4 goals

(first published 01/01/2010)
What a peaceful day! We didn't celebrate the New Year with a big bang but rather doing around-the-house, everyday stuff: the laundry was sorted, the kids played in the falling snow - twice, my hubby beat me at Scrabble - twice, and we enjoyed our favorite meals for breakfast (pancakes, eggs & fresh syrup) and for dinner (hamburgers, chips & salsa). We nibbled on the leftover treats from last night's party, and I remembered - all day long - how much I enjoy rice krispy treats. (Sad start to my goal of eating healthier...) But oh well.
And that brings me to my second goal. I'm going to be at peace with my children, my hubby, my extended family, the chaos that results from raising 5 kids, my world at large, and myself. In particular, I'm going to say, "oh well" more often. When my hubby's socks are sitting right in front of the laundry basket instead of inside the basket itself, I'm not going to huffily put them where they belong but rather just pick 'em up, put 'em inside and say, "oh well ..." When the garbage didn't get put at the curb or the floor didn't get swept because one of my children didn't quite get around to the chore, I'm not going to be angry and let it affect me. "Oh well," I'm going to say - outloud and to myself, on a constant basis. It'll get done, whatever it is ... but perhaps not exactly when I wanted it done. (Don't misunderstand. I'm not letting go of my quest to make sure my children understand the importance of work but I'm not going to be angry anymore when excellence is my goal, not theirs). I'm going to a little more loving, logical, and ultimately peaceful. Hopefully.
My third goal is to read and study the Old Testament. I've never done it - actually read word-for-word the entire book. I've read and studied the other scriptures but this time I'm going to tackle the work I've found most foreboding, esp. Isiah. And there's no "we'll see" about this goal. I'm going to do it!
My fourth goal is to journal, to blog, to write. Everyday. I'll write about my children, my opinions, my progress in keeping my goals, my life, and hopefully I'll become a better writer and person by so doing. We'll see. (Not about the everyday goal to write, but about the becoming a better writer and person.) Here's to the all-powerful entity of hope!