New Year's Goals

I am starting to think about my goals and what I'd like to do this year.  

Here's what I came up with last year: read through the Bible, keep my house uncluttered, lose 10-20 pounds, and enjoy my family.

Well, that last goal is easy for me! I love my family!  I enjoy my children immensely and my husband is wonderful.  We live in a harmonious home. It's such a blessing.  I know very well that harmony at home is not a given and so I never take this for granted.  I did over-schedule our fall, and I'm working on dealing with that now.  I want our children to have a lot of margin in their days.

I did not read through the entire Bible.  I wish I had!  I will say that I read progressively, but not at a pace that took me through it all in one year. I'll just keep on reading.  Maybe I'm on the three-year plan. :) 

My house is getting easier and easier to keep uncluttered.  I have purged and streamlined.  It is not perfect and obviously there's always a bit here or there that needs attention, but in general I think this year I did fairly well with that goal.

I lost more than 10 pounds, but I'm not sure how much. I don't weigh myself often because I used to have an unhealthy attachment to the scale.  But I *do* know I lost at least ten pounds, maybe twelve?   I didn't do it through counting calories, as I thought I would. I just ate less. I exercised a lot in the summer because I love exercise.  And in the past month a few more have fallen off simply from stress and a dietary change. 

So, what are my goals this year?  

First, my primary goal is to do everything within my own power to get my husband back onto the path of healing.  His surgery is a few days away.  I am focusing on healthful foods, a peaceful home, a good plan for recovery, and helping him in any way I can.  We will be in the hospital for 2-4 days, then he'll be unable to talk or eat for at least a week, and then he'll be home for a month.

During that month, once he's able to speak and eat, and feels a little better, I hope we will have a couple of weeks of cozy family time: watching movies, reading books, playing games, just enjoying being together.  Everything takes a backseat to this!

All other goals pale in comparison to my goal of helping my husband, but I've thought of a few more things.....

Second, another goal--which is going to span the length of the year, I am sure--is to streamline our lives.  What does this mean?  I mean simplifying routines, chores, school, commitments.  Because I've decided that a streamlined life gives us the room we all need to grow as humans and to build relationships with others.  My husband's diagnosis jump-started this process: I am cutting formal schoolwork down to the barest essentials for the next month or so. Then I'll decide what to add back in as spring approaches. I cut out an extra-curricular activity and have purged my house of a *lot* of stuff over the past few weeks.  

Third, I want to continue to learn the violin. It's a great joy in my life right now.  I love it!

Fourth, I want to be sure I get enough rest, exercise, vegetables, and fresh air.  I need exercise  in particular very badly because without it I live with chronic pain from my scoliosis.  I'm at the point in life when I can acknowledge this instead of ignoring it--which is what I've done for a long, long time.  My reality is that I *must* exercise--it's not optional! 

Fifth, less time online, and more time in books! 

I think that's lofty enough for 2018. I'm so grateful for a new year of life with my family. And if you think of it next Tuesday, please say a prayer for my husband!