Goals

I shared with y'all last week my struggles with setting goals for 2011.

Several of you encouraged me not to give up on setting goals just because I may not fulfill them all. And, shockingly, I listened!

Last Saturday, the devotional I am using (Daily Seeds::from women who walk in faith::) once again featured the Scripture from Ecclesiastes 3. Only this time, it was not only the first verse but also verses 2-4.

Since I knew that the Lord was speaking to me through this repetition, I took the extra time to read the whole passage (verses 1-8) from both the NIV and The Message.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Do you know what the first thing was to hit me from these verses?

They are all opposites...contradictions, if looked at from afar. JUST LIKE MY GOALS LIST!!!

So, I finally decided to write out a SHORT list of goals.

My 'Monthly Focus' for January is my Spiritual Health. The goals are (1) to attend worship service every Sunday; (2) to join a small group Bible study; and (3) the ultimate goal is to find a new home church in 2011.

My 'Weekly Focus' is being laid out for me in the book One Year to an Organized Life by Regina Leeds. Last week she had me looking at why I am late all of the time. (Can I just insert "OUCH!"?) This week the focus is on creating routines and schedules. And wouldn't you know, the first thing I had to do was write them down? In a list? Oh, what a sense of humor the Lord has!

I now have three index cards labeled "Morning Routine", "Evening Routine" and "Nightly Routine". They contain such things as "Make bed", "Unload dishwasher", "Quiet time" & "Set up coffee pot". Some of these things I have done for years. Others are new to me with the hopes that it will help me find some balance.

Having these routines written down really are making a difference. I don't have to 'remember' as many things and my brain doesn't feel quite so overwhelmed at the thought of something new. My aversion to lists has been replaced by the need for more lists!

Three of the new disciplines that I am trying to institute into my day are:
1. Fifteen minute project.
2. Plan menu the day before.
3. Create a reminder list.

And because y'all know how much I love to make things just a little more difficult for myself, you will not be surprised to know that I created a Goals journal that I am attempting to write in every night. It is nothing fancy. I just used a small notebook that I already had on hand to record my monthly and weekly goals. It is my accountability partner. I journal what I have accomplished toward the 2011 goals. I have also included the list you see above. I make a note each night of what my 15 minute project was for the day, what my plans are for dinner the next night, and I check off whether or not I have created a reminder list for the next day.

So, thank you for your encouragement to persevere. And thank you for giving me the sense of grace to try and possibly fail without fear of rejection. I will let you know how it goes! (And don't be afraid to ask if I forget to share. That usually means I quit...and I may just need a kick in the pants to get moving again!)