show us your life - resolutions.

I've decided that I'm going to try to play along on Kelly's Show Us Your Life Tour every week.

This week we are supposed to talk about our New Years Resolutions.

This year my resolutions are all stemming from a word.  One word.  I saw that Shawni from Life has come up with a word each year that is her "motto".  Well, I have decided that I need a word for this year. 

I thought about this sometime in December but didn't know what my word should be.  I toyed with a few of them but none of them fit just right.

Then, all of the sudden, while describing my first few days of January to a friend at work....it hit me.  I used the word to describe how I was feeling.  And I knew, that was the word.




My word??

 Balance.




So often I do everything all or nothing.  

This is never good because I end up feeling like a failure in so many other areas because I'm only focused on one thing.  For example:

I'll be all about excercising. But that's all I'll be about.

And then all about doing my devotions.  But then feel guilty if I don't spend the right amount of time or if I miss a day.


But I want to make my friends the priority.  And I'll drop everything else just to make it to all the events.

And of course I want to be all about my husband.  Which is a good thing to some degree.  But not when I can't balance it with everything else.



So, this year my motto is balance.

I want to spend time with my Creator.  Because I want to.  Not because I have to check it off my list but because I can't stand not to spend time in His word and in prayer and in meditation.


I want to spend time with my husband.  Being a more supportive wife.  Falling more in love with him daily.  Praying consistently for him. 


I want to spend time being a better friend.  Even in the small things.  The e-mails.  The handwritten notes.  The coffee dates.  And the girl talk over Mexican food.


I want to spend more time being a better daughter, sister, daugther-in-law, sister-in-law, niece, granddaughter, cousin.  Being involved in the lives of my family.  Taking interest in their interests.  Staying in touch.

I want to serve.  The people in our church.  The Young Professionals ministry.  The people in our area that are in need.  The people across the world that are in need.  Taking part in events where I can share the love of Christ. 


I want to become a better photographer.  Photograph more events.  Learn more about photography.  Get better at the editing process.


I want to create.  I love making anything.  Sewing, painting, decorating.  I want to do more of that.  I want to teach myself new things.  Like upholstery and more difficult sewing.



Now does this mean that I can do it all, all the time?

No.


And I realize that. 


But it's not about doing everything all the time.  It's all about finding the balance in my life that makes me enjoy each one of these things individually.  Not breeze through spending time doing a devotion so I can make time to get to a coffee date.  Or give up all the time with my husband so that I can spend all the time with our families.  


I know I will have to make a huge effort to keep this happening.  As January starts I always feel refreshed and excited to start the year.  But then come mid-February the 'vision' starts to grow dull.  I lose focus and get into the rut of day in and day out.  Hopefully having a word will bring me back to the feeling I feel today. 



Balanced.