Resolutions and convictions of a house-wife

Well, it's a new year.  And with it comes the desire to make resolutions.  I'm all for making resolutions and here are four reasons why:  (Stick with me, guys...this blog is more words than pics this time!)

1) If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  Therefore, resolutions help you make a plan to discipline yourself for godliness.  You should be able to look at the person you were last year and the person you are today and see a change.  You should be more like Christ today than you were at this time last year.
2) Making resolutions help you to see God's faithfulness.  This is only true if you do what I do and that is to write down your resolutions and revisit them.  I look at the ones I made last year and evaluate my ability to keep them.  I know that I did not do any good this past year apart from what God allowed and empowered me to do.  Therefore, He and He alone gets all the glory for my success.  If you keep a running record of your resolutions from year to year, you can see God's faithfulness to you and thus you will be lead to worship Him all the more.
3) Make resolutions to see your sin.  Your heart is deceitful and will tell you that you are doing OK.  Without resolutions or goals to keep you in line, you may not see how you are falling short in your walk with God.
4) Resolutions allow iron to sharpen iron.  You should have someone keep you accountable for some, if not all, of your resolutions.  This allows for more fellowship and community among believers.

And here are four short ways to make resolutions, now that I have convinced you that you should:
1)Prayerfully (Ask God where you need to change)
2)Specifically (So you are more likely to do it.  Vagueness leads to laziness.)
3)Attainability  (Not so hard you loose heart, but not so easy that you do not have to change)
4)Categorically  (Everything from spiritual, to "one another", to personal)

So here are my resolutions.  I want to share them with you because I want to live transparently before my brothers and sisters in Christ.  I want you to share in my success that God gives me and to keep me accountable on the things I struggle with.  You have my full permission to follow up and ask me about any of the following resolutions...and I would love to hear yours as well!

In the area of parenting:
1) To speak to my children with a loving tone and never let them see if I am annoyed or exasperated with them.  I know that the tone I use is a choice and I can choose to be loving and patient with my words.  Proverbs 31:26 - "She opens her mouth in wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue"
2) To use every opportunity to share the gospel with them.  Using everything from the pretty trees out the van window to the fight between brothers to show them the need for Christ and His sacrifice on the cross.
3) To stick to doing preschool at least three times a week with Peter, using the "Learn your letters, learn to serve" curriculum from Heavenly Homemakers.  (I really cannot say enough wonderful things about this...ask me more!)

In the area of the house:
1)I made a schedule of chores and have laid it out for the week.  If I stick to the plan, I have a list of things I do each day and then a "chore of the day" that I do right before Brent gets home.  I have also looked at the app called "Motivated Moms" (thanks, Steph!) and I may use that to keep me cleaning without being overwhelmed.  I was doing great at keeping to my chore schedule before Jane was born and then....well, a baby changes everything!  I want to get back on track.

In the area of being a helper suitable:
1) I want to greet my husband when he comes home every day.  I know he has had just a crazy of a day as I have had and he too is tired.  Yet, he still hits the door with a smile and energy that I know he has to make a choice to conjure up for us.  I think he deserves a smile and a kiss from his wife when he gets home.  I usually just shout a greeting from where ever I am in the house and then eventually see his face when it is necessary for me to go into the living room.  This is shameful to admit!  My husband has one wife, and therefore, one place that he is going to get love, compassion, and sweet kisses.  I want to set a loving and happy tone for the evening and I think a way to do this is to meet him at the door (remembering to brush my hair and teeth....and maybe even a swipe of lip gloss) and smile him into the house with a happy heart.

In the area of prayer:
1) I want to pray more for other people....therefore I want to pray every time I do a mundane and repeated task.  I chose changing diapers....I do it a lot, I can multitask while I do it, and my kids get to hear me do it.  So every time I change a diaper, I want to pray for some one that needs it.  :)

In the area of self:
1) To work out.  Not for the purpose of weight loss or anything...but simply because God gave me this body and I want to take care of it.  I have chronic back problems and if I exercise I am in less pain.  So I want to boost my energy and take care of myself....and this leads to taking better care of my family and having more energy for them.
2) To always have a godly book being read.  At any given time I want to be reading an extra-biblical book that is pointing me to Christ.  I recently had a dear friend ask me what I have read lately...and I want to have a good answer that is going to bring about God-honoring conversation.  So please ask me what book I am reading!
3) To journal more.  I want to be able to look back over the years and have a first hand account of how God has blessed me.  I want a clear reminder of the trials and blessings that I can use to show generations after me what a loving, powerful and wise God I serve.

So that is most of them.  I really hope you find some encouragement to write your own resolutions and to worship our God more deeply! To Him be the glory for ever and ever!