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I always like New Years because I feel I can regroup and start fresh in certain areas of my life. I don't make serious resolutions, because I'm human and don't carry them out to the expectations I put on myself. But, one area in which we can all agree is that we can never do all that we need to do for the Lord while here on earth. So, beginning a new year is always a time for me to commit to having a richer prayer life, spending more time in God's Word, being available for serving, being more bold to witness to the unsaved, being a better helpmeet to dh, being a better example and teacher to my dd, etc.

With the challenges I've had teaching dd this year, I am praying that the Lord will help me be more patient and I have made some changes to our homeschooling days. One area I have lacked is consistency. I have made a daily checklist for dd to use so she has consistency and accountability. I know many of you use something to help in this way already. I'm just sharing it because I need accountabilty too. I need to be consistent in giving her these checklists each day. I'm one who will try something new and if we don't keep up with it regularly, I give up and quit. I'm excited to try it, but getting into a routine every day will be challenging for me, after 30 years of marriage without a 'routine'. This is a gentle way to help my dd and me have some sort of order to our day. I didn't put time frames on the list, just what she needs to have done before anything else. Please pray that we can follow this for this last half of our school year. I know it will make a big difference. I'm looking forward to how God will use HOD in 2013!

Dear Pam,

What a beautiful post! Thank-you for inspiring my thoughts and for sharing so openly. Consistency is always an ideal I need to keep on the forefront of my thoughts as I go about my days. If I were to articulate some "resolutions" (though I feel a bit like you do in that I don't "make New Year's Resolutions" but do appreciate the opportunity to renew my thinking yet again) it is my hope, by God's grace, to feast more on His Word and to speak less. When I speak I pray that my words will become more and more pleasing to Him. My mantra day to day is "gentle words, gentle ways" and occasionally I need to tell myself to simply, "hush". Gentleness and a quiet mouth are not natural for me....

Like you I long to be consistent day to day, week to week, and for the remainder of our school year EVEN when we hit snags or I don't understand why I'm doing what I'm doing. HOD is an awesome tool for this purpose and I'm thrilled to be using it once again. Regrettably, I floundered with HOD for awhile though the Lord has used it in my life to mature me and to refine our vision for home schooling our kids.

In addition to gentleness and consistency I want to be a joyful Mama day by day. No matter what happens I pray that the Lord will help me to respond not only gently but JOYFULLY!! Oh, how I want His joy to seep from me and how infrequently is it true of my response . He is faithful, however, and I know He delights in disciplining and refining His children. I trust that He will grow me in this area.

Lord willing I can finish up my planning and preparations so that we can begin HOD on Monday. I'm labeling and organizing books for storytime and DITHR as well as preparing last minute orders for a few missing items. I am blessed with a strong Savior, a supportive husband, and relatively good health right now. There is so much so say thank-you for!

In summary, I long to see increasing gentleness, consistency, and joy manifested in my character and in my home as well as a huge increase in feasting on God's Word!

Soli Deo Gloria!

psreit wrote:I always like New Years because I feel I can regroup and start fresh in certain areas of my life. I don't make serious resolutions, because I'm human and don't carry them out to the expectations I put on myself. But, one area in which we can all agree is that we can never do all that we need to do for the Lord while here on earth. So, beginning a new year is always a time for me to commit to having a richer prayer life, spending more time in God's Word, being available for serving, being more bold to witness to the unsaved, being a better helpmeet to dh, being a better example and teacher to my dd, etc....

I like New Year's for the same reasons you do! A fresh start, a time to regroup, a time to make some new goals... I think you have come up with some great thoughts and goals for the New Year! I have prayed for you for God to come alongside you as your Helper in the ways you have shared.

I've done some reflecting of my own and made some new goals. One thing I have started this New Year is a journal. I am reading through the Bible again, and I decided I needed some new ways to respond that help me with consistency and application more. The journal has already been so helpful! I just read several chapters each day, copy a key verse that stood out to me, write what it means to a Christian in general, and write what it means to me personally. My Bible has wonderful notes on the bottom of each page (NIV Life Application Bible), and that has helped as well. I can already see it is helping me identify patterns - good and bad - in my life, that I normally somehow miss.

Another area I want to work on is choosing to be joyful and patient each day in my homeschooling. I confess I am sometimes not, and yet these are things I expect from my dc. Making sure I have my Bible Quiet Time, listening to praise music while we do our chores, and praying at the start of our day helps get me off on the right foot.

I am sometimes lonely as my dh is gone quite often, and I don't always respond well to him being gone. It is hard for me to encourage him in his work sometimes, as I am jealous of the time it requires. I miss him, but I realize I cannot use that as an excuse to be upset with him. This is an area I am working on this year too, and the beautiful thing is, his being gone truly does draw me closer to the Lord. I have to depend on Him more, so this is a good thing in the long run! I have written all the things I love and appreciate about my dh in my journal, and there are so many! I read them when I am needing a boost in the love department.

Getting healthier. A final goal for me. I have made some gradual changes this past year and lost 20 pounds s-l-o-w-l-y over the entire year. I am hoping to exercise more, and keep making healthier food and drink choices this year. I have found the benefits to be more energy and a more positive attitude, so I hope to keep heading in that direction, though it is not easy. My dh and I are doing P90X workouts together. 3 days down, 87 to go. Like you said though, Pam, not huge goals I can't meet, but rather just trying to move more in the right direction. That, I should be able to do.

My Bible verse for this year is, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things." Phil. 4:8

May we all have goals the Lord loves for this year, and may we all have His help in meeting them! Thanks for sharing and for letting me share too! BTW - I loved reading abrightmom's goals too - and have also prayed for you, Katrina!!!

In Christ,
Julie

Hey Julie,

You stole my verse for this year!! Lol! The Lord must be working out similar things through us. I also am beginning my writing up again and deciding to be more joyful outwardly...for my families sake.

Praying for all of the HOD family that this year is blessed by our Father in heaven!

Love to all,
Mercy

Thanks to those who have shared and thank you, Julie, for your prayers. We did 3 days with a checklist last week and it went fairly well. I may need to make some adjustments to the list, but it definitely helped Angie be more aware of what must be done before anything else. She jumped on her mini trampoline and we threw a ball back and forth while she stood on the trampoline. This was an exercise for balance and hand/eye coordination that her OT recommended and we didn't keep up with it. We did this in the morning before getting into academics. I'm determined!! Looking forward to another good week.

Pam,
That's great news! Praying for continued success in consistency for you!
Mercy

What great encouragement you ladies are!

My verse for this year is Psalm 42:1
As the deer pants for the waterbrooks, so my soul pants for You, O God.

On January 1 st during my morning devotions, I kept hearing these words: "Come away with Me and I will show you the deeper things of life".
With anticipation I look at what the Lord has in store for the year ahead and how I walk in His plans for me. Greater desire for Him, greater understanding of His ways, and of course allowing the fruit of the spirit to become more manifest in my life, to glorify Christ Jesus.

In homeschooling my goal is, to savor and enjoy life's little moments with the children. They are growing up so quickly.
Not to be too goal oriented and miss out on them as individuals!

Blessings to you all in this new year!

Thanks so much for starting this thread !!
We all look for new freshness in our own lives and in our teaching at the new year. HOD has given me the confidence I lacked in schooling my 9 y.o. son. I feel with this program I am able to free myself during the nights to be MOM... which is what I a trying to do more or less .I work in the am as a part-time nurse and homeschool in the afternoons and sometimes I will talk myself into thinking I am not doing the best for my son and not giving him my full attention but then I come here and read and you fellow Moms and Dads out there and your encouragment and comments on this message board encourage me everyday and that is so refreshing.
I am going to start this year trying to be a better teacher and Mom and wife. Even though we are tired and busy .... It is what it is all about . God's plan is easier to achieve when we try to have it all in balance and I am going to work on that a little more. Nothing is perfect but I can still strive to be better in his eyes.

Kim in NC

9 y.o. son in Bigger Hearts