A New Decade

Thanks to Kelly I'm actually posting on my blog! Her New Year's post has inspired me to sit down and close out 2009 while looking ahead to this next year.

5 things I'm thankful for in '09:





1. I'm so thankful for D, of course. I know it sounds so sappy, but I truly do love him more now than ever. He's my best friend, the one I can rely on always. Sure, we get on each others' nerves, but we also laugh at each other a LOT! Life with him is so much fun.




2. I'm thankful for my close friends. I'm so thankful that I can pick up the phone at any time and I know I'll have a listening ear on the other end. I'm thankful for their friendship, their advice, their prayers and encouragement, and for being able to take a break from "life" to laugh and have fun. I'm just sorry I don't have pictures from the past year with each of them!




3. I'm thankful for my family. My brother and sisters are the best. I so look forward to our girls trips (which seem to be increasing in frequency, but I'm fine with that!) My brother's witty ways and sarcastic sayings always leave me laughing. It's so great to have a close family who looks out for each other but isn't scared to give tough advice.

4. I'm thankful that no matter what I do, God never leaves me. I'm thankful for His forgiveness. His grace. His mercy. I'm thankful for the ways He shows me that He's taking care of me. I'm thankful that His plan is perfect. I'm thankful that He knows the end of the story. I'm thankful that He tells me not to worry. In fact, He commands it!


5. This might sound really off-base compared to the other things I'm thankful for, but in 2009 I am so thankful for our summer vacation we went on. It was one of the high points of my year. Taking off and getting away from it all really helped keep me sane.


And of course I'm thankful that my Longhorns are playing in the National Championship game next week. I'm so thankful for being able to go to 3 games this past year, including the Red River Rivalry and Senior Day. Hook 'em!

5 things I want to improve in '10:

1. I want to be more attentive to the needs of people around me. This includes family, friends, and casual acquaintances. I feel like I'm kinda oblivious when it comes to things that others are going through or are needing. I want to be better about noticing these needs and taking care of them.

2. I want to be a better neighbor. I know, I sounds like Mr. Rogers, don't I? I just hate that we live in a relatively small neighborhood and I really only know one neighbor well enough to start up a conversation with. Growing up in the country, we only had 2-3 neighbors (and I'm using that term loosely) so we knew everyone around us. Now living in a suburb, I have no idea how to go about getting to know those around me without looking like a weirdo. Any ideas are welcome!

3. I want to be a better blogger. Not only do I want to make an effort to post more, but I want my posts to be authentic. I want to find the time to write about the things that matter to me as well as things that are going on in my life. This will be a tough one to do...

4. I want to experiment more with my cooking. I feel like over the past 2-3 years I've gotten better at this, but I want to continue improving. I cook with fresh vegetables a lot more than canned or frozen like I used to. No more canned green beans or frozen corn as a side. Now I'm making roasted garlic potatoes or fresh garlic green beans. (Garlic? I told you!) This year I want to try vegetables that I haven't cooked with before.

5. I want to grow in my walk with God. I know that sounds like such a stereotypical resolution for a Christian to make, but I truly do want to become a better Christian. This past year, I found myself straying from having a daily quiet time or reading the Bible at all. In November, I had a wake-up call and have started spending time daily doing this. I'm still not where I should be, though but I'm getting back in the habit. And the anxieties and struggles that I have felt bogged down with have been lifted off my shoulders!

5 ways I want to give and help others in '10:

1. I want to sacrifice more for others. This past year, I found things not going my way and my way of making myself feel better was spoiling myself. My mindset was if things aren't going to go the way I want them to, then I'll just treat myself to this or that. Not that an occasional treat is bad or anything, but this led to a self-centered attitude that is really disgusting. I want to get out of the "what's in it for me-mindset" and become more others-oriented.

2. I want to help an international cause. Compassion is one that has been on my mind. I really like that you not only help a child in poverty, but you can actually develop a relationship with that child. And they hear about Jesus! Sponsoring a child is a responsibility that I don't want to take lightly, so D and I will have to talk and pray about it. But this is something that I really feel strongly about.

3. I want to volunteer in the community more. D and I both already volunteer at our church a lot, but I really want to do something that will help the greater community and will force us to put faces to a need. Our Common Ground group has registered to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, but we've never actually had days work out for us. I want to work harder at trying to nail a date down so we can do this.

4. I want to pray for others and follow up on prayer requests.

5. I want to be a better Common Ground guide and foster community within our group. I want to be in contact with all the members on a regular basis and always seeking ways to help those in our group.

Happy New Year! What are your resolutions? Are you making any?