'm with others and not thinking about what I need to do.

Personal
* Finish new book I'm working on. 
* Read at least one book each month.
* Work on not feeling guilty when I say no to people.  This is a tough one for me, but necessary if I'm going to be focused on the things I feel I should be doing.

No work on the book at all.  I read two whole NOVELS this month; something I haven't done in forever.  Being at my mother's for 4 days helped with that.  I think I had to say, "No" at least twice this month and only felt a twinge.  ;-) 

I think I'm doing pretty good so far.  Obviously, I need to focus on some areas more than others, but overall, it's a good start to 2015.