Happy New Year 2013

I am sitting here really putting off the fact that I go back to school tomorrow and have not even looked at my school stuff for the last two weeks (thankfully, the kids don't come back to us until Thursday).  However, I as I am sitting here, the fact that a new year is upon us is hitting me more and more.  I have never been one for resolutions, but this year I do have some goals I want to reach.  As I have been sitting, the kids and Damon having been playing football in the living room while watching football while I am trying not to get hit with the football as I catch up on blogs I usually read.

As I read these blogs, I realize the reason I have never made resolutions is because I don't like failure.  I want to succeed in all I do, and, let's be honest, resolutions don't hold up more often than not.  I am VERY OCD and had thought during the few quiet moments I had over Christmas break that I wanted to have certain goals for each month and work on things in my life over the months in the year.  I mean they tell you it take 21 days to make a form a habit, but here it is January 1st and I have not made the list I wanted to. Therefore, thanks to the OCDness in me, I already fill like a failure.

Our elders at church gave us the challenge Sunday at church for our theme to be Strength for the Journey.  Each family was given a devotional book with that same title to read on a daily basis and scriptures were given to encourage us in our walk on our journey to heaven.  So, I think I have decided that for the year 2013,

I am not going to make any resolutions.

I am not going to set myself up to fail. 

(although I will on a daily basis)

I AM going to rely on strength.

Strength that can only come for my Father in heaven.

Strength that can only be found in His word.

Strength that can help me be the best wife, mom, daughter and friend.

Strength that can help me get through whatever 2013 may bring our family.

I am not going to make resolutions - I am going to choose a word and dwell on that word this year.  And that word is 

STRENGTH.

God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1 (NKJV)

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him,

for He shields him all day long, and the one the 

Lord loves rests between His shoulders.

Deuteronomy 33:12

My gifts today (for more on this check out Mrs. Ann):

1.  LB's best friend, Madlyn - I love how she just fits in with our family and accepts us as we are.  

2.  My family accepting Damon as one of us - We have been married for 13 1/2 (GASP!) years, but it never ceases to amaze me how they just take him in as if he has always been there.  Bub made red beans and rice for part of our New Year's meal just because it was Damon's favorite!

3.  My children reading and discussing God's word - We are going to be doing the Strength for the Journey devotional together and reading one chapter a night as a family.  I loved hearing LB read Genesis 1 to us and then having them ask questions from this well-known chapter of the Bible.