New Year 2018

As my winter break comes to an end, I'm trying to put the new year into perspective and gain some momentum for my life in this new year. 

Here are a couple of things that are sticking out to me as I think of the new year:

1. Just recently, I read that "you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with - choose wisely".
• For me, the people I spend the most time with are:  Nick, Ali, Adrienne, Tracy, and Michelle.  That's not a bad group of people.  If I had to be an average of those 5 people, I would say I'm in pretty good shape.
2. Another thing that I read was from my Bible Study on 1 Peter.  The author of the study, Jen Wilkin, said that Christians should live their lives in such a way that their actions make them stand out from others.  That way, when non-believers see us, they can plainly see that something is different about us.
• When I think of my girls, I want them to "STICK OUT" and in many ways, I think they do.  They are different than the other kids in their classes.  And I believe that a big part of that difference is that they have Jesus in their hearts.  Sometimes it can just take my breath away with the simplicity of their faith.  It is not something they ever question or hesitate to talk about.  It is something I aspire to emulate.
• I also apply that to my school. I want us to be so amazing to our kids that we "STICK OUT" and are plainly different than every other school out there. That difference will attract others to us and want them to be part of our "TEAM".
3. Honor our leaders.  I need to do a better job of this.  My Bible Study of 1 Peter discussed how we are to honor and respect our leaders and people of authority.  We are to honor them in thoughts, actions, and speech.  Man, that was something I definitely needed to take to heart.  My study said that we are to disagree honorably and not to question out loud.  I really need to work on that! 

So, as I think of the New Year and things that I want to work on for 2018, I kind of have a laundry list.  I plan to try to whittle it down over the next few days and really focus in on just a few.  Here are the things I'm throwing around in my brain:

• Healthy Mind:  find joy and peace in this life.  Do the things that bring me joy:  craft, write, read, play piano, etc.
• Healthy Body:  exercise daily, eat well, have energy for life.
• Healthy Spirit:  continue to apply the wisdom of my Bible Study to my life & strengthen my relationship with God.
• Healthy Finances:  pay off credit card and become debt-free.
• Healthy Family:  savor every moment with my family.  Spend more quality time with the people I love the most.  Dinners together, less TV, more present!
• Healthy Organization:  get my home organized and clean.  De-clutter, de-stress, de-JUNK.
• Healthy Projects:  get my painting and furniture projects completed.
• paint trim, farmhouse table, paint table, etc.

For now, that is what I am thinking.  I guess I have decided on a "ONE LITTLE WORD" without even realizing it.......HEALTHY.  So, going back to work tomorrow, I would like to focus on being healthy and happy and having a great start to 2018!

Happy New Year everyone!!!