Goals for 2010

I have many goals for this year, and as I think through them, they are things that I've already begun or put a lot of thought and energy into.  I just want to make them more a part of my life.  If I don't meet every one of them, I won't worry about it; this is just a good place to start.  After I have Levi (which is very soon), some things will have to be put on hold, and I'm okay with that.  The most important things that I need to focus on are 1) My relationship with Christ, 2) My relationship with my husband, 3) Raising my kids up in godliness, 4) Loving and ministering to others, and 5) Feeding my family nutritious foods (this one is important, but the least important of my priorities). 

Personal/Spiritual/Family Goals:

~ Spend time with Jesus before the kids wake up every morning.  I was doing really well with this until the past month.  I hope to get back into this routine.  It sure makes a difference!
~ Do actual Bible STUDIES.  Don't just read through, but actually study it.  Robert and I have been reading Nehemiah and reading the Matthew Henry commentary on it.  We plan to do the same with Esther next :).
~ Continue to make intentional efforts to let things go that don't matter and not allow others' opinions bother me (ask myself- "will this matter in 2 weeks?")
~ Read more.  Actually finish the 5 books that I have started but not finished!
~ Spend less time online (did really well for a while; been online a little more the past few days!).  I plan to do this by limiting my time to a little bit first thing in the morning before the kids wake up and during their afternoon nap.  We'll see how that goes :).
~ Spend very little time with the TV on.  It'll help that we will most likely get rid of our Dish Network and just buy a converter box and use an antenna.  All we will get is local channels!
~ After the baby is born and it's okay to do this, start exercising regularly.  Do this not to "lose weight," but to just be healthy and feel better.  Take the kids for walks; go for family walks in the evenings when possible.
~ Cut down my sugar intake.  Get back to rarely having sodas.  Drink water in the dining hall instead of sweet tea!
~ Drink mostly water.  When drinking coffee, drink only water processed decaf. 
~ Spend more time playing with the kids.
~ Focus on training my kids up in godliness.
~ Begin doing some more actual lessons with Karis.  She is so eager to learn and pretty much picks things up on her own, but she enjoys actual lessons as well and I think she would greatly benefit from them.  This will begin my preparation for homeschooling her (which I might actually start in the fall!). 
~ Don't focus on having a spotless house every day.  Just do a few things each day (sweep, load dish washer, quick clean up, and one load of laundry) and let it go for the most part!  It is more important to focus on training up my kids, playing, and making nutritious food!
~ Spend specific times planning and organizing (plan this with Robert's schedule- a time to get away!).

"In the Kitchen" Goals:
I'm super excited about this area because I have found some great resources recently for buying local, whole, grass fed, and raw.  Great opportunities are arising :).

~ Begin grinding my own flour (will begin as soon as I receive my grain mill and grain!!)
~ Try making homemade yogurt (with a crockpot recipe that I found).
~ Get back to menu planning and stick to it.  Just be more organized with cooking/baking.
~ Make most things from scratch (get back to this!).
~ Begin buying raw milk at Dyer Dairy Farm once a month.  Make homemade butter using the cream on top.
~ Buy local as much as possible.  I have found MANY avenues of doing this recently.  One source is Wild Type Ranch.  I can pick up their beef and eggs when I pick up my milk.  Their grass fed beef is the cheapest that I have found (if I buy 10 chub packs of ground beef, which is about 11 pounds, it is only $3.18 a pound!) !!  I can also buy some bulk items and seasonal fruits and veggies at Dyer Dairy.
~ Begin buying in bulk when possible.  This usually saves quite a bit of money!!  Find as many online sources as possible.  Most of my meat buying will be once a month or even less often than that.
~ Work on my grocery budget!  Cut out in other places in order to be able to spend more on quality foods.
~ Stick to my "lunch only" plan for the dining hall.  Be flexible, though, when things don't go as planned.  Just do the best I can!
~ Focus on nutrition before "organic" (meaning whole and grass fed).  Buy organic when I can.

Ministry Goals:
~ Have our home always open for people to come hang out.
~ Be ready to listen when someone needs to talk.
~ Be ready to love people at any moment.
~ Don't speak negatively to or about anyone.  Try to find the good in everyone instead of focusing on the bad.  Discuss this goal with my friends so that we can all work on it together!!
~ Continue seeking unity here at camp and doing my part to make this happen.