Goals for 2009

First of all to anyone referred here from Biblical Womanhood, I have no intention of being a biblical woman. The biblical I can handle, the womanhood, not so much. That being said, you can see many more peoples' goals for 2009 by linking here: Biblical Womanhood

Here are some of my goals for 2009:

1) I would like to yell at my children less. Actually I would not like to yell at them at all. Which would be less. First of all, yelling at them never works. Second of all, it gives them a model for dealing with frustration that is not biblical for any kind of hood.

2) I would like to communicate better with my wife. Since I took over home schooling, my wife and I have been misunderstanding each other. Here are a couple of examples (one of them may be made-up): My wife recently thinks she told me to use some of the money we were given as Christmas gifts to pay down the mortgage. I still distinctly remember her saying White Sox season tickets. Then there was the time at our children's swimming lessons last month, when she told me she was going to pick up dinner on the way home and would be stopping at both McDonald's and Burger King (they are across the street from each other) and asked what I wanted. I thought she said she was going to McDonalds or Burger King. So I gave her an order for each place. She was astounded that I would order so much, and I was equally perplexed when she brought me 5 sandwiches from their respective dollar menus.

3)I would like to grow in my relationship with God. Teaching the kids empties my spiritual tank quicker than anything I've ever done. I want my children to see my dependence on God for direction in mine and their lives.

4) To continue to minister as a family. Last year we began having a special needs child from our church stay with us for a day or two at a time to give the parents the ability to reconnect with themselves and their other children. This is allowing us to minister as a family and is good to teach the kids patience and selflessness. We hope to take other opportunites to minister as a family this year.

5) To bring back the perm for men. I have some pictures from my college days if you want to see them.

6) To write a letter a week in 2009. When I was a missionary in Russia, my roommate called me the post card king. Because as he would send out 4 page letter after 4 page letter, I would send out post card after post card promising a longer letter later (many of which never came.) Now 14 years later, I don't even send postcards. As part of their school work the children are writing a letter a month for the year. I plan to demonstrate the craft by sending out 1 a week.

7) To be funnier in 2009 than I was in 2008. Funny is very important to me. Back in my cubicle days, I cherished my annual reviews that said what a good sense humor I have. I know what you are thinking, that's the workplace equivalent of describing a blind date as having a "good personality." Well what's so bad about having a good personality? Being funny is no laughing matter and I intend to take it very seriously in 2009.

Next Time: Library Week