Friday Thoughts and Goals

Friday--my turn to post again. Wasn't last Friday like...yesterday?

I swear, during the holidays the time speeds up uncontrollably.

Well, I'm happy to report that my scripture reading has improved significantly.

I'm unhappy to report that my exercise hasn't happened. With our family getting the stomach flu and my morning sickness on top of it, jumping up and down hasn't been a top priority! I think I may change my exercise goal to whenever I feel up to moving around for a few minutes. Can I count getting the dishwasher loaded and laundry in the washer as exercise?

I knew it was bad when my three-year-old actually got excited at seeing me fill the dishwasher. ("You're cleaning them? For us?!")

My weekly goal is coming along nicely. I have nearly all the presents wrapped. I started on Tuesday, figuring if I left it until the weekend I would get overwhelmed. The kids have had so much fun choosing and wrapping presents for each other. It feels so good to accomplish something.

So, my goals for this weekend are partially the same as last weekend. I'm planning on cooking two meals, (lasagna tonight, anyone?) and having all the clothes ready for Sunday. It's "Christmas Sunday", so this is extra important! I also have the goal to have Sharing Time (I work with kids in church) ready before bedtime tomorrow night. It's nearly done, I just have to add a few touches. And to get 5 loads of laundry done. (Told you there was a lot!) My goals right now aren't so much personal ones, but these goals will help me retain some sanity.

I've been doing some thinking about what I'm supposed to learn from the latest family challenges. I think I'm supposed to be looking for the positive, and celebrating seemingly small accomplishments. I get so frustrated when I can't get massive amounts of things done, and I feel like the Lord is telling me that small and steady does really win the race. A hard lesson, but one I need to learn.

During this last weekend before Christmas, I'm going to make sure to enjoy time with my family. Although there is always so much to do, they're the most important reason for me to celebrate the holidays. Jesus Christ is the reason for Christmas, and what better way to spend this time than family togetherness? If I don't get cookies made it's ok, that's why I've squirreled away Andes mints on top of the refrigerator. We'll watch Christmas movies and use our new stovetop popcorn popper. If our big tree doesn't get put up downstairs we'll make do with the tiny one on top of the piano. I won't let it ruin my Christmas. The kids would love a big tree, but they're more excited about giving and receiving presents. I love the fact that my kids are excited about giving to each other.

My expectations are so high for this time of year, and then I get depressed when they're not even within the same hemisphere of what I wished for. And I don't wish for a Norman Rockwell kind of Christmas. Part of me yearns for that, but it's not reasonable. And I am a reasonable person. So I can either choose to enjoy Christmas for what it is for us, messy-turned-upside-down-house and all, or I can choose to be sad that it's not even close to what I had hoped.

And you know what? I choose to be happy.

I know that this post isn't what anyone might expect on a healthy habits blog. But I think the purpose of our goals is to help us change, bit by bit. Become better people. And as we make small changes on the outside, we change on the inside. Bit by bit.

Here's to change, slow and steady.