Do, Read, Learn, Be...Goals for Life!

I follow a wonderful blog called Biblical Homemaking.  In 2012, as part of her blog, Mandy challenged women to makes monthly goals to do something, read a book (or books!), learn how to do something and be something different for your family and friends that allows you to be Jesus to them.

Mandy's goals looked like this:

Do:

• remodel kitchen- paint/refinish cabinets and walls - we went a different direction and worked on the family closet instead- we built new cabinets, which we completed! yay!
• plant early garden veggies-  done for the most part- waiting on the garden to be tilled
• work on adding more freezer meals as I can - did nothing here. Making extra meals just wasn't in the cards this month. That's okay!
• finish crocheting scarf- I'm almost done with this, but I really messed it up and I don't even want to finish it. What to do now? :P Who really needs a winter scarf in Texas anyway, right? 
• work on two big spring cleaning projects - I crossed off most of my living room spring cleaning projects, and I've been sorting through the children's clothing as well. Winter clothes are officially out. :P

Read:

• finish up February’s books - done
• read Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit by Francis Chan- I listened to this one and loved it. Very true, and it gave me so much to think about. 

Learn:

• Memorize  1 Peter 2:1-12 - almost there! video soon! :DD

Be:  

• sweet- surprise the kids with an unexpected trip to the park - we had fun with this. Not only did we go to the park, we went to see the Lorax, and did special activities at home, and even made them special food as a surprise. I love seeing their precious faces when we do something for them they don't expect. :D success!             

                                                      

After reading Mandy's list ( and feeling QUITE inadequate!), I feel compelled to create my own monthly "Do, Read, Learn, Be" list!  It is a work in progress, but I am praying about what the Lord would have me do in the next 30 days.   I hope to post my "DRLB" list by Friday and I will begin working on completing my goals then!

My challenge to you is to do the same!  Some of us may work full-time at home as moms, some of us work outside the home, and some of us work and work and work!  So the challenge isn't to outdo our friends or other women; this challenge is simply for YOU!  To better yourself and increase what you're doing for the Kingdom.  There is no right way to do the challenge; there is no wrong way to do it.  The challenge is only to make goals, work at them and complete them!

Prayers and blessings as you embark on a new journey for the next 30 days!!! 

Struggles...Paul said there'd be days like these!!

The first three months of the year were quite a struggle for me as a mom, homeschooler, student, homemaker and wife.  Members of our immediate family have alienated us and removed themselves from our lives and it has been devastating, to say the least.  My homeschooling endeavors have netted less than desirable results and I have often fallen short of my weekly lesson planned goals.  I have submitted class assignments for my own school work late and feel challenged to complete the weekly assignments by the deadlines.  My kitchen has met with dishes stacked on the counters and in the sink, desperately waiting for me to put them in the dishwasher.  I have barked at my husband for menial things such as the television being turned up too loud or his empty fast food beverage cups being left all over the house.  I have been challenged in all areas of my life in just the past 90 days!

The word struggle means this:

 

1.to contend with an adversary or opposing force.

2.to contend resolutely with a task, problem, etc.; strive: to struggle for existence.

3.to advance with violent effort: to struggle through the snow.

4. (of athletes and competitors) to be coping with inability to perform well or to win; contend with difficulty.

Thankfully, I know I am not alone in these struggles. Philippians 1:29-30 says, " For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,  since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have."  Paul struggled with the things of life and wrote about it to the Philippians to encourage them that they were NOT alone in their struggles.  Paul further encourages his friends and fellow believers " I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me." (Romans 15:30).  We need to let our brothers and sisters in Jesus know of our struggles so that they may join us in prayer that we would overcome these struggles!  Notice Paul said to join him in praying to God.  We need to actively pray for ourselves that we would see the breakthrough, too!  We also need to persevere in our praying.  Paul wrote, "We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them."  (1 Thessalonians 3:2-3).

Be encouraged today that while it may seem as though the struggles you and I are facing today are new and that at times it may appear we are going through these things on our own, we are not alone!