My 6 New Year Resolutions - An Update

We're coming to end of January 2015 and I have already seen how God has been helping me accomplish some of the things I have had a desire for this year. I thought I'd share, seeing as I wrote about my New Year Resolutions on here not too long ago...post here.

1. Reading the Bible everyday.

So far, this hasn't happened...BUT...I've been waking up faithfully around 6:20 every morning, not in my own doing, but my body keeps waking me up. I'll be awake for at least fifteen or twenty minutes before falling asleep again. Well, I was having a conversation with my mom the other day---I can't even remember what we were talking about, but it hit me---"Maybe God is giving me an opportunity to wake up early like he's been telling me to for months now!"

Chris and I are currently attending a Sunday school/Connections class at our church and this semester we are talking about Obedience to God---when we've obeyed, the results---when we didn't obey, and the results. This is something I can see that God is teaching me at home as well right now.

So back to my story...as soon as I realized that my body waking me up early, was really God, I decided to get up the next time he woke me up. May I remind you that every time I have tried to wake up early on my own, Hannah beats me to the punch.  This time, however, every time I have gotten up when God woke me up...Hannah slept in past eight!!! I have been able to read the Word, pray, even do a tiny bit of tidying up before she wakes up! God answers when his children are obedient---yes He does!

PROGRESS: God has been waking me up around 6:30am every day, and as soon as I realized it was HIM waking me up, I began to take those opportunities he was giving me and get up to read! As a result---Hannah has been sleeping in past 8:00 (she's been waking up at 6:30) and I have been able to read his Word faithfully like he has been asking me to!


2. Try harder on my appearance.

Okay, so, I was definitely working on it, but then exhaustion hit! This mama has 7.5 weeks left before baby #2 arrives---ACK!!! I was curling my hair daily, pinning it differently each day or just leaving it all fluffy! I'm still trying to make sure that I am clean, wearing outfits that actually go together (yea, I don't normally care too much about that), and cute shoes, but I haven't gotten too far into this...but hey, I've got all year!

PROGRESS: I made progress for a little bit, but then baby #2 decided she'd rather I sleep! Haha! Preggo fatigue...woohoo!


3. Showing Chris love using his love language. 

I have definitely been working on this. It's always a learning process. I'm learning how to express my gratitude, but now I need to really work on my variety of compliments and creativity. I can write him notes all day, but I also need to save some to actually speak TO HIM. 

PROGRESS: Getting better, now I just need to work on variety! 


4. Spend more one-on-one time with Chris. 

This has definitely gotten better, at least I think it has. We haven't been out on a date in a while, but we've been reading the Word together every night after Hannah goes to bed and we've been talking for a looong time once sitting down together. I have seriously enjoyed this! Chris has been working late for a while now, but the past couple of days he has gotten home earlier---or rather, on time. We've had so much more time with each other because of this. 

PROGRESS: We've definitely had more one-on-one time these past couple of weeks and it has been great! I hope it continues!



5. Reach target weight after baby #2 arrives.

Well, baby #2 is not here yet, so...no progress yet! In fact, my appetite has finally kicked in and I'm pretty sure I am going to start picking up the weight now! Ack!

PROGRESS: None. No baby yet! :)



6. Know where every penny in our budget goes.

Okay, now THIS has gotten better! We've figured out a new way to budget each paycheck in order to build our savings and knock out our little bit of debt (another goal for this year). Because we have a new system, we know where every penny goes! It's so great! Progress!

PROGRESS: We have a new budgeting system now which is working for us and yep...we're making progress! Yay!!!



So how about you? How are you doing on your New Year Resolutions and 2015 goals?

My 6 New Year Resolutions

So, tomorrow will be the start of a new year. I love this time of year! Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Not because of the decorations, gifts, or events but because of how God uses this time of year to inspire and encourage His children!

I am given hope through the holidays as I am reminded that some of my purposes in life are to fully love, to fully forgive and move forward, to give without hesitation, and to work harder at obeying Christ.

Thanksgiving comes along and I am reminded by Christ to be thankful of ALL things. The good, the bad, the grand, the not-so-noticeable. I wrote a small post about being thankful (you can read it here) in November, but I am thankful for so much more than I can ever express. It's the little things, really. Christ reminds me in this time, of the day-to-day wonder of His glorious creation! He shows me the beauty in people's eagerness to give to others. I see beauty in the cool weather which leads us to curl up with our loved ones. I see beauty in everyone's creative and cheerful spirits.

Christmas rolls around and I am reminded of the generosity of Christ. He is the greatest Giver of all! He gave and GIVES unconditionally, without expectation or hesitation. He is the greatest Forgiver and the greatest Beauty of all that lives! and yes, He lives! What another wonderful reason to be joyful and cheerful and generous! We have so much to learn from Him!

I am reminded through all of this that my God is a GREAT God! That I should no longer be wasting my time but instead I should be purposeful with each passing day! HE IS WORTH MY TIME AND MY EFFORT! HE DESERVES MY BEST WORK! With that said, here are my New Year's "Resolutions" or rather, things I'd really like to change in my life, for good!

I'd like to:

1. Do whatever it takes to get into the Bible every day. 

2. Try a little harder on my appearance.

3. Work harder at showing Chris love using his love languages.

(Want to take the Love Language Quiz to determine how you best receive/show love??? Take it here. I believe it to be very close to accurate, and honestly can't harm anything. This is an amazing book and I would love to blog about it one day this year.)

4. Spend more one-on-one time with my husband.

5. Reach a target weight after having this sweet baby #2 in March.

6. Know where every penny in our budget goes.

There are some other things that I would love to work towards this coming year, such as:
I'd love to cook more often, bake more often, sew more often and take more family photos every month!

All of these might seem very petty after my speech about giving God our best, but I guarantee you that these are all things that God has been continually convicting me of this year. To be the best person that I can be. To love my husband with all of my might. To purposefully choose to love him and spend good quality time with him. (With a toddler and a new baby, Lord knows how distracted moms can get.) To respect my body and myself, for God gave me my body and my appearance and He uses both to His glory. So why not purposefully pursue my BEST self? To purposefully take charge of our money. Even if we mess up, I want to know why and how and be able to fix it the next time. I don't want to be blind to our finances. To purposefully pursue God with all that I've got. This means doing whatever it takes to dive into His Word daily, because I NEED IT. I NEED HIM. ...and He is WORTH IT ALL!

I've never been one to make goals. It's dumb, I know. You can read a thousands articles, books and blogs about motivation and success and all of them will tell you to "set goals". Well, this lady here ::points to self:: does not set goals, ever. I hate them. I almost never accomplish them (or at least not when I am hoping to). Another reason I don't set goals is because I don't want to just check something off my list, I want to change my life.

So here's to a new year, a reminder of the never ending mercy of Christ! It is a reminder of the endless opportunities we have to return to the path leading to Christ's precious glory! He has a grand plan for our lives, one that involves being in His presence every moment of every day! One that involves experiencing the majestic wonder of the works of His hand every single day!

I pray that Christ enlightens you and encourages you to leap this year! 

To start anew in your search of Christ and your eagerness to become all He has created you to be! EXTRAORDINARY.