- "To let the Word "dwell richly" in me, starting with reading it more." Definitely made some progress there. I've read Genesis through 2 Chronicles in a methodical fashion; then am swinging by Psalms and Proverbs for chronology's sake before rerouting to the post-exilic stuff. This go-around has given me a renewed sense of the sometimes-bizaare, sometimes-angering stuff in the Old Testament. Always though, a sense of this: God is real big, real strong, and He's not messing around. He's most certainly never half-hearted.
- "To be able honestly to answer the question "Who's the most important person in your life?" NOT with "me," but more and more with Jesus. To that end, I want to relearn how to pray; and look more to the needs of my friends and especially the not-my-friends in my life. " I am practicing prayer more, and gaining an ever-increasing sense of how it's so important. I was counseled by an older (than me) lady the other day that some of her moments of biggest growth came through praying ...nothing in particular...but just spending the alone time with God. As to the needs of friends and not-friends--nothing comes to mind too much, so I guess it's not happening. Maybe you friends can give me some insight on that one?
- "To have more Mary, and less Martha in my life (see Luke 10:40)." Only in that I'm more and more wanting it. Do I have to quit things to facilitate this? Maybe. Or mabye I would just find other home-bound things to do instead of sit with Jesus. Like obsessively scrubbing my sink.
- "Intentionally parenting the kids." Well, the daily planned activity has been a big failure on my part; but I am doing better about being fully-present at certain times. I just think they want me (or rather, still need me) more than the mere few minutes I give to this each day.
- "Learn to control my emotions better around my family." Nope. Well, a little. I am getting better about doing this with the kiddos, but I came to the awful re-realization today that I treat almost everyone in my life better than I treat Mark. Big boo to me. I mean really. Do I make snide comments to you? Do I dismiss your whimpers as petty? Do I sneer at you? Or speak angrily and snippily to you? Do I wish I could manipulate your schedule to bend to my will? Not much, I hope. But to Mark? Yes. All the time.
- "Garden a vegetable and then eat it." Nothing so far, but it's just now spring. I'm definitely going for zucchini. I did get to spend a couple glorious hours playing in the dirt today courtesy of my friend Sara bringing over a bunch of daffodils, irises, and day lilies that she had scored for free from someone else. I don't think I have ever enjoyed doing anything outside that much. Maybe my dad's much-resisted attempts to put farming in my blood all during my youth are finally coming to fruition; or maybe it was that Mark watched the kids.
- "Do something extra for Mark each week out of love." Nope, at least not like I envisioned. I have thrown surprise dessert into his lunch a few times, but that's not really what I meant.
- "Make the kids each a great felt-applique stocking using the kits my mom got me." I have started Noelle's, but I'm not gonna lie--it's going to take forever if it keeps getting bumped by other more urgent deadlines.
So there you have it. The goals have not entirely disintegrated nor been discarded, but I am NOWHERE near meeting them. How about you?
