Last January, when I wrote my very first (technically my second) blog ever...I bared my soul and actually stated my Dreams for the year.At the time I remember thinking -- THIS may be your craziest hour, Gwyn....you are gonna have to answer for this later at the end of the year.
And sure enough.........................here I am................answering...............
Here we are 6 weeks away from the last day of this year and I figured it was time to face the music and revisit those goals. Time to reassess.
And time to start thinking about the new goals for 2010.
Bad news is -- I have not accomplished ALL of my goals for the year. Not even half of them. Oh heck, who am I kiddin' -- not even a fourth of them.
Good news is -- hmmmm.....I'm thinking.........
I must admit that to fall short of a goal is a great disappointment to me.
My tendency is to feel like a failure. The original point of writing down my goals, however, was to keep them out there in front of me, knowing that is a very effective way to actually achieve goals. Write them down. Read them every day. AHHHH HA!!!!
Here's the TRUTH --- I have NOT kept those goals out there in front of me. I have not read them every day. I have
pretty much ignored them, all the while knowing they were still there....just mocking me.
I have not lost a significant amount of weight. I am not in good enough shape to do the Jingle Bell Run in Fort Worth in 4 weeks.
I still haven't had the guitar out of the case ......ALL YEAR LONG! Still can't back a trailer. Didn't float a river or kayak one this past summer.
Have not ridden a horse. Although we do now own a horse, so I guess I'm just sneakin' up on that goal. HOWEVER ---
riding a horse is closely tied to that first goal I didn't reach this year (the one about losing weight).
Here's what I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED from the "Dreams" post -----
I have done two meaty Bible studies. And I have read much of my Bible, with the goal of reading it through this year. This goal WILL BE accomplished by Dec. 31. It WILL!!!
I'm also reading through the Bible in 2010. Again. This has been one of the most exciting, profound, challenging, frustrating, satisfying things I've ever done.
All in all - now that I've written this down -- I guess I really should feel like a failure. But, I don't. I just feel more challenged to keep going. To keep setting goals. To keep desiring to be better, do more, achieve more. To keep reaching.
I'm re-thinking many of those goals (not achieved) from this year. Praying. I really want to desire the things for myself that the LORD desires for me. In praying and thinking about this, I believe this is a goal for 2010 :
I am setting a goal to read 20 books during the year. Not the fluffy mysterys that I can devour in a day. But 20 books with a lot heft to them -- a lot a weight and significance.
I'm listing them over on the sidebar so they are "In My Face" all year long. I'm very excited about this goal. I need to stretch my mind. To challenge my thinking. To fill my mind with good, challenging things.
What about you??? Are you a reader? Do you NEED to be a reader? I invite you to share my list of books. We can read together and then discuss. :) Think about it..............
Gwynie Pie
Well, Gwyn, I'd say you accomplished the MOST important of all of your goals. So, in fact, you aren't a failure at all. Goals are good for us to have though. I can't tell you how many times I've put a list out there for the world to see, and then, I've had to eat crow. Honesty and "realness" bonds people. Thanks for sharing that! I'm inspired to read something RIGHT NOW! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading crumbs. I noticed that we both have Melanie's "pray for andrew" blinkie on our sites. I met her through blogging. You?
We are trying to get a coupon site up and running. The hip2save link on my blog is FABULOUS! That girl is a riot. And VERY coupon savvy.
Well, enough already Angela! Have a good day Gwyn, and chop-chop, a few weeks left to finish that Bible! hee hee :)
cute blog...adorable face! xox
ReplyDeleteI recently discovered a love for reading. I can't read enough.....I feel like all of those years not reading, I've somehow missed something so apparently I'm trying to catch up now:)
ReplyDeleteGood book selections you listed! And reading through the Bible always rocks! I still haven't read through the entire thing yet....I get to Leviticus and get all sorts of bogged down in the Levitical laws.
Have a blessed week!
I think you did mighty fine!
ReplyDeleteYears ago I read Brother Lawrence's book, but none of the others. I have heard incredible things about Crazy Love and would like to read it for myself. I have watched Francis Chan preach on you tube, and have really been blessed. I love to read, and usually have 2-3 books going at once. Reading thru the Word is something I should work on! I tend to skip around a lot, which is seriously detrimental to reading THRU the Bible!
I agree with Farmgirl Cyn. You did great. Just making the list is half the battle. I've read through the Bible for about 7 years in a row. It is well worth it. Plowing through Leviticus is hard (and Isaiah and Jeremiah.....) but worth it. One year I discovered that just making a list at the beginning of the year wasn't enough. I had to break it down into "how much per day" to get through the Bible so i did the same with my goals. I figured how much I wanted to accomplish by the end of the year then wrote it in "bite sized" portions on each day of my engagement calendar. It worked. I was able to accomplish so much more of my list by the end of the year. I'm still bad about losing weight tho... so don't feel like the Lone Ranger.
ReplyDeleteI have read Brother Lawrence's book too. I would suggest you add "Bad Girls of the Bible" to your list by Liz Curtis Higgs. She is funny AND deep. It'll be one of those books you can devour in no time and love doing it. Also "Praying the Names of God" I can't remember who it is by but very profound and helpful in your prayer life.