Goals for 2012

So I have been averaging about one post per year.  If you look back at my paper journals I am actually making a considerable improvement here than there!  Well, if I try to recap a year, I will never to it.  So, I will just put down my goals for 2012 so at least I know they are documented and out there.  Then we can go from there!

God has shown me a lot in the last year about how He is calling me to live a life that is a little different than the world calls me to live.  In everything from our finances (the system from Financial Peace University with Dave Ramsey) to parenting (Love & Logic parenting) to the choices we make about what to eat (going more organic and unprocessed) and what to watch on TV (like the fact that I am putting the kibosh on almost all tween-type Disney TV and on several dramas that I like to watch).  For exampe, the world says "charge it!"  But I believe He wants me to save for things I want to buy and have no debt (insert gasp!).  The world says "Buy, Buy, Buy!!"  I believe he wants me to live simply.  The world says give your kids what they want, make them the center of your universe.  I believe GOD wants to be the center of our universe, and then spouses and kids go next, in that order (understanding, of course, that in certain seasons children require more attention!).  The world says "Low fat, No fat, fake food is fine."  I believe that He says food from the earth and food that had a mother is what we should be putting in our bodies...not chemicals.  The world (through popular Disney shows) tells us that kids should be sassy, have attitude, roll their eyes and talk back to their parents.  Um...no.  And shows tell us adults that we should sleep around, consider cheating, talk behind our friends backs, and be rude and lie when necessary. (Seriously, why do we WATCH this stuff?) Obviously, HE wants us to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness & self-control. What a concept, hey? But how can I expect my kids to behave way that when their roll models on TV don't act that way? And how many of us have stopped to really think about how the shows we watch affect how we act in real life. Garbage in...garbage out.

So, my goal for 2012 is to make choices that are in line with the way God wants me to live.  Sounds simple.  It actually is simple, just isn't always easy.  But I also want to show my kids that in this world many times we have to sacrifice what we want in the moment to live the way we know is good for us, the way God wants us to live.  That might mean walking away from Facebook or the tablet game I want to play, turning off the inappropriate tv show, or throwing away the cookies I want to eat even when my flesh tells me to just do it.  SO not easy.  But I am up for the challenge!  Anyone want to join me?

Happy New Year!!

Leaning on HIS grace!
Colleen