New Year's Resolutions...to do or not to do?

Hi friends,

Let me start off by saying I LOVE MY CHURCH. It is by far the most welcoming and loving environment I have found in my 6 months living here in Thomasville and there is no place I'd rather spend my Sunday mornings. Today's message was as fantastic as most and you can hear it here. The message was titled "How to Make the Most of 2011" and primarily focused on setting goals for the new year. Our pastor, Randy, encouraged us to set four (just four!) personal development goals for the new year.

1. Intellectual: What do I want to learn?
2. Physical: What will improve my health? 
3. Spiritual: What will deepen my relationship with God? 
4. Social: What will be my ministry to others? 

He also encouraged us to make these S.M.A.R.T. Goals:
Specific, Motivational, Attainable, Relevant and Trackable.

I won't go into all that he said because if you really want to listen you'll click the link above, but I tried to consider these things when looking at my own New Year's Resolutions. As a lover of lists I have found it quite difficult to limit myself to only 4 goals, but I suppose I can keep jotting down things as I go whether I will accomplish them or not. Without further chatter, here are my goals/resolutions for 2011...at least for now:
#1: Intellectual: This one is to at least start nursing school. This is another post for another day, definitely, but I am currently working on becoming an LPN or an RN (depending on how easy my school with the most hateful staff ever is to work with). That being said, I think it will be fairly easy to meet my intellectual goal.
#2: Physical: In my last post I mentioned starting to diet, but I never set real parameters on that one. As Randy mentioned this morning the goal should be specific and saying "I'm going to lose weight" isn't very. So, I'm going to lose 15 pounds in 2011. Though I am only supposed to set one goal under each heading I want to add just one more because weight loss isn't only based on diet. My other physical goal is to run a 5K by our first anniversary (June 12, 2011). FYI the thought alone makes me feel winded.
#3: Spiritual: Spiritual matters always seem so much tougher to me, do they to you? We've stepped out and challenged our faith more in 2010 than ever before, and its SO easy to get complacent and think we've done enough. However, my spiritual goal this year remains the same as it has for way too many years now--read my Bible everyday. Its always shocking to me how much I will avoid reading my Bible when I love to read almost anything else...I read an entire book New Year's Eve and at least 1 1/2 since then, but I can't seem to enjoy or muddle through my Bible for even a chapter a day. In being specific, my goal is to read at least 2 chapters of the Bible everyday...that's not much, I've just got to find the discipline to make myself do it. Feel free to keep me accountable and ask me what I'm reading!
#4: Social: Fun fact #1 of this blog: The Lipsey family is not very social. We are quite content sitting around just the 2 of us. As we're both supremely awkward, social situations are not always favorites and this goal will likely be my hardest to accomplish. My social goal is to make one lasting friendship with someone who lives within 45 minutes of me. Aside from my sweet hubby and our family that lives here, I am pretty much alone. I've met people, don't get me wrong, but I've had no lunch dates or girls nights since May... I need friends! I know I need friends because my darling doesn't always want to hear celebrity gossip or how bad the static in my hair sucks. I need girlfriends and I will have at least one by this time next year, darn it!

So that's that! Hannah's goals/resolutions for 2011. Its hard for me to not go on and add more (believe me, there are A LOT of things I need and want to do) but I'm sticking with what Randy said and using those 4. Pray for me, especially with that #4, because as easy as goals are to set, they are NEVER as easy to keep.

XOXO,
Hannah