Write Your Vision

How's your 2012 starting out? Mine...I won't complain, but it could have been better. We rang in the New Year with these little ones! THAT was a great start to 2012!
They were here 4 nights and left on New Years Day. It was a wonderful time with those babies, and I treasure every minute. When they left, it was so quiet, I almost couldn't stand it! All that was left was this....I left it there for most of the day....just wasn't ready to let them go.
I still had children at home though, and let me tell ya, the drama started! The first few days of 2012 had me reeling. My daughter dodged a huge missile...I am not even sure she realizes it, but someday the Lord will show her just how blessed she was in that first week of 2012!In the meantime, I am thankful that God gave me the wisdom, even in a way I never expected, to make the right choices for my family. It hurts my pride to say, had I just listened to my husband in the first place...but you know I have to figure it out on my own sometimes. I am blessed to have a husband who gets that about me.
And all the while, this smile and that twinkle in his eye, reminded me of what being a mother is all about....hard choices, but also great rewards! (I got a hug from my daughter too...eventually)
I can't share photos of the kids and not mention the girls....they continue to love each other and play and cause all kinds of their own drama...but it is fun drama! I sure love these girlies!
(the small one wears the big one out!)

So it is the new year, and even thought the first few days of mine were rough going, it does not mean my 2012 is without promise! I spent the week between Christmas and New Year like I do every year.... I wrote my vision for the coming year. Back in the early 90's, my Pastor, (Pastor Mike, from my church in McHenry) did a New Years teaching on writing the vision...see Habakkuk 2. Ever since, I have been writing my vision for the coming year. He taught me how to use specific categories....since then, I have designed these around my own life, and have come up with the following.....many of these are the ones he gave us to use in an outline (Gosh, he is a gifted teacher! I sure miss him!)

1) Spiritual and Innerdevelopment, 2)Family/Relationship, 3) Personal Development, 4)Ministry, 5) Physical and Health, 6) Homeschool, 7) Marriage, 8) Homemaking, 9) Material, 10) Reading, 11) Home Improvement, 12) Blogging, and last but never least QUILTING! Quilting get's it's own page!

I have to say that most of the time I meet my goals with a 70% success, though last year was more of a failure....good-bye 2011!!!! Now all those categories may look overwhelming....you can choose ONE and go with that! Just set at least 3 goals for the coming year for yourself! Write the vision....it will be worth it! The other part of that verse says to make it plain on tablets...your tablet can be your computer, your phone, or like me...use an old fashioned piece of lead and some paper!!! I have used a piece of poster board and cut out pictures in the past....making a goal poster is a fun way to write the vision! I keep my goals in the back of my binder so I can see them....the third part of this is "so you can see them and run with them" (my own paraphrase)I put the categories as a heading and then make more detailed goals underneath...just 1-3 goals per heading, though a couple of categories got more this year. For example, under Homemaking Goals, I have listed, Organize each room, Use binder schedule daily, Use my monthly cleaning schedule.....Also, along with using the binder schedule, I am using a daily PODA....
Now, what happens when you get off track for any reason? I had a horrible cold yesterday...I am much better today thanks to Zicam...but I did NOTHING yesterday, which was scheduled to be a big cleaning day! Well I did make my bed and had to run the errands on the list, but other than that I laid around or hand quilted the day and evening away! This morning I read this wonderful post. Today, I am NOT returning to yesterday's list, but continuing on with today's jobs. Yesterday's list will get another chance next Wednesday!

Some other detailed goals under the heading of Physical/Heath are to continue the WW meetings every week, increase my activity (there is also a detailed plan for that...you can not be too vague), and to make 2012 a completely meat-free year. Under Home Improvement, I have listed paint the bedroom, and tear down wallpaper in kitchen...both of these were carried over from last year, and that's ok. It just gives them more of a priority this year! Quilting goals??? those deserve a post of their own, but you know what is number 1 on that list, right?!
Now go write your vision!!!! Make it plain on tablets, so that you can see it and run with it. Here is to a productive 2012!!!