Goal-Setter/Goal-Getter

So here we are again… 

It’s February 28, the last day of this short month, and I am scrambling to keep up with my goal of one blog post per month. I originally set that goal thinking it would be pretty manageable to keep, but it’s proving to be a little harder than I expected. Nonetheless, I am determined. Other than blogging, I feel like I did so good in January. I had a checklist going. Every day or every couple of days, I would go through my goals to make sure I was on track. I even learned how to make homemade flour tortillas, which sounds silly, but it was legit one of my goals. I even bought a tortilla press and a tortilla warmer and broke out my dough hook attachment that I'd never used. 

Aren't they pretty?!  They were so good too! 
Why didn't I learn to make these sooner??

Then February hit, and I’m not sure what happened. Well actually I am. Everything happened. My oldest two children are both February babies along with two of their cousins. My oldest is in competitive gymnastics, so she had two meets this month. My middle is playing Little League basketball, so we’ve had practices throughout the week and games on Saturdays. In addition, to all those things, we had the county fair and a million pageants, Super Bowl Sunday (Go Chiefs!!!), Valentine's Day, and birthday parties and birthday celebrations galore. We’ve gone to an NBA game and to Sea World. We're learning about trying out for Junior High sports and getting our first sports packet and physical done. At school/work, I planned and went on a field trip, have several fundraisers going on, ran a concession stand, made a ton of Valentine's Day goodies, and am in the middle of planning a parent night and setting up interviews for our AVID program. plus, there's all the regular life stuff. February just hasn't been a regular month. so many good things, but also just so many things. I can't keep up with it all. My goals (and my laundry!!) have definitely taken the back burner. I don’t think I’ve managed to walk a single time in the last four weeks. In January I did so great. I was at like a 40-day streak for my Spanish, practicing on Duolingo, but I definitely broke that streak multiple times this month too.

One Steady Thing

The one thing that I have managed to do every single day, is read my Bible. To me it’s the most important goal that I had anyway. I truly don’t think I could’ve made it through these last four weeks of madness without that little quiet time every day. I started a plan called The Bible in 52 Weeks, and there’s a book to go along with it, which I will link here.. Here's a pic...

"The Bible in 52 Weeks"

This plan is pretty awesome, because in these first two months of the year, I have already read Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, most of Numbers, some Psalms and Proverbs, and all of Matthew. I think it might be the best I’ve ever done!! Normally it takes me like 3 years to read the whole Bible, but with this plan, I think I really can do it in a year!! Yay! There's also a short devotion every week to go along with it, which I'm really enjoying. But what I really love, is the Bible that I’m using. It’s called the Jesus Bible I got it back in like 2017 at a passion conference, and I’ve wanted to read it ever since then, but I was in the middle of a plan at the time, and once I finish that plan, I became a slacker, to be quite honest. This year, I finally decided it was time. And it has been such a blessing. If you’re looking for a great study Bible, this is it. I’m honestly almost in tears as I type this. It is beautiful to see how God had a plan from the very beginning. You can see how Jesus was always the plan. This specific study Bible does such a great job of giving you additional information and connecting the dots that you might otherwise overlook. As I’ve been reading every day, I read all the sidebars, all the additional pages of notes, and I’m blown away. God really is so faithful.  

This is my version of the Jesus

Bible, but there are so many

options to choose from now.

This is what the inside looks like...

 I love that there is plenty of room 

for notes and doodles, and this

is an example of one of the side bars.

What I'm Learning about Myself

In my reading, I’ve also learned a lot about myself. As I’m reading Numbers right now, I’m ashamed to admit that I am realizing I am so much like those early Israelites. God has led me out of my own version of Egypt, my own version of slavery. He has heard my cry and answered my prayer time and time again. He has shown himself to me in ways that are nothing short of miraculous. He has provided for me in ways that are certainly supernatural. I have been set free, and I have the things I've prayed for. I have all the things I need, and anytime I haven't, GOd has ALWAYS made a way. And yet, and yet... And yet I grumble, and I complain, and I doubt what He’s up to. I doubt that He has a hand in at all. I doubt that He has a plan. I doubt that He’ll take care of me like He always has. I read Numbers (and Exodus and Leviticus for that matter), and I want to be able to look down at the Israelites (Gosh they are so annoying! How do they not get it???) But I am just like them. Seeing myself in them has been really eye-opening and convicting. I've got some work to do... sounds like I need another goal, to be more grateful and less grumbly.

So Back to My Goals...

I am so thankful that of all my goals, at least managing to read my Bible has made it. Another goal that I’ve had for the last several years has been to read at least one book every month.  Right now, I am actually on track with that goal as well. In addition to my Bible reading, I’m slowly doing another devotional, and I just finished my third book of the year earlier this week. I think this all connects to one of my other goals, which is less social media. I know goals need to be specific and measurable, but I just went with "less," which is neither specific nor measurable, and in fact, both vague and not easily measurable. Nonetheless, I did really great and completely stayed off any social media at the beginning of the year, but since then, I have pretty much logged in to at least one account at least once a day. But thankfully, God has helped me to limit my time. I might get on for a few minutes here and there, but then I’m ready to log back off. I have learned that I can accomplish so much more even in the busy months, maybe not everything I want to, but more than I was, and more than I could if I was still on social media like I was before. I was letting it take over. I’ll admit it. And there’s not once that I got off that I felt better about myself, that I felt better about the world, that I felt better about my life, that I felt better, Period. I'd read some happy things, but then I'd read so much negativity, drawn to the comment section like a magnet, arguing with complete strangers about literally anything and absolutely nothing at the same time, and feeling never good enough. I know this isn't true for everyone, and I'll even post this very blog on social media, but limiting social media has definitely helped me accomplish my other goals. Some days I find myself falling back into the trap, and I regret it right away. I am so thankful that God is helping me to get my life back, because social media had truly taken over more than I really care to admit. 

So What about You?

So my question to you: what are your goals? How are you managing your goals now that the first two months of 2023 have slipped by? Are you on track? Are you behind? How’s it going? 

I distinctly remember this one sermon in particular when I was a teenager, and it has stuck with me to this day. The lady that spoke that night talked about goals, and she reminded us that we don’t have to wait to set new ones. You don't need a new year to be a new you.  We can literally start over today. Right in this moment, right now. Not only is every day a new day, but every moment is a new moment. And we are in charge of how we spend our moments.  What will the next month... the next two months... the next 10 months of 2023 hold for you? I hope it's all good things.

A Benediction

In my reading of Numbers, I have learned that the song "The Blessing" by Elevation Worship actually came directly from the book of Numbers and was a blessing spoken over the Israelites. As you continue being the best you that you can be and working on achieving all the things and all the goals, this is my prayer for you:

Numbers 6:24-26 - "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace."

Amen.

Thanks for reading!