2016- What Comes Next
The theme for this next year is discipline, self-control, and integrity.
I need to create new, good habits. The idea is not to just cast a vision, but to break down the vision into an action plan. To turn individual action steps into habits, and document the process. I’m hoping that by documenting, I will be able to reflect and self correct if I get off track more often. I am also hoping that I will be able to count my blessings and gain wisdom and understanding by studying myself, those around me, and the events in our lives.
This past year, I noticed that even though I was able to accomplish much more than ever before, I was still wasting way too much time looking for things, organizing, playing on my phone or computer, and basically being distracted and scattered. I feel that much of my success was due to good fortune and coincidence. I was being carried by God. I trusted Him, and He didn’t let me down.
So many people came out of the woodwork to help me accomplish tasks and goals. We had our wedding at K’s for free. R helped us with new garden beds, A with tilling, Wil with digging. Washer and dryer we got for free from J’s friends. N replaced the roof within budget. So so many things, circumstances and people came together for our good and God’s glory!
The weather also cooperated in miraculous ways. From rain for our garden, to extreme wind that damaged our roof and allowed us to have insurance help pay for replacement, to perfect weather for the wedding. God has truly been so good to us!
While that was incredibly awesome, this year, I want to do my part. I want to be more intentional about how I spend my time. I want to learn God’s heart, hear His voice, and follow His leading. In order to do that to the best way I know how, I feel I have to take some drastic next steps. Here are my action steps for 2016:
- I will continue having morning devotional with Wil every day.
- I also will read the Bible cover to cover with my husband. I will be intentional about learning who God is, and building my relationship with Him.
- I also will be more intentional about exercising and my family’s physical health.
- I will find answers to Wil’s back pain and find a way to heal/restore him.
- I will do at least a few minutes of stretching each day and a work out at least 3 times per week.
- I will make juice at least 5 days per week. I also will minimize gluten and sugar intake.
- I will document everything. I want to know what Sam ate, what he did. So I can start to make definitive correlations between his diet and activity, and behavior and health.
- I also will journal every day about what happened, any insights we had as individuals and as a family, what’s happening in the garden, and what I read.
- I will expand the garden to 500 sq ft, grow most of my family’s vegetables, and monetize the surplus to create a profit.
- As a family, we will tithe 12% of our gross income, and continue to put at least 40% of our take home income toward paying down debt.
- We will be more intentional about my gratitude, and actively seek out opportunities to be grateful to God and other people.
- We will establish a close knit small group of great friends that my family can share our life with.
- I will continue the positive growth at work. To continue learning embroidery and other skills that will bring value to the company. My goal is to see the company grow another 90% from 2015 to 2016 with the current team.
- I will figure out a way to establish a healthy positive culture at work where all staff feel equally valuable, and feel a sense of ownership toward their work and the business. That they will use their skills and talents to help us get to the next level in our business.
There have been so many changes in 2015, that some aspects of our lives seem very reactive and not intentional. I am hoping that by growing closer to God through the devotional time and the Word, we will be able to gain wisdom and knowledge. That we will have peace and grace. And that the fruits of the Holy Spirit will be ever evident within this family.
Today’s Scriptures: Genesis 1 & 2, Job 1 & 2.