This post is in response to a meme I’d been tagged with by "Sprittibee":http://www.sbees.blogspot.com. I should have answered it a long time ago, but she sent 29 questions and I just haven’t been able to sit down and noodle them with the care they require.
I’m not going to tag anyone else, but if you’re reading this and care to write out your own resolutions, please send me your link, I’d love to read it! You can also email me at <a href="mailto:ctadams@borntolead.com">ctadams@borntolead.com</a>.
This post is in response to a meme I’d been tagged with by "Sprittibee":http://www.sbees.blogspot.com. I should have answered it a long time ago, but she sent 29 questions and I just haven’t been able to sit down and noodle them with the care they require.
I’m not going to tag anyone else, but if you’re reading this and care to write out your own resolutions, please send me your link, I’d love to read it! You can also email me at <a href="mailto:ctadams@borntolead.com">ctadams@borntolead.com</a>.
29 RESOLUTIONS FOR THIS HOMESCHOOL YEAR (21 was all I could muster!)
1. WHAT'S ONE THING YOU COULD DO THIS YEAR TO INCREASE YOUR ENJOYMENT OF GOD?
Serving and studying. Several years ago my husband and I began to search for a new church home. I didn’t feel that the church we had been attending was providing enough “spiritual food.” During this time, I was doing a 4 mile prayer walk every morning where I’d just pray and listen as I was walking. He (God) stopped me in my tracks one day by telling me that the way to be “fed” was to serve others. He was right (of course) and we ended up at that same church for another 1 ½ years serving as adult Sunday school leaders for a class that had dwindled and would have been discontinued. When it was finally time to leave, God provided a new church home that was ripe with mission opportunities.
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I am also in my 4th year of Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) and we are studying the book of Genesis. This year I am going to be teaching 3rd and 4th graders, which I expect will provide ample opportunity to rely on God! Through daily reading of the bible and meditation in His word, my mind and heart are primed for the Holy Spirit.
2. WHAT'S THE MOST HUMANLY IMPOSSIBLE THING YOU WILL ASK GOD TO DO THIS YEAR?
Two changes in my heart condition: Give me a servant’s heart with a genuine love for all people. Also, help me break free of my sin of overeating by making my motivation to lose weight His glory, not mine.
3. WHAT'S THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU COULD DO TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR FAMILY LIFE THIS YEAR?
Spend more one-on-one time with my husband.
4. IN WHICH SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE DO YOU MOST WANT TO MAKE PROGRESS THIS YEAR, AND WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT?
Evangelizing to people who are sick of hearing the “Do you know where you’re going when you die?” bit. The road that has taken me from atheism to Christ has been uncomfortably humbling. The freedom that I’ve found is indescribable.
What will I do about it? Seek God’s counsel and invite Him to use me as He sees fit.
5. WHAT IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST TIME-WASTER IN YOUR LIFE, AND WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT THIS YEAR?
There are 2, I would say: TV and Internet Blog writing/reading. The TV I can give up in a heartbeat, as far as blogging, I’d have to pray for a 27 hour day.
6. WHAT IS THE MOST HELPFUL NEW WAY YOU COULD STRENGTHEN YOUR CHURCH?
Actively engage in our church’s mission, to make sure everyone in the greater Austin area has the opportunity to experience the life changing reality of Jesus because they’ve heard the gospel from the lips of a Hill Country Bible Church member. Seek these opportunities!
7. WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT WAY YOU WILL, BY GOD'S GRACE, TRY TO MAKE THIS YEAR DIFFERENT FROM LAST YEAR?
Embrace our Konos (the curriculum we use) unit studies to really instill the character traits they are meant to teach, and not skimp or procrastinate on the activities. I now have a Kindergartener and a 2nd grader learning together – makes school more fun!
8. WHAT ONE THING COULD YOU DO TO IMPROVE YOUR PRAYER LIFE THIS YEAR?
Make daily quiet time and keep a journal; write down prayer requests and follow up for their answers.
9. WHAT SINGLE THING THAT YOU PLAN TO DO THIS YEAR WILL MATTER MOST IN TEN YEARS? IN ETERNITY?
In 10 years: Proverbs 22:6 Teach your kids in the way they should go and when they are grown they will not depart from it. In Eternity: Proverbs 22:6
10. WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS YEAR?
What is God’s will for our business? Choose to follow and accept His will – with joy.
11. WHAT AREA OF YOUR LIFE MOST NEEDS SIMPLIFYING, AND WHAT'S ONE WAY YOU COULD SIMPLIFY IN THAT AREA?
I guess paper clutter. I need to create more sensible files and a system for finding documents quickly.
12. WHAT IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT FINANCIAL GOAL THIS YEAR, AND WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP YOU CAN TAKE TOWARD ACHIEVING IT?
To regularly pay our mortgage from income earned through our business, without having to dip into our savings. The most important step we can take to achieve that goal is to pray for God’s will for our livelihood and follow His will.
13. WHAT'S ONE THING YOU COULD DO THIS YEAR TO ENRICH THE SPIRITUAL LEGACY YOU WILL LEAVE TO YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN?
I will pray that they feel God’s presence in a real way. I think we all tend to build a big wall of SELF between ourselves and God, preventing us from seeing that He is actively controlling even the smallest aspect of our lives. I will encourage them to seek God in all things.
14. WHAT ONE THING DO YOU MOST REGRET ABOUT LAST YEAR, AND WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT THIS YEAR?
I try not to waste my time on regrets. Each year I need to get better at living up to my God given potential and closer to finding my purpose. Everything in life happens for a reason and my mistakes have made me who I am; the person that God still showers with new mercies each day, so I’m okay with that.
15. WHAT SINGLE BLESSING FROM GOD DO YOU WANT TO SEEK MOST EARNESTLY THIS YEAR?
Blessing on our business; allowing us greater opportunity to give to others and to His Kingdom. I wouldn’t trade this time of learning and growing and I know we’re not yet mature stewards of His gifts. I want Him to bless our effort and our patience and I AM SO thankful for His.
16. IN WHAT AREA OF YOUR LIFE DO YOU MOST NEED GROWTH, AND WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT THIS YEAR?
Stewardship. We are learning as a family to take better care of our finances, our material blessings, our bodies, and using our spiritual gifts to bless others.
17. WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT TRIP YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS YEAR?
To see my sister and her family. I’ve missed them for 3 years and it just has not seemed financially prudent to travel. Hopefully this year we can arrange to see them now that they are back from Germany.
18. WHAT SKILL DO YOU MOST WANT TO LEARN OR IMPROVE THIS YEAR?
Ooooh, how to sing and play the guitar better. Or to sew. Or to knit a really cool sweater. Or more home improvement….
19. TO WHAT NEED OR MINISTRY WILL YOU TRY TO GIVE AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT THIS YEAR?
To the East Austin ReaLife Center, an after school and bible-study program for East Austin kids.
20. WHAT ONE BIBLICAL DOCTRINE DO YOU MOST WANT TO UNDERSTAND BETTER THIS YEAR, AND WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT?
Love your neighbor as you love yourself. In another epiphany from the Holy Spirit, I learned that I cannot love God with my whole heart, mind, spirit and strength until I learn how to love the people He created and for whom He allowed His Son to die. It has been a few years now since He laid that on my heart, and I’m still not there. I’m closer, but not nearly there. That, my friends, is the narrow path.
21. IF THOSE WHO KNOW YOU BEST GAVE YOU ONE PIECE OF ADVICE, WHAT WOULD THEY SAY? WOULD THEY BE RIGHT? WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT?
Hmmm. Maybe speak less and listen more? I don’t know, I’ll have to ask some of my friends for their honest critique. I like to think that I take criticism well, so I’d assume they are right and try to change.