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Every year since I was only about 13, I've made New Year's Resolutions. They started like any other teenager's -- find a boyfriend, do better in school, write a novel (okay, maybe TOTALLY like any other teenager's). I've always been told, if you want to meet your goals, write them down and refer to them often, and that's what my resolutions were -- goals to accomplish that year. In a typical year I had around a dozen different goals, perhaps 9 of which I really met.
Now things aren't quite the same. I'm not a young, single person with tons of free time anymore. You know, the one who has time for a full, uninterrupted 8 (or so) hours of sleep every night, time for an hour-long beauty routine every morning, and 4 or 5 hours at the end of the day to exercise, watch TV or just do whatever? Ah...those days are long gone.
But it's also true that while I believed in God then, I didn't love and follow the Lord as I do now. And that is reflected in my resolutions as well. So, without further stalling, I'll give you this year's. There are 6:
1) First and foremost, I want to really listen for God's direction in my life and follow whatever it is He wish me to do, even if it is difficult.
2) I want to do fewer projects and spend more time with my children.
3) I want to select the projects I do choose carefully and according to God's direction and do them well.
4) I want to work on being a better wife and be more open and loving.
5) I want to live for joy, not frustration, and working towards bringing this joy and love to others.
6) I want to continue on the path of natural living and make strides every month.
These are basically in order of importance. 3 and 4 are difficult to order, I'd say they're about equal.
Number 6 requires a bit more explanation. I really hesitate to get too specific. I used to (which is why I had so many goals), but inevitably God would have an unexpected direction for me and a project I'd wanted to get done would not even get started because it just wasn't what God wanted for me. I don't want to make a bunch of goals and say "I will do these," in case God pulls me in a new direction again. Because, of course, resolution #1 is to listen to God's direction. But, I will give some basic goals and ideas for #6.
a) To rid my house of as many disposable items as possible (paper towels, plates, cups, tissues, etc. I don't think Ben will let me get rid of toilet paper).
b) To buy and learn to use a dehydrator to make preserved foods and snack foods simple.
c) To learn more about and use alternative medicine.
In addition to these goals, here are a few projects I would LIKE to do this year, which may or may not happen, depending on God's will:
1) Get Bekah potty trained! (This is happening...as soon as she's ready.)
2) Sew diapers and sell them, locally (mostly just for friends)
3) Have another baby
4) Sell homemade creams, cloth items, and possibly water kefir locally
5) Grow the blog and expand its features
6) Get certified as a breastfeeding counselor and childbirth education instructor
7) Begin "preschool" home schooling Bekah
8) Sew a bunch of clothes, blankets, sheets, and other fun stuff
9) Get the house more organized
10) Write another (nonfiction) book
11) Have a large indoor garden
I realize I likely won't have time for all of that. And that's okay. Those are just some things that sound fun to me that perhaps I will get to do. And perhaps not. The 6th one could be very interesting, as some people in my life are interested in similar things (midwife, doula, etc.) and there's been talk of wanting to form a business around pregnancy and birth. It's a far off dream at the moment and may stay that way, unless God truly decides to bless it. We won't know though until it happens.
One additional thought. I'm posting these here for all to see so you can all help keep me accountable this year. That's important.
What are your resolutions? What is your plan to keep them?
Saturday, January 2, 2010
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Came by your blog via your baby-led solids post sent to me from a friend. Your natural path goals sound a lot like mine, although I would venture to say you are farther along than I am. As well, I like your projects, especially the sewing ones. Blessings to you as you work toward following His will!
ReplyDeleteGoal two is to spend more time with your kids, but goal three includes the "project" of having another baby. How will you accomplish spending more time with the kids you already have if you add another to the mix so soon?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteSpending more time with my kids means ALL of them -- current and future. I'm sure I won't have another baby until December at the earliest anyway. My real goal is to change my mothering style to always focus on my children first...all the ones I have. Plus, we can all spend time together, especially as they get older! I'll be posting my thoughts on large families in a few weeks, which I'm sure will answer your concerns.
How does Ben feel about being just as important as "selecting projects?" Couldn't that be seen as offensive, like you care more about your projects than you do him?
ReplyDeleteElma,
ReplyDeleteThe reason #3 is so important is because it ties into #1 -- following God's direction. It isn't the projects that are important, it's listening to God and what He wants me to do, and selecting what I do based on His will. I did struggle a lot with that but ultimately felt that God's direction was more important than my role as a wife, if only very slightly.
I admire your ability to make God such a high priority in your life. I think that would be difficult for me.
ReplyDeleteI like your goals, Kate, although they're a bit nebulous (how do you measure "living for joy"?).
ReplyDeleteI also like your projects, and if/when you start selling baby diaper rash cream, I am ready to buy! I have so many pregnant friends or friends with babies, I'm sure once they see how well it works you should have people knocking down your door!
Emma,
ReplyDeleteYou're right that it's hard to quantify "living for joy," but I mainly mean that I want to look at the good parts of life, and seek out small things that bring me joy, rather than worrying about all the bad parts or things I can't change. It can be as simple as turning on a favorite song and being happy about it, instead of focusing on the fact that it's been a bad day. Or sipping a cup of tea and preparing to relax at night. Or reading a brief story and enjoying it. Or just thinking about what God might be trying to teach me with a given situation instead of focusing on how hard something is. Does that make sense? Trying to have a joyful attitude instead of being stressed.
If Ben would let you get rid of toilet paper, would you do it? It's almost a necessity, so how would you do without it?
ReplyDeleteJennifer,
ReplyDeleteYeah, I would try to do without toilet paper. I would make a bunch more cloth wipes (just like the ones I use on my babies) and use those. We would have a small, zippered bag in the bathroom, where we would put the used wipes. Then I would just wash them with the diapers or alone. It's called "Family Cloth" and there are families who do this exclusively. I read in another blog recently, though, that some families use this for pee only, and otherwise just use toilet paper. I think I could convince Ben to do that....
Sorry, but the "Family Cloth" idea takes the green movement a bit too far for me. Is toilet paper really even a problem? I don't hear or read anything about it being a problem. Isn't toilet paper biodegradible?
ReplyDelete