A Firm Foundation

^{Luke 14:28-29}
For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him.

Just like Jesus points out here, if I intend to build something this year, I need to sit my tail down, and count the cost to see if I have enough to finish it.

In order to finish something, it requires planning and preparation. Completion doesn't just happen and isn't guaranteed just because we have great ideas or are creative. Finishing requires purposeful effort, planning and preparation. Success is not an accident.

My Plan Of Action

• Improve my relationship with God.

1. Schedule time to spend with God alone, everyday, no matter what.
2. Get to church early and with expectation.
3. Prepare ahead of time to give.
4. Impliment what I have learned from "Thanksgiving Victory" on BVOV podcast
5. Study what Praise really is and do that.

• Make my home a happier place.

1. Don't stay up later than 10:00pm
2. Schedule more "me" time;
   
3. Read for myself 2 books a month
   
4. Prepare meals and clothes the night before
   
5. Be more willing to go the extra mile with a happy heart

• Lose 40lbs. and increase muscle tone.

1. Add 30 minutes of exercise to my daily schedule
2. Drink at least 1 liter of water per day
3. limit white sugar

• Organize! Organize! Organize!

1. Create a weekly chore schedule and stick to it
2. Clean out van and buy organizers to go in it
3. Plan garage sales and donations
   
4. Go through old notebooks and notes, type them out and POD
5. Create a sytem to organize and store digital and print photos
   

• Finish my daughters' business start-up.

1. Buy more inventory, and packaging
2. Get help with labels
3. Create a new website/brochures
4. Secure all the legal aspects of the business
5. Commit to take her to the market weekly spring through fall

This list may seem long, but I have to keep in mind that I have a year to finish. And not just finish, but finish strong.

My Goals for 2010

Often what I do is a run down a long list of everything that is wrong. By the time I am done writing the list, I am overwhelmed and discouraged. This time, I am only going to set five simple goals. Everything else can wait. I am going to focus my energy and my effort in these five areas:

1. Improve my relationship with God.
2. Make my home a happier place.
3. Lose 40lbs. and increase muscle tone.
4. Organize! Organize! Organize!
5. Finish my daughters' business start-up.

These are five simple goals or resolutions that I will (by faith and with God's grace) accomplish this year. The truth is that I really have to do this. I am tired of not living up to my potential. I am ready to take the training wheels off and let go of my excuses that I have clutched like a wubbie. I am ready for the rubber to meet the road.

Let's Get Started

I am starting this blog for three main reasons.

1. To motivate others along their journey this year to reach their goals.
2. To hold myself accountable in order to complete some things this year, that I often start and don't finish. In other words: if I quit, everyone will know.
3. To practice what I preach, so to speak. I wrote an article on E-how titled " How to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions This Year". In that article I suggested as a way to keep your resolutions is to create accountability.

In this blog, I will list my New Year's Resolutions for 2010. I will set goals and establish a personal action plan on how to reach them. I will also blog about how I am getting them done and any obstacles that I may have to over come.
I may not write everyday, but I will update my progress and post any applicable pictures.
I hope that you will not only join me on this journey, but also cheer me on to success.

Be sure to leave comments so that I know that we are in this together!!