New Year...New Habits

You can like new year resolutions or hate them...but I have to tell you I love the way a new year gives me the opportunity for a fresh mental start. Yes, I know it's all in my mind...that I could start new habits any day of the year...but I like the freshness of January 1.

This year is a different one for me. I not only take stock of my own life...my own heart...my own future...but I take stock of what my life needs to best serve the life of another. What my own heart needs to cultivate to not only give love to Ryan, but receive love from him. What my future might entail...that will in turn affect HIS future.

He and I have our hopes, of course. Hopes of finding a job for him that is closer to mine so we don't have to spend extra hours each day apart from the other. Hopes of selling both our homes and finding a new house that together we can transform into a home. But it might not happen that way. A year from now, we might still be sitting in this same house, working the same jobs. And if that's the case, it's okay. We'll just pray for extra commuting grace. :)

But here are some things I'm doing in hopes of making a busy-commuting-new-wife life the best it can be. Things that hopefully will cultivate my relationship with God and in turn help me be what Ryan needs.
1. USE the day planner. I bout this Planner Perfect planner partway through the year last year, and I really like it. There's a lot of freedom in it to use the pages how I want to use them...customize them for daily to-do lists, shopping lists, date-planning, and more.

So the goal is to use it to the max...not just to write appointments in the boxes of the monthly calendar, but to use it as its creator intended...to make life dreams and goals a reality on paper.

2. Read through the Bible. A few years ago, I read through the Bible in a year. It felt like a marathon...and we all know how I do with running. NOT WELL. I said I'd never do it again. But I stumbled upon this over at Melanie's blog a few days ago and thought I might give it a shot again this year. She's taken the daily reading plan and transformed it into a weekly reading plan. I like that concept. If I have a day that is packed and I don't get to read...it's okay. And if I have a day with 2 spare hours...(what is THAT!?!?!?) I can catch up...get ahead...whatever!

3. Read a daily devo again. This past year, I really floundered with daily devos. I didn't have one that I read consistently and as a result, my quality time with the Lord every day really suffered. That is not a good way to start a marriage. If I had one thing to do over about this past year...it would be that. I should not have slacked off with my God-time!! So, at my request, Ryan got me this devo book for Christmas:

The book is called Praying the Promises of God by Cheri Fuller and Jennifer Kenned Dean. Lynne told me they are both phenomenal prayer warriors so I'm excited about what the book holds.

4. Participate in Beth Moore's SSMT again. I did this two years ago (she only does it every other year) and it was great accountability for me in working on Scripture memory...which is something I'm TERRIBLE at doing. It urges women to memorize two verses a month - one at the beginning of the month and one halfway through. I'll give it my best shot!

5. Work out 3 times a week. UGH. After the 10K, I completely fell off the exercise bandwagon. Ryan and I got engaged less than a week after the race and the next two months were packed with urgent wedding planning and then there was...you know...Christmas. So I've just done NOTHING. And it shows. I feel disgusting. (Not a great way to start a marriage either...I'm just a slacker!!) So here we go again. Back to the routine. It's really important to Ryan and I want to make sure I stay faithful to that!

6. Date planning once a month. I love theme dates and have some already marinating in my mind. My goal is to plan a fun date for the two of us once a month. I'm excited about sharing them with you after they take place! (Can't tell you before then because Ryan reads the blog and that would ruin the surprise!

So those are some of my goals!!! Hoping for many successes! :)