The title is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I mean it seriously. I've never gotten too excited about resolutions, because I rarely keep them anyway. At the risk of overusing an old cliche, I really want this year to be different. I know this will get lost in a sea of blog resolutions, but I'm going to do it anyway. At some point in the year I hope to give an update and let you know how I'm doing.
Photography & Scrapbooking
Until I get a good digital camera, I can't afford to go crazy on the pictures like I want to. I'm hoping later this I year I can buy that Nikon I've been eyeballing for the last several months. Until that happens, I still want to take at least a roll of film every two weeks. I missed too much this past year, and I don't want to make that mistake again. I also want to really learn how to use the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO settings.
As for scrapbooking, I want to do at least 2 layouts a week. I also want to start an album just about myself. That probably sounds narcissistic, but I want my great-grandkids to know the things about me that they won't get from a birth and death certificate. Bebo's album needs more offerings than it got last year, and I also want to work on a more generic family album.
Weight & Health
Losing weight has to be the most common resolution, but I ain't kidding - I really need to lose some poundage. After nine months of concentrated effort and another three on-again, off-again, I lost 80 pounds. In less than six months, I gained 70 back. Ouch.
So.... beginning this week, I am starting the Weight Watchers Core plan. My official goal is to lose 100 pounds by December. It's ambitious, but not unrealistic. Tandem to that goal is exercising at least 5 days a week. Yuck. That's the part I really hate. If it were up to me, I'd count cutting paper and turning pages as exercise. But alas! It is a necessary evil, especially if I ever want to have another baby. I was lucky with Bebo - my weight never presented any problems. I don't want to tempt fate again.
Reading
I used to read a LOT. One Christmas break I went through more than 30 books. I've backed away from in the past few years, mostly because I'm the kind of person who can't put the book down once I start. Since all-night reading marathons are not conducive to clear-headed work, I've shied away from books. I need to change that. Borrowing from a friend's wonderful idea, I'm going to write down the titles I read this year.
The officials goals are as follows: 1) read at least two books a month, 2) read at least six Christian living books, 3) read at least six of the classics, and 4) in general, try to break away from my usual light-headed Christian romance novel (not that there's anything wrong with it, but I'd like to challenge myself with something a little weightier)
Writing
This is a biggie. From the time I was in second grade, I can remember making up stories. By fifth grade, I was turning in two pages of story while the other kids were writing one paragraph at best. In high school, every teacher I had told me I could be published someday.
It's time for me to quit talking and quit threatening and actually do it. I'll never know if I don't try, and I'm sick of wondering "what if". Therefore, my first writing goal for this year is to at least begin the elusive novel. What direction it will take I've no idea. I think I'll at least start in Christian fiction, because something tells me it will be a good spot to test the water, so to speak. If I can cut it there, maybe - just maybe - I can make it in the secular world, too.
There's something else that I need to do, though. I have an autobiography that my great-great-grandmother wrote. It was never published, and the grammar and spelling are not stellar by any means, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. She tells her story, simply and matter-of-factly. I want to do the same thing for my grandchildren. My story may not be all that interesting, but I owe it to them to be the ones to decide whether or not it was worth the effort. I wouldn't expect it to ever be published, but it still needs to be written. This year, I'll start at the beginning, and just see how far I get. I'm not setting a timeline, since it obviously isn't over yet, anyway.
Spirituality
I saved this for last because it's the most important. I grew more last year than I have in perhaps the sum of my entire life, but I don't want to stop there. Today I picked up a one-year bible, NLT version. I think I may really like it - each day chooses a passage from the New and Old Testament, as well as a snippet of Psalms and Proverbs.
I don't want to stop there. I need to find a way to do some serious study. Although I prefer verse-by-verse study, I'm open to different methods. I might even dig up old Bible Bowl material and use that as a starting point.
Maybe the most important step for me will be to stabilize my prayer life. I have the hardest time concentrating, which always leaves me feeling guilty. I really want consistency in this part of my life.
So there you have it. A list of goals, doable but challenging. Stay tuned for the rest of the story....
No comments:
Post a Comment