THE RE-MAKEOVER

I have blogged on this a few times...if you want to read it, or need a reminder, read this here.

I am often fascinated with the freedom people assume to reinvent themselves on New Year's Day. You don't see it on the first day of the week or even the first day of the month...only on the first day of the year. It's on THAT DAY that it is totally OK to stop this, or start that...to make HUGE lifestyle changes. And nobody asks "Why?" If such a change was made on March 15, I would expect to hear an explanation. If none was offered, I would certainly speculate as to the reason.

BUT NO....tomorrow is New Year's Day and so many people, myself included, are embarking on the new...dropping the bad habits like yesterday's fish and HOPING that the good sticks and that January 1 magically makes it possible to end negativity....to turn a new leaf....to be the person that we have never managed to be...up till 2009.

With this post, I wish us all good fortune.

Without further ado, I will now share some of my goals for the new year.

BLOG:

I will continue with my Making A Happy Home Monday. I don't know how to promote it...just "word of blog," I guess. I thank the 5-7 people who DO participate. It helps me to get something done. It's meant to be easy. It's meant to be fun.

I will also continue with the Tempt My Tummy Tuesday. I am considering a "piggy-back." (Don't bother trying to figure out what I mean....LOL...I just threw that because I don't know how else to describe it. I need to talk to the authors of TMTT as I don't want to be seen as hijacking their idea.)

I also want to be sure to blog 1-3 OTHER times during the week on various things

I have made a few changes. I updated the Christmas update. I will not take that away. Christmas is coming....and in the words of Buddy the Elf...."TREAT EVERY DAY LIKE CHRISTMAS!"

Also on my book list: last year, I intended to list what I had read, what I was reading and what I wanted to read. That lasted a few months....not the 12 that you typically find in a year. :) So for this year, I am going to list the books as I read them. I don't know what is a lofty goal. I've never kept up with how much I read. I think that for this year, at least, I will set a goal of 35 books. A lot of the books will be re-reads. I will note that. The Bible will stay on the list as that is something I read throughout the year.

FACEBOOK:

Out with the old and in with the....old. I have reconnected with some old friends, whom I thought were lost. I have had some realizations about some...well, one person that I have actually blogged about. I saw that she was a friend of another "Chica." I nervously asked her to "be my friend." She accepted. I was happy...until I never got a "hello" from her. I sent a note....a LONG note, carboned to her hubby, asking about everything. I STILL haven't heard from her. SO, tomorrow, I will "de-friend" her.

That's empowering. I'm going to DE-FRIEND my former friend....acquaintance, I guess. Was she ever a friend? Out with the negativity! It's a new year.

HOME:

This is a touchy subject for me. I'm NOT a great housekeeper. I'm not even a GOOD housekeeper. My kids are clean. We don't eat nasty foods. We wear clean clothes. But, if I find out you're coming over, I have to run like a mad-woman to vacuum the front room and clean the boys' bathroom. That is something I want to improve.

That being said, I need to work on my Home Management Notebook. I might even blog about it. I have seen this on another person's blog and liked the idea. I know some of you probably won't like it, as they don't like the other lady's site. I do like some of her ideas, though she seems a bit fanatical, even by my way of thinking.

Anyway, working and blogging on my household notebook and holiday journal are things that I would like to do. Part of my notebook will have lists (I love lists) dealing with housekeeping. I don't know that I'll just put them up, but I will certainly share with those of you who want them.

MONEY:

My hubby is, this week, working on a budget (again.) Seems like we have to rework this several times a year. This rework is due to some pledges we have made to a few organizations and also because we are starting new college funds. My sweet darling took a bit of a pay cut during the summer...a sacrifice made so that he could spend more time with me and our children. A sacrifice that we agreed to...and I love him for the willingness to make it. However, it did set us a bit behind in some things.

Then, during the holidays (MY holidays) I didn't coupon. I know, I know...that is a horrible thing, but I didn't coupon AT ALL. :( That is changing this weekend! My hubby, I know, will allow plenty of money. We won't be stuck eating beans and rice 4 days a week. I won't be forced to fry up some "Spamburgers." He will leave me enough to be happy in the kitchen. My goal, though, is to NOT "need" all of my allowance. That will be really hard for me.

HEALTH:

This is really uncomfortable for me. My hubby and I need to lose weight. My hubby, being a pilot, needs to be in tip-top shape. He's not. There are some things that aren't allowed for pilots. You can't have heart problems, and be a pilot. Some meds that would help (heart meds, high blood pressure) are not allowed. He has some goals for his health. I have some goals for his health. Since this is so personal, I will not share his goals. They are not for me to share. I will say this: if I meet MY goals, his own goals will be met.

Now to me. I'm fat. One thing that helps is that I'm a bit tall (not Amazon, but well-proportioned.) I don't want to put my weight out there. I'm too embarrassed. But I will say that 40-50 pounds would be great. I have mixed feelings on HOW to do all this. My SIL has had a tummy-tuck and takes some meds that cost $350 a month. WHOA!!! Remember my budget goals? Well, there isn't room for that $350/month.

Do not think that I'm judging her for doing this. She looks GREAT! And if she can afford it....fine. I can't. I suppose that if I REALLY wanted to use this, my hubby would OK the spending. But, honestly? I know that if I cook better and cut down our portions AND use the membership to the YMCA, as it is meant to be used, that I WILL lose weight. Basically, I have to stop being lazy and change the way I cook.

CHILDREN:

There are so many things I want to do...so many things I need to do with them. I read once that a parent, on average, spends only 10 minutes of quality time with each child. I found that so sad...until I started thinking about how much quality time I spend with each child. Having 4 kids, it can be hard to fit the time in. Even saying that, I find it incredibly sad and shameful. But, it's a fact. I don't count helping with homework or studying JBQ as the quality time I think they deserve. I mean sitting and talking with them - alone - nobody having to compete for my undivided attention.

I'm sure that there are some out there who have the answers and can do all this, TWICE, in one day. But, I am not there....YET! My goal is to get there while my kids still find me beautiful, smart, and fun to be around. I ache because I'm running out of time...and there is so much I still need to teach them.

ME:

I know that all of the previous is "me" but some of my other goals don't really fit in the other categories. I NEED to grow in the Lord. (Even as I say that, I can imagine how many of you are rolling your eyes...not that you don't believe, but you think I'm a religious freak. Heh....my answer to that? You obviously need to grow, too. :) )

How am I going to do this? I don't know.....read my Bible more? Pray harder? I just know that it is so easy for me to stumble, get distracted, be lazy. I just don't do what I need to do.

Some people I know strive for perfection. That will never be reached, this side of Heaven. That is not my goal. I don't' think it is meant to be our goal. Yes, we are to be Christ-like, but He knows that perfection, right now, isn't possible. (Even talking about anything religious always upsets me because of those who often call me judgmental...I've never judged the person. I do judge the behaviour. Sorry...ADD kicking in.)

I do feel that the more "in-tune" I get with God, the more my other goals are going to fall where they need to. That being said, this is my main goal.

As I end this post, so ends the year. For some reason, I always feel a bit sad. I feel sad when a TV series ends. I feel sad when I reach the end of a book...especially if it is a series. Why? I don't understand....I really don't.

To all of you, I wish you much! I wish you better health. I wish you greater happiness. I wish you provision. But mostly, I wish you Jesus. If you know Him....great. Get to know Him more. If you don't....DO! If you don't know how, call me. I'll introduce you. If you THINK you know Him, you probably don't...fix it. Please.

I love you all. I appreciate you all. I enjoy your comments and participation. And for those who follow me...I follow you, too. Thank you for your thoughts.

Numbers 6:24-26

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.