Goals

While reading the Biblical Womanhood blog today, I became inspired to set some personal goals, ones I will actively work on achieving, for the year of 2009. This is different from a resolution, in my opinion, and I have decided to make a few for myself and see what happens. The beginning of the month seems like a great place to start!

Read at least one book (outside of school) a month (until I graduate, then it will go up).

Memorize one memory verse a week and work on memorizing a larger chunk each month. (memorization has always helped me in so many ways, so I really want to get back on track with this).

Write at least 6 pages a week. (this is not that much, but I feel so overburdened with school work. At the very least I should be writing on the weekends!)

Start scrap booking again-- work on a couple of pages each month.

Crochet for at least one hour a week. (this can be broken into 10 and 20 minute sessions!)

Stay on track to run a half-marathon in May.

Give more, spend less. (This is something that I really have a heart to do, but with our small budget, it always tends to seem impossible. However, ever since I learned about advanced couponing, I have a feeling it will be very much possible! I also want to give more with my time in volunteer work- firstly at the food pantry for at least 4 hours each month.)

Join a small group at Crossroads and volunteer at least once a month. (We just joined our new church, and I really want to get connected in ways that will help us meet people and encourage us to grow in our faith!)

Well, that's quite a list of goals, so I think I will just work on tackling these first!!

Christmas Crafts

Its that time of year again. The malls are packed, the roads are jammed, the stores are lit up, the houses are too, the santas are everywhere and the bell ringers are ho hoing. Credit cards are being maxed out, pine trees line the sidewalks, tinsel is hung and carols are everywhere.

Its Christmas season 2008.

I love Christmas season not for the gifts I receive but the gifts I get to give. I also love the decorations and the lights. The cookies and the warm smelling pastries are great too. This Christmas is extra special, however, since it is Rob and I's first Christmas together. Although a good chunk of it will be spent traveling and visiting with family, there will be time for us to create our new traditions as well.

This year, since we are quite tight on funds (and who isn't when the world economy is in a recession?) we are handmaking all of our gifts this year. Today we went to Hobby Lobby and the dollar store and got our supplies- I can hardly wait to start working on them! So far we have spent 40 dollars total which includes gifts for 6 people. Although the expense of most of our gifts is low, a lot of time will be spent in making it all come together. I won't reveal any secrets here just yet (there could be family members who read this!) but I will say that the things we plan on creating will be priceless. And isn't that the heart of Christmas after all? Sharing and showing you love for others.