Resolutions for 2011

Kit at A Step into My Life is hosting a blog challenge to help welcome in the new year!  Check out her blog for a full list of topics and be sure and link up!

Day 1: New Year Resolutions

I don't really like the word "resolutions".  Instead, I prefer goals, so that is what I am going with.  I have several goals for 2011 (check out the top bar on my blog under 2011 Goals for a complete list), but I will just list some of the most important ones here.

*Lose weight and become healthier.  This one is my most important.  I have been carrying a lot of extra weight since I had my son (over 2 year ago...) and it's time to do something about it. 

*Study the Bible more.  I really want to make sure that I study the Bible everyday.  Plus, I want to schedule more frequent family studies.

*Complete teacher certification and find a full-time teaching position.  Anyone who is a frequent reader of my blog knows that I am about to begin student teaching after 6 1/2 years as a stay at home mommy.  This is the last step until I am fully certified to teach elementary school in the state of Texas.  I hadn't planned on working outside of the home until both of my children were in school, but I finished a lot sooner than I thought and have to do the student teaching now.  (I'll hold off on finding a full-time job if it is just too traumatic for my children)  It is both exciting and scary all at the same time.  It will be, without a doubt, a huge change for my entire family.  Please keep us in your prayers while we transition through this new chapter in our lives.

*Find and keep balance in life.  Since I will have a lot more on my plate this year, I want to ensure that I make time for what is really important to me in life: God and my family.  We are a busy family with a lot of obligations, so I want to scale down where we can so we can spend time together. 

These are the things that I am working on this year.  Hope you meet all of your goals for 2011 too!

Blog Challenge Day 11

Today's blog challenge topic: New Year's Resolutions.  I love this topic!  I'm a planner and a goal-setter, so of course I always make resolutions.  They are goals for me to work on throughout the year to better myself and my family. 

(via Google images)

2011 is going to be a year of change for my family.  After 6 years of being a stay-at-home mommy, I am going to start a new career as an elementary teacher.  I know that it will be a year of transitions and joys for us.  Even though I feel a little anxious and apprehensive about my new role, I know that the Lord is in control and will not give us more than we can handle!  Here are my resolutions for 2011:

1.      Spend more time in the Bible.  I do read my Bible a lot, but I really want to strive to be a daily Bible reader.  I want our family to spend more time studying God’s word together.

2.      Lose the “baby” weight.  My youngest child is 2 ½…the gig is up!  I lost it all after my daughter was born so I know that I can do it again.

3.      Simplify my life!  We are truly overscheduled as a family.  I feel like we are constantly running to some activity, meeting, other obligation, etc… I just want to eliminate some of it so we can have some more precious family time together.  I’ve got to learn how to say “NO”!!

4.      Become more organized.  I’m a planner by nature and am pretty organized too.  I just want to make sure all areas of my life are organized and running as smoothly as possible. (Controlling? Who, me?)

5.      Become debt free.  My husband and I really want to get everything paid off except the mortgage.  We have been debating on moving to or building a larger house.  We are big believers in the Dave Ramsey “snowball” program so that’s our plan!

6.      Enjoy life!  I feel like I’m giving some areas of my life up to become a working mother.  The upside: Teachers have summers off!  Plus my husband has lots of vacation days, so we are planning a nice vacation this year.  I just want to make sure we keep up our fun family traditions even if I’m not home as much.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,  “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

                                                                                           Jeremiah 29:11