I've had little time to make monthly goals much less resolutions in the past few months. That year-end review I was going to do kind of got kicked hard and ended up in a gutter somewhere, soggy, damp and unsalvageable. I let it just stay there.
When I considered making resolutions for the year ahead, I wondered why I should. I mean, nothing went to plan last year. Not one single thing. Every time I made plans of any sort they too got kicked into a gutter. It's not that I'm giving up. I'm just thinking that trying to make a roadmap when my idea of the destination is completely different from the destination God has in mind (and I haven't a clue what His destination is) makes yearlong goals rather silly.
I'm also going with the idea that this is a "Halel Year", a Jewish term meaning the 7th year, a year of rest, a year to rest, forgive debts and in general to reset. It sounds like just the thing that is needed, doesn't it?
When I was clearing out my notebook for this New Year, I realized that my last goals were set in August. I had quite a backlog of blog work already written and that pretty much saw me through September but after that there was nothing to indicate I'd had any goals of any sort at all except to survive the season we were in. None for home life from August onwards and nothing more for the blog after the stuff I'd worked ahead on had reached an end.
In November my sole goal was to get the town house cleared and ready to put on the market. Then we got sidelined again by an unexpected turn of fate in mid-November, had guests coming in for the Thanksgiving holiday and life changes in the house for December...It was all pretty rough but we managed.
I do believe in New Beginnings. I know when I'm knocking my head against a brick wall. No big New Year plans for me. As long as my life insists on being tied up with someone else's life then I'll just have to adjust accordingly until things change. Right now, there are no apparent changes ahead but I'm hoping there will be something this coming month that means a bit of freedom for us. Until then though...well, we continue as we've been going on.
That's not to say we don't have goals we hope to meet this year. We do but we're just holding them very loosely. We're not locking ourselves into any time frames at present until we see how a few things play out.
I do have a few goals for January. I think I might manage some of them and if we find there's a nursery opening (awaiting a return call now about one) then I might get to make real plans for the physical parts of living.
Make up lists of personal care needs (like razors and shampoo) and home needs (fitted sheets come to mind), etc. It's not a vast list but we do have some necessary purchases to make this month. I hope that with sales we'll manage to get a nice supply of things attended to.
Make a pantry list. I went over this on Friday and I'm surprised at what's holding up well, but I can plainly see areas that really do need to be brought up once more. Make out a list and plan to start restocking my pantry for 2023.
Plan a trip to St. Augustine. I don't know just when we'll have a chance to go but I want to get my facts and figures in place so I know about what we might be spending. It's been nearly 2 years since we were last down and I'm more than ready to go again.
I've never been much of one for using planners, but I did find it very helpful to work with a blank calendar for the blog work this past year. I could jot down inspirations for posts or quotes that inspired me to think deeper and then pre-schedule posts to go out. I'm going to try to use that same method to restart my creative work this month. I've ordered a set of notebooks, just empty 3-ring binders, that I'll fill with looseleaf paper or ledger sheets, etc. just to help keep track of life.
As you can see, planning is the biggest thing I mean to do this month. I'd so much rather be DOING but sometimes we must just start at the beginning and then see how things flow from there.
Pansies, flowering kale and snapdragons. I can usually get these this time of year for planting. A pot or two of pretty plants goes a long way towards refreshing my spirits in January especially if they are displayed near the front or back steps.
Pot up the Amaryllis I bought in November.
Move the orchids to the warmer rooms of the house now that they are budding.
Declutter and clean in each zone area. Granted, if there's no nursery placement for the smaller one then this will be done on the smallest scale, but it's something I think I can manage even if a little one is in the house.
Place an order for an upright freezer.
Begin a new Bible study. I haven't determined which book or what study but I'm looking to see what interests me. I really enjoyed the in-depth study of the book of Acts using 2 different study guides. It really enhanced the book for me and increased my understanding and knowledge.
I also plan to do a word study for as long as it lasts of scripture based on a chosen word of the year. I'm not sharing my word. I know many people do but I have never done this before and I'm not sure how if I'll get deep into this sort of study or not.
Set up outfits from my wardrobe for the month. I was very pleased with the cream top, pink sweater and brown pants that I wore in early December. That was an outfit I'd never worn before, and it felt very nice to combine those pieces. I've gotten out of the habit of mixing and matching things to create new looks and I plan to return to that, since it keeps me satisfied with clothes I have rather than looking for something new.
I've belonged to the Elizabeth Goudge book club for a couple of years now and I plan to follow along with their reading plan. I've also joined in another book club (classics) and I'm curious to see what their reading plan looks like for 2023. I want to be sure that I keep reading incorporated into my days. I'm much happier and feel far more satisfied if reading takes up a good portion of my personal time daily.
This month, we will again be participating in a churchwide fast. I'm not going to give up coffee this year as in year's past. Instead, I'm going to attempt the most difficult thing I've ever set a goal to do. I'm only sharing this because it will affect content here, hopefully for the better. My fast this month will be to stop complaining and whining about life. Seriously. I know that this is going to require a higher level of discipline than anything I've attempted in the past.
Those are my goals for the month.
11 comments:
Terri,
Happy New Year! I post this with the upmost consideration for your fast. Years ago, there was a student with a disability who had a hard time accepting change in the routine. I’m not suggesting this is you at all! Anyway, the student was taught to shrug their shoulders and say, “oh, well.” I can‘t count the number of times, I’ve used that strategy for myself … generally accompanied by some kind of sigh. I wish you the best. Casey.
The older I get the more I realize that goals are pretty much useless for us. God is in control way more than we knew when we were younger. My only goal is to stay mobile enough to stay out of a wheelchair. I wanted to save more this year and I was able to significantly increase that. But other than that everything we really want is mostly not possible without real healing of my genetic disease. We just need to rest in His care and trust Him for our future.
Miss Lana's statement about the Father being in control way more than we knew when we were babes in the Word is so true. I guess my goal and prayer is that I will rely on Yehovah for guidance, discernment and courage.
Terri, I will pray that you are guided in this coming year. That's what we all need!
Terri, I am trying to set goals for myself as well.
I am a bit confused...I thought your daughter and grandson moved away. Are they back living with you? I read your words every time you post, I think. What have I missed?
I love your way with words and find encouragement in your postings. I wish I had a magic want to wave over you as you struggle with finding contentment.
Happy New Year! Jane in Florida
A bit of nostalgia. Remember when January was "White Sales" and linens were on sale? Mostly white back in the far day. I don't know if the advertising world uses that expression at all now, as most women under 60 probably aren't familiar with it.
Be sure to check with the place you plan to stay in St. Augustine about hurricane damages. There was a lot of flooding there. We go to Daytona Beach each year and we received a letter telling us that the pool was unusable and the parking lot had been destroyed. It may be fixed later in the year. I just felt I should alert you to the need to ask about this as you plan.
Happy New Year! I think that the more positives you tell yourself, the more positives you'll find, and there won't be space for negatives. I try to live by that most of the time.
We had a very sad, but ultimately very good holiday week between Christmas and New Years. On Christmas day my uncle was hospitalized, and he passed away a couple of days later. His funeral was the morning of NYE, then the next day, all of the cousins from that side of the family came to my house for a gathering. This gathering had been planned before my uncle passed away, and we kept our plans and had a wonderful afternoon all together.
We had a houseguest for four days during that time, and entertained on Christmas day, the Friday following Christmas, New Years day, and our last gathering will be Saturday at noon for our final Christmas celebration. I'm ready to take down the decorations and get back to "normal".
No real plans or goals for 2023 at the moment. I haven't had time to contemplate beyond starting a pantry challenge next week. I think setting monthly goals is a great idea.
I no longer make resolutions either for similar reasons. I also tend to let myself down so I stopped doing that. Instead, I choose a word or phrase that I want to focus on for the year. I had the same question as Jane about the move for Katie and her son.
Praying for a fresh move of God this year for all of us.
Christine, After this last hurricane I personally would not stay at any high rise building along the Florida coast. After those condos collapsed down in Miami I watched a documentary on how the buildings were weakened by salt water that caused the rebar to rust inside the concrete pillars holding the building up. Mom and Dad owned a timeshare at the boardwalk in Daytona and several years ago after a hurricane the basement parking garage was left full of water that sat there for months while repairs were done up above. It is just a matter of time before there is another disaster.
Terri,
I have been getting a lot of inspiration from your blog...Even though we are opposites in many ways.
My goals are so modest compared to yours: Floss every day. Eat more healthy foods. That's it!
But, I've been wanted to ask you: On one of your blog entries you mentioned making a list of salads without lettuce. If you made that list, can you post it?
Goodness! How did I miss commenting on these comments. Forgive my late replies.
Casey, isn't it lovely how someone can inspire us? The fast I've chosen for myself is difficult enough without going through it without coffee, too, lol. And one that seemed minor has proven itself to have been a real hard habit that I wasn't really aware had become so big in my life. I'm glad on both counts that I chose to fast what I have simply because it makes me very aware of other habits and strongholds, I allow to take me captive.
Lana, I pray for you with this disease, for it to halt its progress and for the holistic help you require to become available once more.
Donna, Thank you.
LejMom, I know it's confusing. Remember please that I have been asked not to use names of family any longer because some reader(s) were scathing about some of them and feelings were hurt. As well personal details that affect any life other than my own are not being shared for the same reasons.
Anne, I still call them white sales. I am wondering though if they are going to have any this January.
Christine, we have already had notice that they are up and running and all clear. Even the beach and pier were repaired. We are looking at other places along the same route we'd typically follow.
Tammy, I would expect you were quite ready to get back to 'normal'! That's a lot in a short span of time.
Karla, Thank you.
Slughorn, I'll have to gather my recipes and create a post. Thank you for the suggestion.
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