Intentional/Purposeful in 2013

Last year before the 2012 new year began, I read an article about making New Year Resolutions. It talked about people that make resolutions and fail to keep them. The article's main focus was on a year long attitude....one that isn't necessarily met but a goal that makes a difference in your life. I thought a lot about this and did some praying about it.

I came up with the word that I would try to achieve and that was: CONTENTMENT. I sort of made this my theme for the year 2012. I wanted to gain a stonger feeling of contentment....in all areas of my life and in all circumstances. I wrote the word contentment on a couple of cards and put one in the bathroom, one in my car and one in my bible.....places that I knew I would see it. I prayed about being content throughout the year....asking God to bring my focus back to Him and thanked Him for where I was at that moment in my life. 

It wasn't always easy to be content all the time....did I fail? Sure I did....a lot!!! But I continued to strive for contentment and kept that attitude close in my mind and on my heart. Looking back I feel that I am more content today than I was this time last year.....I certainly have a long way to go to be as God would have me be! I do believe that by striving for an attitude I attained more of the goal than if I had made the goal of losing weight....been there and failed.....reading my bible every day.....still fail to do that but I keep trying.....I know that God is continually working on me and my attitude of being content in the areas of my life that I seem to struggle with. I am blessed that I serve a gracious God that gives me lots of new starts and loves me when I fail.

This year my goal words are: INTENTIONAL/PURPOSEFUL. I know this sounds weird but let me explain....at least let me tell you why I chose these to words for this year. LOL

I find that so many days go by and I haven't accomplished a lot or that I haven't had any meaningful conversations with my friends......haven't spent any meaningful time in pray or in God's word.....I haven't spent intentional time with Ken or any one of my kids or grand babies....well I do spend more time with the grand babies than I do with my kids....that's just how this Granny rolls....HAHAHA!!!

Seriously, I thought back over the last year and realized that time goes by and I haven't served others like I know that I should, I haven't taken care of or loved myself the way that God loves me, I haven't planned alone time with Ken the way that he deserves......I just haven't been intentional in my relationship with God, with Ken, with my family and friends.

This year, 2013, I want to be intentional in my bible study.....sure I read my bible.....sometimes just to check it off my list. This year I want to strive to spend intentional time in the word not just reading it but studying it....applying it.....and praying over my study asking God to speak to me...intentionally!!!! 

This year in 2013, I want to strive to be intentional in my relationship with Ken. He so deserves my undivided attention and a lot of the time he gets a "sure" or "yea" or "hum" and I really haven't heard him or even looked at him......don't tell me that you haven't done that to your husbands or loved ones.....I know I am not the only one!!! I want to intentionally set aside "Ken time" so that he feels he has "me" with him and I am really listening to him!! I want to do things for him the way that he deserves so that he knows that I love him with my whole heart and that he matters more to me than any one else next to God.

This year in 2013, I want to strive to be intentional in our finances....I want to give intentionally and purposefully before anything else. I want to be intentional in my spending, not just spending money and not have anything to show for it.....you know what I mean!! Ken and I both had a lot of money struggles in our previous marriages.....before we got married we talked a lot about how we wanted to handle our finances. I am so blessed that we both feel the same about how we save and give......I just feel that with my allotted "blow money" I am just not using it the way that I should....I want to be purposeful in my spending!! (I hope this makes sense!)

This year in 2013, I want to be intentional with my time and with my home. Ken and I are in the middle of a complete remodel of our home....both bathrooms have been gutted down to the studs and cement floors and remodeled, the house has been leveled, we have a new roof....thus far. In April or May we will begin the kitchen/living area....it's open and the major part of our four bedroom house. As we complete this remodel, I want to be intentional with using our home to invite people in, welcome them into our home. I want to use our home to purposefully glorify God and make people feel welcome. I want others to walk in our home and feel and see Jesus there among us!!

I hope that this has made sense....it does to me but I'm not sure I can get it down on paper and make sense out of it!! I just feel that time goes by and I haven't been intentional/purposeful in the things I have been involved in. This makes me feel sad and unsuccessful in being all that God wants and intends for me to be....I want to do better....this is my goal for 2013!!! Yes, I will lapse, become lazy and just go through my days....but I know that God will be patient with me and I will continue to pray to be intentional/purposeful in my life.

From my corner of the world striving to be intentional in all areas of my life!