2009 New Year’s Resolutions

I just LOVE New Year’s Resolutions! They’re just so…well…NEW. And resolvish. So here’s a couple I’m tossing around for 2009. Don’t go searching my blog for past resolutions cuz I don’t do them, as a rule. Because I never keep them and then I feel like a total failure. So on that note, away we go:

Resolution Number One Join Weight Watchers. It doesn’t matter that I know what I need to do and don’t need to do and that I know what I need to eat and what I don’t need to eat, Russell, I just can’t do it on my own. Lori is diving in with me.

Resolution Number Two Get my books organized. I got some input from the organizational guru also know as Joanne, The Simple Wife. She organizes her book by genre (is genre interchangeable with subject? Mini Resolution Number Two: Look up the definition of genre and compare with the definition of subject) and then further breaks it down by author.

Resolution Number Three Get rid of some stuff. I have a ton o’ stuff. The man and I have just completed Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, because, you know, we’re 47 and 49 and have never quite figured out the financial stuff yet. We just always sorta wing it. Always have. I thought it was working. Apparently I was the only one.

Resolution Number Four I love Facebook. I love the hit-n-run of it. I’m not going to give it up anytime soon. But I miss my blog. I miss the longness of it. JillEllen and I just finished Day 51 of Jesus, 90 Days with the One and Only. We each do the day in our books (and I also journal additionally, usually) and then we type up our thoughts and what we got out of it and e-mail that to each other. We both try to write up our notes and thoughts as if we were sitting at the table talking face to face. It is absolutely incredible the insight God gives me between writing in the book, adding to my journal and then typing it all up. It is like a triple whammy and He has really given me some good stuff. And it has been Oh. So. Convicting. Thankfully, he convicts to liberate (love you, Beth Moore!).

Resolution Number Five I have got to get back into some sort of physical shape besides a pear. We just reserved our beach house for a week this summer and between now and then I’ve got to drop 40 pounds, tone and shape and fit into a bikini. Okay, none of that. But I do, in conjunction with WW, need to pick back up the habit of working out. Daily. I used to live for it. No, not obsess about it, but live for the energy, peace and okay the muscles, it gave me.

Resolution Number Six I will be leading our bible study of Esther beginning January 12. I really want to get into some good study habits. I need to figure out what exactly that looks like. I have my quiet time in the morning, read devotionals, pray, journal, listen to worship and praise music, but I don’t feel like I’m doing enough in-depth study of my own. I don’t even really know where to begin. Is there some sort of book out there that talks about how to do it? Is there an online class I can take? Can anyone out there point me in the right direction/tell me what they do?

Resolution Number Seven Two Thousand Eight has been all about God getting my attention regarding loving other’s. I want to continue with that. I want to really start loving all of those around me and be actively seeking ways to love those around me. God has been opening my eyes to opportunities…from talking to someone today about baptism and why I was baptized at age 25 after having been baptized as an infant to praying for the salvation of a woman I saw this morning who was clearly middle Eastern and wearing head covering. I also spoke to the young adult woman who cuts my hair, Dawn. She is from Viet Nam and has been here seven years. When I asked her about her religion, she told me she celebrates the New Year. We had a very interesting discussion, to say the least. I’m trying to think of a small gift I can give to her that will be representative of Christ, but not put her off or offend her.

I think those should get me started for 2009. I’m very excited about the New Year. Trust me when I tell you that this stepping out and talking to people about Jesus…so very far out of my comfort zone. Oh, I’m not talking about bible study with my home girls, I’m talking stepping out there. Strangers. Non-Christians. Unbelievers. People who hold up their “religion” as a banner to wave in front of everyone. Yep. Definitely out of my comfort zone in a big way. But He always, every single time, gives me the words to say. The confidence and peace to say it. It is funny, I was talking to someone about it today and it struck me that I actually enjoyed doing it! Totally a God Thing. I can do everything through Him because He can do everything.

I love you, bff’s!