New Year's Resolution? Nah....

 I used to make New Year's Resolutions and you can guess what happened.  They were broken by January 2.

Then I liked the idea of having a "Word of the Year," and Tyson mentioned that in his communion meditation today.  But my words have evaporated into thin air by the time mid-January rolled around.  I tried to explain the concept to Gary two years ago, and he looked at me like I was crazy.  I even had plans to print out the word or find a pretty picture of it to frame and hang in the bathroom next to the sink so I could be reminded of it daily.  You guessed it again.  It didn't happen.

This year I have felt a surge of 'new beginnings' not only in myself but from my FB friends.  Eeryone is ready to kick 2020 out for good and start fresh with a new year, a new attitude, a new perspective.  The pandemic has been rough on so many people, but there are silver linings.

Being with our bubble of family, which includes, for the most part, the 11 of us.  Being with extended family at times, which means Karen and Clay.  

Focusing more on what is important and casting aside what isn't. Spending time doing what we want to do instead of what others expect us to do or would rather that we do.

So many changes---and so many reflections.

What did I decide?

I am setting goals.

I will focus on a favorite Bible verse.

Here we go.....

Goal #1 - Start each day with devotions.  If I can't do that, then end each day with devotions.  Devotions and prayer, quiet time, meditation---all of these things are a must.

Goal #2 - Read more books.  I love to read, and I tend to go in spurts.  Sometimes I read non-stop, go through a couple of books, then I am distracted and quit for a while.  After checking my list from the past two years, I selected a number that I think is doable for me, one that I can reach, and one that I can keep in the front of my mind so that I can push myself to reach it.  That number?  24    The plan is to keep the list going in the little spiral book that I keep bedside, but 24 is the number I need to complete by next Dec. 31.

Goal #3 - Quilting. One of the things I said I would do once I retired was to quilt more.  During the pandemic time, I did more than I ever thought possible.  I finished several projects, made several Christmas, graduation, and baby gifts, and planned for more.  My goal this year is to finish all 8 of the Christmas table runners, make a t-shirt quilt for Matt, finish the lap quilts for the little girls, and make something for Blaine and Gary.  I also need to make a quilt for a Christmas gift BEFORE we draw names so I am ready with it.  Those are the goals for quilting this year.

Goal #4 - Tied in to Goal #3 is to learn how to use the other two sewing machines that are in the sewing room.  After Aunt Joyce died, I bought her quilting sewing machine from Cathy.  I also have Mom's sewing machine---the one that she really really wanted and Dad bought for her one Christmas, then she never used it.  I am just so comfortable with my Singer that I bought when the girls were in 4-H to replace my old machine that Grandma gave me for graduation that it is hard to switch over.  I am sure that once I do I will wonder why I didn't do that sooner!  I also want to learn how to machine finish the binding on the quilts.  It would be so much easier, quicker, and probably neater and more secure than the hand-stitching I have been doing.

Goal #5 - I thought about joining Mandy Tanner in her minimalist de-cluttering of her house during January, but I thought better of it.  By the time the middle of the month rolled around I would be hard-pressed to find 15 things to pitch on January 15 and even worse would be 31 things to purge on January 31.  Instead my goal is to look through the Christmas boxes when we take down the tree and put things away and purge out things that we didn't use and that we probably won't use again.  Same thing with clothes, items in cabinets, the pantry, and my closets and drawers.  Purging is always good, and the fewer things I have to move around and find places for, the better. So this goal is to purge unused/unwanted/unneeded items.

Word of the Year - Yes. I know. I said this didn't work for me.  But I was lying in bed this morning and looked at the word above my closet door.  F A I T H.  Faith has gotten us through 2020, and it will get us through 2021.  That is my word.  I don't need to post it anywhere or worry about forgetting it because it is already above my closet.  And I do look at it frequently.  So there you go....F A I T H

Verse of the Year - I have always said that my favorite verses were from Philippians.  Chapter 4.  Verses 4-9   They still are.  But I have to add in several more - Joshua 24:15  As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.    Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.  And my new favorite that keeps popping up   Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans i have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to proster you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   So Jeremiah 29:11 it is!  My Verse for the Year!

That's it.  I feel good about it.  I really do.  I can do this.