Resolutions.

Oh, yes. 

New beginnings.  

New year.

I love this time of year.  Calendar wise.  Not weather wise.  At this point, I'm usually ready for my balmy south Florida temperatures again.  This year is no exception.  Although, here in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, we practically got balmy for Christmas.  I wasn't happy about that.  I like a white Christmas.  But, enough of that!

Oh, wait.  Yes.  I said Virginia.  According to my blog ~ the last time I posted was January 13, 2013.  Yup.  At that point, I'm not sure I even knew we were moving then.  The year 2013 has been a tumultuous year of change.  And I totally didn't blog about it.  Woops!  

Anywho, I'll fill you all in on that at some other point.  This blog post isn't about that.  So, I'll just keep y'all in suspense a little while longer... 

This post is about resolutions.  You know, that thing we all do every December 31/January 1.  Those things that usually get tossed to the way side by January 4th?  Yes.  Those things.  I'm terrible at making and sticking to resolutions.  But, I resolve this year to be better at it.  

I've also been thinking and praying about resolutions for 2014.  Why do we make resolutions?  Why don't we keep the ones we make?  I've also been thinking and praying about that, too.  And I have come to the conclusion that my problem with resolutions is that I have such grand goals and I resolve to accomplish them.  Then, they become so daunting at practically the outset that within just a few days, I realize I will not be able to even accomplish them, so I cast them aside and forget them.  So, this year, I've resolved to do away with the high and lofty goals.  I'm making realistic goals.  Some may call them trivial or insignificant.  And that's okay ~ I really don't care what anyone else thinks about my goals.  That is why they are mine.  They are what God is dealing with me about.  Not you.  Me.  

So, I'm going to share my goals with you.  

Resolutions for 2014:

Learn contentment ~ wow.  Something I have always struggled with.  It is something that I think Apostle Paul struggled with for a bit until he learned it.  He said so.  Phil. 4:12 "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."  

I want to  need to learn how to be content with whatever I have or whatever circumstances I'm in.  Contentment.  Paul also said in I Timothy 6:6  "But godliness with contentment is great gain."
I want that.  I need to be content.  If I'm content ~ my family will be much happier.  My days will be just a little bit brighter.  My heart just a little bit happier.  

I also resolved to lose weight.  Who hasn't?!  I have for so many years and, like I said, by January 4th, I find that I have devoured an entire batch of chocolate chip cookies and so I decide it isn't worth it.  May I be just a little honest with you?  I really don't care about losing weight.  It's not a huge deal to me.  I don't (and honestly, I won't) waste money on gym memberships because that is all it will be ~ A WASTE.  But, I don't necessarily like seeing the scale say 211.  I don't.  So, I want to lose a bit of weight.  But, I've failed at it.  I'm not good with teaming up with "partners" ~ so I won't try.  Please don't ask me to help you.  I suck at it and chances are if you are on my team, you will probably gain weight, so seriously, don't bother asking me.  

And I've also realized that I set way too lofty of weight loss goals for myself.  So, I determined that I am setting realistic achievable goals and my first weight loss goal for 2014 is to loose 12 pounds.  That's it.  Don't laugh ~ because, 1) that isn't nice and 2) these are my resolutions.

Yes, that equals 1 pound a month.  No it isn't a lot.  But, I want to get under 200 pounds and this is possible for me.  

And on that note ~ I resolve to exercise 3 times a week.  If you don't know me ~ or if you do ~ I am SO not an exerciser.  Some people are.  Some LOVE it.  Some do it out of duty.  I'm a girl who has never seen the benefits of exercise outside of making me miserable.  SERIOUSLY.  But, there are some things I would like to tone up a bit ~ my flabby mommy arm.  And other things you don't need to know about.  This will also help my measly weight loss goal too!  So bring on the 15 minutes a day workouts.  I'll be rockin' my 45 minutes a week.  Stop laughing so hard!!!!  

And to try to quickly bring this post to an end, my other goals for 2014:

Less Facebook (and the facebook crowd collectively bursts out in the hallelujah chorus) ~ and to not be so transparent on fb ~ I'm a chronic oversharer.   Like people probably cringe at how transparent I am.  And I'm not a politician, so I don't really need to promise transparency to fb.  So, I will work on that.  YOU'RE WELCOME.  Except ~ that doesn't necessarily apply to the blog world.  

I also would like to create my grateful list ~ 3 things a day.  That's all.  Just 3.  Some days, I'll end up with more, some days, I may struggle with that.  But I determine to do 3 things a day.  

And finally, I'm trying to start a Bible study group.  I would love that.  I miss my Bible study in Liverpool.  So, I am trying to start one here.  And if no one participates, I'll be blessed beyond measure by it.  So, that is awesome.  I'm ready to listen!  

Anywho ~ do you have any resolutions for 2014?  I'd love to hear about them!  Let me know!