Resolutions?

I've never been one to make New Year's Resolutions mostly because I'll forget about them a week or so into the new year. I love making lists though, so here's a breakdown of my goals for this new year (in no particular order):

1. Get into shape. This one's sort of cliche as far as resolutions go, but I do need to be a little more deliberate in my efforts to stay healthy and strong. This past spring I was playing hockey once a week, biking two to three times a week, and swimming at least once a week. I felt good. Now I play hockey twice a week...and that's about it. I need to step it up.

2. Play my guitar. I was doing well for a couple of months but I got busy over the holidays and sort of stopped.

3. Read my bible every day and journal more. I'm hoping to read through the bible again this year.

4. Complete some sort of wall hanging for our dining room. I have some ideas bouncing around in my head, but I need to make the time to actually do it.

5. Scrapbook more. I need to finish Audrey's first and second year. It's a big task, but I really want to be done with it.

6. Decorate Audrey's room. I'm planning to repaint her room purple and add some original wall art and some shelving for more storage.

7. Score at least six more goals before hockey season is over. I have four so far.

8. Teach Audrey her ABCs. She can repeat them after me and she can identify most letters but she hasn't been able to say them all in a row yet. We practice off and on, but I want to be more consistent in spending that time with her.

9. Finish working on our backyard improvements. We still want to make a raised vegetable garden, put brick edging along our side yard, and fill it in with rocks. It was amazing to see the transformation last year, and I'm excited for this year.

10. Make more art. Whatever it happens to be, I need to use that talent I've been blessed with before I lose it altogether.

11. Keep in touch with friends and family on a more regular basis. Not via facebook, but with actual phone calls, letters/cards, and visits.

12. Continue to organize and declutter our lives. I feel so much better when I get rid of all of the extra stuff we never use.

13. Run more. I know I already made a goal to get into shape, but running is a whole different category for me. I hate it, but I want to be able to do it. I have to be careful because my knees are steadily losing cartilege, but I know if I stretch adequately I can do it. I ran a two mile fun run in 20 degree weather last month and felt great, so I am pretty motivated to get out there.

14. Be an example to those around me. I've been really making an effort (okay, more like God has been working in me) to be more of a positive influence on those around me. There's so much negativity in the world that a little kindness and compassion go a long way.

"It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining in an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinately being just an ordinary decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."

--C.S. Lewis