New Year Vision

It is so exciting to see the New Year quickly approaching! As we take down our Christmas trees and prepare for the new ----the theme is CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE! I am looking forward to an exciting, fresh, stimulating year and doing all things from a new, refreshing angle.

Every new year I seek to see how I can glorify God but this year another question seared through my mind---here I share a crucial question (outside of glorifying Him) that we could be asking ourselves as we prepare for the New Year:

If this were my last year to live----how would I live it?

Would I laugh more? Would I dream more? What would I have wish I enjoyed the most? Where would I spend most of my time? Would I share the gospel more? Would I hug my children closer or share my most personal thoughts with my spouse?

As we sit down to write out our personal goals for the new year here are 8 key areas to keep in mind:

Spiritual Life--loving God first and foremost with all my heart, soul, strength and mind.

Family Life--loving and serving those at home first.

Home Life--taking good care of the place where our loved ones live.

Church Life--discovering, developing and using our spiritual gifts.

Physical Life--making sure the 'vessel' our body is fit and able to serve the Lord and others.

Social Life--fitting in time for friends and neighbors.

Financial Life--being a wise steward of what God has given us.

Mental Life--using our mind to grow and glorify God.

This morning I wrote all these areas in my journal and prayerfully added my own personal notes to it. It is wonderful to get it all down on paper and have a vision for next year.

"Without vision the people perish."

I also added the categories: Homeschool, Dream, Weaknesses and Blog. My favorite section is the Dream section because there I put all the things I'd like to do--sometimes I like to dream big too. The weaknesses section is probably my least favorite because it shows how much I need to improve in--but in the end is a wonderful reality check to turn them into strengths. Another helpful hint I might add, is to elaborate on these goals by using notebooks that are kept through the year for more detailed plans such as painting rooms in the house or organization, etc.

The most important part of my planning is when my husband and I sit down together at the end of the year and whip out our planner and brainstorm ideas, events, trips, ministry, goals, etc and pencil in dates for our entire family. We get eachother's input and my husband leads the way for the year. This planning helps goals to actually materialize throughout the year and we can work on it together as a team--a plan is a wonderful tool to achieve our desires.

I hope this helps give clear direction and stir creative juices as you plan the New Year!

"Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." --Habukkuk 33:2

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