Greater Things

As many do at this time of year, I would like to reflect on 2010 and set some new aspirations for 2011. Last year, our big event was the selling and buying of houses. Now we are centrally located to everything and loving our new pad. Even though many said it couldn't be done, it happened. PRAISE THE LORD for God's perfect will! Other than that, we stayed busy with the everyday life of raising three young boys in a crazy, mixed-up world but one thing is for sure - we had many laughs along the way. There's definitely no shortage of that in this family.

Looking back at last year's list, I'm feeling okay about it. Even if statistically I only managed to tackle 42.86% {or 3/5} of my goals, I'm content because they were some that mattered most. Toning wasn't one of them, scrapbooking was a definite FAIL and the simplyfying of life? Um, sure. Just disregard every blog post prior to this. I'm pretty sure the majority of my ramblings in 2010 were, in some way, shape or form, related to the fact that our lives are very full. Full-time jobs, youth sports, coaching, bible studies, weddings, birthday parties....kind of wears me out just writing and re-living them but I have slowly come to accept that it is the way it is for awhile. It's life. And I'm good with it. Some days more than others.

Now for the ones I do feel succesful with --

*My knowledge in couponing grew and has truly paid off. I have lowered our monthly grocery bill by almost half. Just over a year ago, we spent roughly $450 a month on groceries, diapers, etc. Now, on average, we spend $250 at the most and the rest goes into savings. Cha-CHING! Yes, it takes a little time. Yes, I often make trips to a few different stores but if I save $200 a month, it's totally worth the effort. It's amazing how much we can actually get FREE - toothpaste, shampoo, oatmeal, pasta....and it varies all the time, which keeps it interesting. I'm not one of those crazy couponing freaks that stockpiles 47 boxes of cereal in my pantry {just 12} but I do like to take advantage of a good sale paired with coupons. It has become a cheap thrill, literally.

*Next on the list of sucesses was the time I spent studying scripture. Though I'm no bible scholar - obviously not if I still find myself flipping to the Old Testament for Revelation - I definitely feel my knowledge is increasing when one of the boys asks me a question and I can confidently answer them. That's not to say that d2 doesn't have to correct me every now and then but I just chalk that up to the kid having a photographic memory. I'm proud, of course, but sometimes it's embarrassing how the kid knows the smallest details to a parable. Way to go, SS teachers! And though I still don't spend as much time as I should every day {which will roll into my new list}, it did increase last year from prior years and I think I'm making progress. Inch by inch, right?

*And finally, time with my boys. Ah yes, and not just time but 'quality' moments. I really tried to be intentional with this one because, honestly, it's not as easy as it sounds. When they are all screaming, spitting or pooping in the tub, it's hard to smile and 'let it be.' It's hard to not send them in the play room while I spend an hour scrubbing the carpet from a taco sauce mishap. Well, this one I DID take the time to clean up but I did give d3 his own towel and he pretended to help. And I did communicate with him during our time together. We did talk. I said things like, 'This is NOT okay. Our plate is NOT a frisbee. Mommy is VERY sad.' And he said things like, 'Mie mie maul' in a very oriental-sounding way. For the record, this is his new phrase and I cannot, for the life of me, figure out what he's saying but he definitely knows because he says it all.the.time. And this time we spent cleaning is perfectly fine because we spent it together. Don't judge. It counts. What I did work on was not so much talking but listening to them, letting them help me make dinner or do laundry, and just bonding with them in whatever way they would allow. I know that if I don't make the time for them now, they likely will not make the time for me when they are older. Here's to my future full of conversations on flatulence, fast balls and foxy girls. Awesome.


So how do I envision my 2011? I hadn't really thought about it much until Pastor Paul brought it up in Sunday's message. He talked about priority, specifically regarding our time, our resources and our relationships and it occurred to me that this was it. This is the area of my life that I need to focus on. Here's how I plan to do it --

1) Time - Right now I feel like I am stretched thin and though it's definitely true, I also know that I have free time that I could be spending in the Word and not on We TV, following the Bruce family as they dig out of debt on 'Downsized.' I need to push myself, discipline myself and surround myself with the armor of God. I also plan to get back to bible study as soon as basketball ends {28 days and counting} and I know the ladies will hold me accountable.

2) Resources - I've noticed how it's always an interesting topic when tithes and offerings are discussed in the church but it's IN THE BIBLE. We give because we are given. Our family firmly believes that if you take care of God's business, He will take care of yours. When we were first married and new believers, I didn't understand how in the world we could carve out 10% of our earnings to give back to the church. I mean, that's A LOT. I will tell you that when we first started, I was petrified. We were newlyweds, I was in grad school and we had a baby on the way. How on earth would we make this work? Sure, Jesus performed miracles but that was then and this was now. It's all about loaves and fishes, people. I recall a month where we were running very short but we still gave our tithes. We had faith that the money would come from somewhere. And then the craziest thing happened. I received a check in the mail from my part-time job from TWO YEARS EARLIER. A check that I apparently had never picked up. Seriously? I don't just forget pay checks, especially when I was a struggling college student living on beans and weenies but I clearly didn't question the random check. I knew it wasn't a coincidence. From then on, it was clear who was in control. For this year, I aspire for our family to continue in our giving and increase it over last year. I don't think this just applies to monetary giving, either. I think this goes hand in hand with our homeless ministry. We have helpers coming out of the woodwork and donations from here, there and everywhere. It's amazing the resources we are finding where this is concerned. Give in your offerings but also give of yourself to those in need. I wholeheartedly believe in it.

3) Relationships - Besides the obvious within my own little family of five, I want to reach out and build relationships around me. I have such a great group of friends that encourage, uplift, and inspire me and I not only want to grow those relationships but want to be those things to others. I feel like my life, from the day I was born, has been anything but normal but I know that it all happened for a reason and, in time, I know it will be revealed. Heck, maybe it is now. Hard to say.

There it is. My goals for 2011. A little different from 2010, maybe a little deeper. Deep is good. Keeps me honest and on my toes. I feel that this year is going to be a great one, a year full of big things. Amazing things.

What changes are you making in 2011? Do it BIG. Make it COUNT.