Yearly Themes

Last year, instead of making and quickly breaking New Year's Resolutions, I decided to pick a broad goal and run with it all year long. I made it my goal to do things I am intimidated by during 2007. I was coming out of some mild depression, had a new baby, a new church, and some new friends to add on to Shane's new(ish) job. There were a lot of adjustments to make and most of them depended on me to be stretched. Believe it or not, there are A LOT of things that intimidate me-speaking to crowds, driving in a new/large town, making conversation with people who might not like me, sometimes even toting the kids around alone can intimidate me. As I reflect on this, I know those things didn't go away, I'm still intimidated by lots of things, but I also see myself as just a smidgen more capable. I will still have to talk myself into doing hard things, but at least I know I can do it.

Here are a few things I did this year to work on not being intimated:
*Drove all the girls-alone-an hour away to buy rollar skates
*Sewed several slings for gifts and to sell (sewing was tops on my list of things that I feared doing)
*Took the girls to a new church Sunday after Sunday (of course it didn't stay new, we joined that church this year).
*Went to two or three church events without Shane-either at other peoples' homes, which was the scariest, or at the church.
*Went out on a limb and initiated conversation with new faces at church, along with trying to start friendships with gals from church.

Okay, so you get the idea...

I have much work to do and I hope to keep up the challenge this year but I'll be adding another theme to work on.

My new goal is to live life more "in the Spirit" in 2008. That is simply church talk for being right on target with God each day, reading the Bible with a passion and zeal that opens up more communication with God, leading to me hearing Him speak to me throughout each day. I've been in this place before, but it was before I had Jaybird. I find myself continuing to adapt to the life of a mom with four active children and a very busy husband! But I want more than survival, I want to thrive, I want my family to thrive, and I know the only way to do this is to draw ever so close to God. Nancy Leigh DeMoss's ministry is centered on encouraging women to have quality quiet times. I'm planning on listening to her teachings via her website as I work in my kitchen. I think I'll also revisit her book A Place of Quiet Rest for more inspiration.

That's my plan. What is your 2008 theme? I'd love to hear your heart's desire for the new year. Finish this sentence: 2008 will be my year to ______________.