It’s crazy that January 2020 is almost over and that we are soon to enter into the second month of the year. I find that as I get older, the years simply go faster too. My kids often say this as well, so maybe it’s not just me getting older but also the fact that all our lives are jammed pack with things that make it so we are constantly going, going, going. Because of this busyness I never got to share my New Year’s Resolutions.

I fully recognize that most people don’t care about my resolutions but to be honest, I need some accountability in my life and so I’m going to share them with you. Feel free to ask me how I’m doing on them throughout the year!

And so, in no particular order, here are my resolutions:

1. Write 52 notes for the year– this means that I want to write myself 52 notes (one each week) to cap off what was good through the week, to remind myself of a humorous story or conversation, or to just give myself a little boost. So often we forget the good things that have happened in our lives and focus solely on the bad things. I figure if I write down 52 good things then when I read them next year I can start my year off on a positive note.
2. Build and maintain intentional friendships- by this I hope to focus on the friendships that mean the most to me and really nurture them in a positive way. I think most of us tend to let our busyness get in the way of actually connecting with the people we really want to connect with. I intend to invite more friends over to my house (something we really couldn’t do much before we moved because of space constraints and the fact I was embarrassed over what my house looked like), call or text more often, and reach out to see how they are doing and how I can make their lives better or easier. In this digital world we have lost the closeness that comes from physically interacting with one another. I plan to do better on this front (and have already had one friend over!). Making time for the people we love is vital to nurturing strong relationships.
3. Abstain from meat on Fridays. In our faith we are actually still called to penance every single Friday. This used to mean that all Catholics had to abstain from meat on Fridays. This has been changed to where we can perform any act of penance, but the Church says that the preferred penance is abstinence from meat. We plan to do this throughout the year instead of just through Lent. So far we have a 50/50 success rate. I can do better than this.
4. No yelling- Ok, so this is self-explanatory. I’ve done ok so far… I’ve yelled a whole lot less than I did last year, but I can do better. I don’t like to yell at my kids. It makes them feel terrible and makes me feel terrible. I am working on making us all feel better. Now if they’d quit doing things that trigger that urge (LOL I am joking of course… kind of!).
5. Read the whole Bible in a year- again, this is self-explanatory. While I had to do this before for my Master’s degree, I want to be able to take the time to read through the entire Bible this year simply because I want to. And on a positive note, this is where I am excelling in my resolutions! Not only am I on track to finish this goal, I am on track to finish it in just a few months’ time. By the end of this month I will be 3 months ahead! I think when I am done I will go back and pick a few books and deeply focus on them. While Theology is my passion and I would be considered a nerd in theological studies, I can tell you that even if you aren’t a theologian, you will find the Bible to be riveting. There are days I simply can’t put it down and have to force myself to stop reading. I encourage everyone to read the Bible in general, but to have this goal to read it in a year (even the books that might be a tad boring) is a great way to start!
6. Learn Spanish- I have had this particular goal for a while now, but as a youth minister it is now really important that I learn Spanish. At our parish my youth group is heavily Hispanic. While they all know English, many of their parents don’t. I would love to be able to communicate with them better. Also, I think it’s important just to be able to speak with others to connect with them in a more intimate manner- not just for youth group but for every aspect of my life.
7. Finish my book- Time has been a major factor for me since becoming the youth minister at our church (which I haven’t written about but will soon). Between homeschooling, running our home, and now working, there isn’t much time. Still, I feel this pull to get it finished. I know that it will help others and ultimately it will help me as well. I need to pick up the pen and just write.
8. Strive for holiness- man, this one is probably one of the hardest goals I have set for myself. Holiness isn’t just something you can achieve and then move on. No, it requires constant dedication to doing the right things, to loving others, and to submitting to God’s will in all we do. I’m working on this every single day and every single day it’s a challenge. I suppose this will always be on my resolution list since it’s something we have to continue to strive for in the face of temptations, sorrow, anger, and trials. It’s easy to be holy when things are good in our lives; it’s much tougher to strive for holiness when life is hard.
9. Write at least once per week on my blog- Ok, so I’ve already failed this resolution, but I am working to do better! I love sharing on Facebook because I can share short quips and conversations from my kids, pictures, my insights, or even my prayers of the day. I can log on my phone and just start typing. Here it’s a little harder but I think in the end it is worth as much as logging in on Facebook. Both sites tend to act like my personal diary. While I love for others to read what’s going on and I love to share my faith and family, to be honest it is for selfish reasons that I write…. I want to preserve our memories and this is a great way to do it. So, with that in mind, I plan to write here at least once a week.
10. Pray more as a family- it used to be that we were able to pray as a family every night. As the kids are scattered at various things (especially work), with me gone a couple nights a week leading youth group, and with us moving this past year, we got away from really praying each and every night together before bed. We still pray together several times a day, but I miss praying the rosary together every single night and offering up our sufferings and prayers for others. We need to get back to this. It brings such peace to our lives and really helps us all be centered spiritually (which leads to a much happier life!).

So there you have it, my resolutions for this year. Sure, I want to get healthier, maybe even lose a little weight too(you know, the usual stuff), but these goals are my most important ones. If you see me straying from the path, holler at me to get my behind back in gear. You can help me to achieve all my goals!

What goals have you set for yourself? How can I help you reach them?