In getting “back to basics” this week I’m already realizing that there is so much to change. I have great goals for this year (in my opinion) for myself, for my family, for our household as a whole. I know that there are some areas where I have great strengths that will help to carry me through. I also realize that with every strength is a weakness that can hold me back if I let it. I’m notorious for putting things off for another day or another time, making excuses as to why I can’t start now. This is the first thing I need to overcome. Do not put off for tomorrow for tomorrow may never come. I don’t want to look back and have regret over not acting sooner. Each day I need to wake up and say “today is a new day” and start fresh.
My bible reading has continued but at a slower pace. I need to force myself to take that time out daily; I need to make it a routine that even my children recognize. It’s something that I need not only for myself but for my family as well. My husband, my children – they all need to see that mommy values and needs her daily time out with God. I know that when I’m in the word and soaking it up my days are better. When I lack and fall behind then I have moments of weakness, times when I’m too hard on myself or I let the “world” consume me. I need to hold tight to the verse “with God all things are possible.” Keeping Him as my center of focus, day in and day out, giving Him the time He deserves with me will help in so many positive ways.
Dieting so far in 2011 has been successful. Three weeks in and I’m down 5+ lbs. I’m choosing to celebrate every milestone, even something as seemingly small as 5 lbs because 5 lbs + 5 lbs is 10 lbs and another 5 lbs to that is 15 and so on. Each 5 lb milestone counts towards the big total. I’m now down below 160 lbs for the first time since before I got pregnant with my daughter. It may not be noticeable yet but I’m thrilled with it. 5 lbs down, 30 more to go! Weight Watchers has been helpful, having the tools I need to make the right kinds of meals to get my through has been awesome. I now know what we can eat, what sizes are appropriate and how to manage/curb cravings. Now it’s time to factor in some exercise and daily activity…beyond the standard walking and chasing the kids that I do on a daily basis.
Our financial goal was met with a blow to start the year as we are once again behind. You can’t move forward while being behind, it just doesn’t work. So right now the short term is to get caught up but we still have great plans to pay down and pay off debt in 2011. There are “extras” coming our way throughout the year in the form of raises, possibly a tax return, Christmas bonuses, etc but we don’t want to count on those factors. We hope for them, pray for them even as we know they’ll help, but we aren’t going to rely solely on those to get us through the year. We want to use those “extras” as extras. We hope to use those to pay down and pay off debts rather than use them in our month to month or week to week where we fall short. We want to use the extra to help our church, to give to Missions, to help others in need. It’s been such a long time since we were able to do that and it’s something that Josh and I have a heart for, helping others when and where we can. Lord, help us make this a reality in our lives. Help us to be strong witnesses for you.
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