Happy 2009

Happy New Year to everyone! Ok, I know it's Jan. 2nd already. Seems I'm always a day late and a dollar short.

I was thinking about the new year and what it means to me. I like to think of it as a fresh start. Instead of resolutions that tend to be made and broken within a few short weeks, I decided to set some goals for myself as well as set some family goals.

I found this on a friend of a friend's blog and it hit the nail on the head with something I've been pondering a lot lately. She talks about how she wants to improve the way she speaks TO others; to her husband and children, and also the ways she speaks ABOUT others. This is something I definitely need to work on. We also need to work on this as a family, but someone has to set the example.

I don't know this person's name or I would give her the credit here, but this is what she had to say about this goal.

First I want to share a scripture that is going to be my character goal :

"Therefore, strengthen your brethren in all your conversation, in all your prayers, in all your exhortations, and in all your doings." Doctrine and Covenants 108:7

I have really felt that one area of my life that needs work is the way I speak TO others, from myself to my husband to my children. This also includes the way I speak ABOUT someone to other people. There are a lot of scriptures that tell us the importance of our words and here are a few :

"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grevious words stir up anger." Proverbs 15:1

"A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perversness therein is a breach in the spirit." Proverbs 15:4

"Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles." Proverbs 21:23

"A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike." Proverbs 27:15

The reason I like the verse in D&C 108 so much is that it puts my goal in a positive light. I am trying to strengthen and uplift others instead of being critical, rude, grumpy, unkind, or angry with my words and actions.

I agree 100% and I couldn't have said it any better if I had written this myself.

Other goals I have for the new year---

Make better food choices: Meal plan for healthier family meals. Cut waaaay back on refined sugars---sodas, junk food, etc. All things in moderation! Ween myself off caffeine.

Food Storage, Food Storage, Food Storage! This one has been on my mind A LOT lately.

Study scriptures for at least 30 min. a day. I want to include studying the Relief Society lesson, Sunday school lesson and Ensign with this. I usually read the Ensign fairly often until I've read the entire issue, but I tend to neglect the others.

I have other things I want to work on, but I know I better start small, form the habit, and recognize my progress before I try to add anything else.

As for our family goals, those are a work in progress. We attempted to work on it in FHE this past week, but I think we'll have to do a "part 2". You know how kids' attention spans can be. We were also putting together a time capsule of sorts for 2008 and we didn't quite make it to the goals for 2009 part.

A couple of things I'd like us to work on is being more consistent with FHE and family scripture study. We're already doing much better with FHE. We used to read the scriptures every night before the kids bedtime and I can see a huge difference in the atmosphere in our home from then to now. I want that back. There are other things we need to work on but we'll have to take things one step at a time.

Best wishes to all of you for a happy and healthy new year!!!