Saturday, December 30, 2017

Changing Goal Focus

As we approach the end of the year, I think about new year resolutions. I used to write these each year. My mom taught classes on goal-setting. She taught me, and I, in turn, taught others in college and later. I made goals in different life categories, that were SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, reasonable, and timely). Check out Goal-Setting and you can get an idea of what I mean. This link includes many Bible verses related to setting goals, too. (If you are really interested, here is a copy of my 2013 resolutions.)

I find value in goal-setting. I think it is important to have goals, so you have an idea of where you are going. But life has changed and has gotten busier. I found a few years ago that I was not doing well on meeting the goals I set any more. I would stumble across my list after months of not even remembering I had one, which means I was not working effectively toward my goals.

Oh sure, I have a lot of dreams or wishes about what I'd like to write down as my resolutions for 2018. I'd love to sew (hand and machine sewing), play the piano and oboe more, do more personal reading, do arts and crafts, play board and card games more often with the kids, learn how to knit and crochet better, exercise more regularly, declutter the house, get chores done more consistently...

But over the years, I've learned that I have not realistically worked on any of those well. The last couple years, I even changed the sewing one to "complete at least one sewing project this year." (I still have not accomplished even that one.) Yesterday, I started to contemplate about why this is the way things are going.

I started to think about my priorities and my life goals, not just my yearly ones. What is it that I want to accomplish in the long run? Here are the ones I've come up with so far:

  1. I want to raise my children to know, love, and follow hard after Jesus.
  2. I want to raise my children to be respectful, kind, generous individuals who care for the needs of others.
  3. I want to educate my children well - academically and in other life skills (cooking, etc.)
  4. I want to grow ever closer to God and live my life more fully for Him.
  5. I want to grow closer to my husband, being a good helper for him and showing him more love and affection.
  6. I want to show love to others and serve them in their times of need.
  7. I want to see people grow in their relationships with Christ - for those who don't know Him to turn to Him and be saved, for those who do know Him to love and obey Him more - for everyone to know, love, and follow hard after Jesus.
So, at my stage in life, I'm going to find ways to work on these. Forgive the roughness of these, but I'm formulating them as I type this morning, and they don't follow the SMART design. I have another couple days to work on them, right?
  1. I will continue morning devotionals with the children - at least five days a week, most weeks.
  2. I will continue to encourage personal devotions for all family members and support them in their efforts.
  3. I will be intentional about praying aloud with the kids throughout the day, and letting them see/hear me pray on my own as well.
  4. I will continue to seek and provide opportunities for the children to serve beside my husband and me. I know they love the Caleb Luncheon, Fill-a-Backpack, Operation Christmas Child, handing out Mother's Day roses at church, etc. so we will plan to be involved in those kinds of activities in 2018.
  5. I will continue to help the children learn respect and kindness through their interactions with each other, other family members, and those outside our family.
  6. I will continue to educate them however the Lord leads us, being focused and diligent, showing interest in the learning and not just a check-list mentality.
  7. I want to further develop spiritual disciplines (prayer, Bible study, fasting, etc.) to deeper my relationship with my heavenly Father, my Savior Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
  8. I want to be able to push aside my busyness so that I may spend better time with my husband in the evenings and on weekends, giving him more of my attention and affection. I want him to know without a doubt how much I truly do adore him!
  9. I want to continue taking meals to people, caring for babies, visiting church members who are home-bound, and serving in other ways to show the love of Christ to people.
  10. I want to pray more consistently for specific people to turn to the Lord.
  11. I want to help others deepen their relationship with God, increasing their spiritual disciplines and obedience to Him - living their lives more fully for Him as well.
  12. I want to encourage my children to be creative and try new things - sew, build, sell/trade, etc.
  13. I want to go to bed by 11:00 p.m. at least five nights a week.
How do I plan to accomplish all these? What are the specifics? Well, maybe I'll get more specific with them in the next couple days - but maybe I won't. As much as I value goal-setting, I also remember that I am not in control, God is, and I'm not going to allow myself to get upset or frazzled because everything doesn't go according to my plans.

Proverbs 19:21 - Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

Matthew 6:34 - Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

James 4:13-15 - Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."

Mark 13:32 - "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (This refers to the second coming of Jesus, but I think it is a good reminder that we do not know the time limits set on our earthly futures.)

2 Corinthians 9:7 - Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (Whatever goals you set, work at them cheerfully.)

Colossians 3:17 - And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Make goals that will honor God.)

Galatians 6:8 - The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Again, make goals that will honor God.)

Galatians 6:9 - Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Make goals you won't give up on. Keep going!)

James 1:4 - Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  (Persevere!)


As much as this post has been about backing off some of my dream goals and resolutions, I want to issue a challenge that I made in the Goal-Setting post. If you are making goals/resolutions, consider making a goal you can't do on your own, without God revealing His power. What a testimony that would be, right?

Would you share some of your goals with me? I'd love to know what you are aiming for in this new year, and how I might be able to pray for you. Are you willing to make an only-with-God goal? If so, I want to know!

Blessings prayed for you in the new year.

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