Intentional Living

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    I am hoping to get through a bunch of the tasks, but with the girls at home I am not going to stress about it too much if something else fun comes along the our way.  My biggest goal for the summer break is to have fun, create memories, be flexible, and enjoy the little moments together!

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Read White Fang  by Jack London to the girls – read a good chunk of it while walking a sick goat and finished the last couple chapters this past week
    2. Plan one special activity with the family
    3. Play a board or card game
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Summer Events
    5. Spend some time Monday – Friday having the girls read & do workbooks
    6. Prep for a big weekend
    7. Ride bikes with the kids
    8. Take the kids to Horse Camp – they had a blast and always love going to “Welcome Ranch”!

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s) – I have gotten a little behind with everything going on this summer but hoping to catch up this week

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Pay all upcoming bills
    3. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week – with all the activities this week I didn’t plan the whole week out in advance, but I did plan out at least the day to day menu so I was prepared before dinner time arrived.

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients – got some projects finished

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Vehicles – made another payment on the car this past week
    2. Pay medical bills in full – finished paying off one of the medical bills, now only have the big one left to go

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes  by Arthur Conan Doyle  to the girls
    2. Plan one special activity with the family
    3. Play a board or card game
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Summer Events
    5. Spend some time Monday – Friday having the girls read & do workbooks
    6. Prep our next big adventure
    7. Ride bikes with the kids
    8. Take the kids to park
    9. Go on a picnic with the family
    10. Play in the pool
    11. Explore a new place or go on a new adventure with the kids
    12. Go to the dentist (not my favorite place to visit, but kind of necessary)
    13. Go on a short “road trip” adventure with the kids

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Pay all upcoming bills
    3. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Vehicles
    2. Pay medical bills in full

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

    Why Share My Goals?

    • To keep me accountable
    • To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
    • To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
    • Create healthy habits in my life
    • To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn

    How did you do this week on your goals?  Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.

    The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    Our family enjoyed celebrating July 4th and spending some time with long time friends over the weekend which was a wonderful blessing and a lot of fun.  We also had to say “goodbye” to one of our sweet pets “Toasted Coconut” last week too which was very difficult.  We had the vet out earlier in the week to treat him and then brought him back in late in the week.  The vet was really surprised that he made it so long with all the problems he was having.  We spent hours last week playing, walking, feeding, watering, and taking care of him the hardest part is there was nothing we could do to help him any more other than to let him know how much we love him.  The girls (myself included) had a tough time, but it also opened up many conversations about life, death, and taking the time to enjoy what we have been given if only for a season.  One of Karlie’s comments made me both laugh and cry – “I think Jesus has a field of beautiful dandelions up in heaven just for all his pet goats”.  Brina’s comment “At least when we get to heaven there will be no pain, death or goodbyes, instead we can celebrate and have fun together.”  Although last week didn’t go as planned I am thankful we had time to cherish moments and memories with loved ones, friends, and even our pets.  I am hoping to get through a bunch of the tasks, but with the girls at home I am not going to stress about it too much if something else fun comes along the our way.  My biggest goal for the summer break is to have fun, create memories, be flexible, and enjoy the little moments together!

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Read Superfudge  by Judy Blume to the girls
    2. Plan one special activity with the family
    3. Play a board game
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Summer Events
    5. Spend some time Monday – Friday having the girls read & do workbooks
    6. Prepare for a big weekend
    7. Ride bikes with the kids – it rained every day last week and every time we could ride it was raining, but we did run and splash in the puddles for a couple hours one day (the kids loved it)!
    8. Celebrate July 4th with Family & Friends
    9. Get upcoming plane tickets

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day – it was a stressful week and I spent a lot of extra time outside with the furry critter who was sick so although I didn’t track my water amount I know by how I was feeling it wasn’t enough
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Pay all upcoming bills
    3. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week – last week didn’t go quite as planned

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts – several items got put on hold last week
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Vehicles – made another payment (with a little extra) on the van last week.
    2. Pay medical bills in full – paid off one bill now have to get the bigger one paid down

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Read White Fang  by Jack London to the girls
    2. Plan one special activity with the family
    3. Play a board or card game
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Summer Events
    5. Spend some time Monday – Friday having the girls read & do workbooks
    6. Prep for a big weekend
    7. Ride bikes with the kids
    8. Take the kids to Horse Camp

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Pay all upcoming bills
    3. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Vehicles
    2. Pay medical bills in full

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

    Why Share My Goals?

    • To keep me accountable
    • To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
    • To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
    • Create healthy habits in my life
    • To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn

    How did you do this week on your goals?  Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.

    The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    Jake is home from his month long work trip to India!!!  YAY!!!  I am “over the moon” excited to have him back home again.  Last week I accomplished a lot, but I did take some time off from blogging since it was so busy with my man being back in town.  There are many fun activities as well as long list of projects on the agenda this week, so I am hoping to get through a bunch of them while having fun along the way!

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Read Imagination Station:  Secret of the Prince’s Tomb   by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 7)
    2. Plan one special activity with the family
    3. Play a board game
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Summer Events
    5. Spend some time Monday – Friday having the girls read & do workbooks
    6. Go to Science Camp – the girls LOVED WeDo Lego’s robotics camp at Roper Mountain Science Camp
    7. Prepare for a big weekend
    8. Ride bikes with the kids
    9. Take the kids to VBS

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Pay all upcoming bills
    3. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week – this week was a little crazy with Jake getting home from India and VBS in the evening

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Vehicles – made payments
    2. Pay medical bills in full – making payments

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Read Superfudge  by Judy Blume to the girls
    2. Plan one special activity with the family
    3. Play a board game
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Summer Events
    5. Spend some time Monday – Friday having the girls read & do workbooks
    6. Prepare for a big weekend
    7. Ride bikes with the kids
    8. Celebrate July 4th with Family & Friends
    9. Get upcoming plane

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Pay all upcoming bills
    3. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Vehicles
    2. Pay medical bills in full

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

    Why Share My Goals?

    • To keep me accountable
    • To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
    • To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
    • Create healthy habits in my life
    • To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn

    How did you do this week on your goals?  Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.

    The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.

  • Life on the Farm: Pigs, Cows, & Planting Tomatoes….Oh My!

    The girls had to go check out the pigs.  Thankfully they were really tame because they were pretty big!

    Our girls love animals and always enjoy spending time with ANY animal they come in contact with…yup including the pigs, ha!  During our recent trip to the Midwest to see family the girls spent some extra time on the farm.  The guys happened to be working cattle so they got to watch some of that process as well as hand feed the pigs.  The girls quickly discovered that there was only one barn cat (out of the 15) that would even let them get close enough to pet it!

    My cousin Renelle was in town from Colorado so in between hand feeding the farm animals and exploring with the kids we planted tomatoes for Grandpa Verlyn and Grandma Doris to enjoy later this Summer.  I am thankful that the girls got an opportunity to spend time on the farm as well as some time getting to know their grandparents and great grandparents a little better.  We have a lot of great memories of our time in Kansas!

    To Brina hand feeding the pigs and petting at the same time.

    This pig’s got it made….lounging in the shade being hand fed grass from Karlie!  What a life!

    Hand feeding the pigs

    Giving the cows a special snack!

    They couldn’t feed the cattle fast enough as soon as they brought a handful the cows pulled it through and were munching away on it.

  • Travel & Vacation: Spending Time with Family in Kansas

    The plane was delayed due to rain, but now we are ready to go.  Two little chickies all buckled in….one snacking and the other one with her nose already in a book.  Thankful that the girls travel well.

    The girls and I recently flew out to Kansas to spend some time with my family. We stayed at my parents house, but thankfully we were able to catch up with quite a few people while we were out there visiting. While we were in Kansas Jake was traveling with work so he was managing to stay busy too.

    The girls even got in on the last part of my parents church’s VBS, which included getting wet with water balloons.  I think the highest temperature I saw during out week and half in Kansas was 113 while it was hot the wind helped make it more tolerable.

    A cooler full of mammoth water balloons for VBS game time the next day!

    Lots of little water balloons too!  I think by the end the count was somewhere around 300 water balloons.  The kids loved it!

    Karlie picked a variety of flowers from Grandma Penny’s gardens and displayed the flowers in a pie dish.  They actually lasted almost the entire time we were out there!

    Brina made a blue cat while Brandon is working on some blueberry cookies!

    Karlie is busy socializing and creating play dough goodies too!  Grandma Penny made some homemade play dough for the kids.  They loved it (and were asking me to make some a couple days ago)!

    Beautiful purple flower along the road in Harlan, Kansas

    Some of my Great Grandma Viola’s rose bushes were blooming near the Kelly’s Store and the Post Office in Harlan, Kansas where she used work.  She planted the roses many years ago and yet they continue to bloom every year! Grandma Vi had an amazing green thumb (something I did not inherit, by the way)! She loved flowers and I thought it would be appropriate to stop to snap a quick picture of one of her pretty roses while I was in the area!

     

    Brina and Brandon hanging out in their giant tent they built downstairs in Grandpa Russell and Grandma Penny’s basement!

    Three silly kiddos hanging out in their fort tent while chomping on some “spicy” candy Aunt Renelle brought for them to try!

     

    One of the girls favorite places to visit when in Kansas!  A view of my parents house from the top of Windy Point.

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    The girls and I were able to spend some extra time with my extended family in Kansas last week.  The time went by too fast and now that we are back home (and mostly unpacked).  I hit the ground running this past weekend when we landed in South Carolina and don’t think I’ll be stopping any time soon.  There are many fun activities as well as long list of projects on the agenda this week, so I am hoping to get through a bunch of them while having fun along the way!

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Read Imagination Station: Problems in Plymouthby Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 6)
    2. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    3. Play a board game
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Summer Events
    5. Spend some time Monday – Friday having the girls read & do workbooks – we had a travel day in there but otherwise we did pretty well (and we even did some while traveling too)
    6. Spend time with extended family
    7. Go to nephews baseball game

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    3. Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp – thankful for some down time on the airplane so I could finish this book!

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Pay all upcoming bills – had a stack of them when we got home

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients – took time off last week since I was visiting family

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Vehicles – working on it
    2. Pay medical bills in full – making payments

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Read Imagination Station:  Secret of the Prince’s Tomb   by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 7)
    2. Plan one special activity with the family
    3. Play a board game
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Summer Events
    5. Spend some time Monday – Friday having the girls read & do workbooks
    6. Go to Science Camp
    7. Prepare for a big weekend
    8. Ride bikes with the kids

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Pay all upcoming bills
    3. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Vehicles
    2. Pay medical bills in full

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

    Why Share My Goals?

    • To keep me accountable
    • To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
    • To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
    • Create healthy habits in my life
    • To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn

    How did you do this week on your goals?  Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.

    The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.

  • Heart Reflections: Oops I Did It Again!

    Is it just me or do you seem to repeat the same mistakes too?  Sometimes I feel like take two steps forward and one step back in the process (possibly at times is it more like 2 steps forward and 3 steps back). 

    It is hard to be find joy and contentment in every moment of every day, especially when it seems like no matter what there’s always little ripples that happen throughout the days, weeks, months, and years.  How do we find joy in the moments when we want to just go back to bed or go somewhere quiet or escape the stress of life?

    • Find joy in the little things.  Everything may not be going well, but there is always something to be thankful for in your life.  It could be your health, family, friends, a job, home, food on the table, a vehicle to drive, sunshine, or a whole bunch of other things we tend to take for granted.  Taking a few moments to count your blessings can really change your outlook on life.  A thankful heart is a positive heart.
    • Point your focus upward. When we look to Christ for our guidance we tend to see a bigger picture and we realize that it really isn’t that bad after all.  Yes, we make choices that can make life easier or more challenging for us, but we can also put our lives into the hands of the one who created the universe and trust that He really knows what is the best for us.  Just knowing that He holds my life in his hand can take some of the pressure off my tendency to micro-manage all aspects of my life.
    • Spend time helping others. We are by nature selfish people. When we take a few moments to focus our energy on someone else it can also lift our spirit too.  Take time to do something nice for someone else today and don’t expect any reward (or favor returned).  Not only will you help another person in the process your heart isn’t stuck on yourself and your issues.

    If you find yourself repeating the same mistakes over and over again.  Ask God for help, he can help you overcome even the little things that pop up in your life.  Find people that you trust to be an accountability partners for you.  You want people in your life that are not afraid to confront you if they see something in your life that isn’t wholesome for you and your family.  Take time to pray and spend time with people who will encourage you to live a life that reflects goodness instead of  repeating the same mistakes.

    Look for the blessings in your life throughout each day.  Turn your focus upward and outward.  Every one of us has the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives around us.

     

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    Last week was better even if I am running a couple days late with my weekly goal updates.  The girls and I traveled a little last week so we could spend time with extended family.  It has been nice catching up with Great Grandparents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Nieces, Nephews, Cousins and more!  This week I have a lot I want to do, but the schedule will be a little different from the normal routine.

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Read Imagination Station: Problems in Plymouthby Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 6) – we’ve been busy and a little off schedule with the traveling last week
    2. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    3. Play a board game
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Summer Events
    5. Celebrate the Girls Last Day of School
    6. Spend time with extended family

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week – didn’t get any official exercise done, but I was really active
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day – on the day the girls & I traveled I did not stay up on my water
    3. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    4. Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz – finished and returned it, now need to type out all my notes!

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week – traveled part of the week so didn’t plan out those days
    3. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Vehicles – made another payment
    2. Pay medical bills in full – making payments

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Read Imagination Station: Problems in Plymouthby Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 6)
    2. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    3. Play a board game
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Summer Events
    5. Spend some time Monday – Friday having the girls read & do workbooks
    6. Spend time with extended family
    7. Go to nephews baseball game

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    3. Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Vehicles
    2. Pay medical bills in full

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

    Why Share My Goals?

    • To keep me accountable
    • To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
    • To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
    • Create healthy habits in my life
    • To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn

    How did you do this week on your goals?  Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.

    The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.

  • Heart Reflections: You Are My Glue

    God, you are the glue
    that holds my life together.
     
    When schedules get interrupted,
    things don’t go as planned,
    and life seems to be coming at me from all directions
    You are what keeps me from coming apart at the seams.
     
    On those days when I am exhausted
    and it takes everything in me to keep moving forward.
    You give me the strength and energy to face what lies ahead of me.
     
    When it feels like I am spinning my wheels
    and getting no where fast.
    You give me a new perspective.
     
    God thank you for being my glue.
    For loving me especially when I don’t deserve it.
    For bringing a song to my heart for encouragement when I need it most.
    For reminding me of your word and promises.
    For revealing your truth in unique and amazing ways.
    For the countless ways you shower me with your mercy and grace over and over again.
    Thank you God for holding my heart and life gently in your hands.
    May I continue to trust as you mold and make me into the person you want me to be.

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    It has been an emotional and exhausting week.  There was one day I was running on an hour of sleep and other days I felt like I was running on fumes.  I was able to tackle some items on my list and hoping to get a little more done before the schedule switches again soon.

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Read Imagination Station: Problems in Plymouthby Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 6)
    2. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    3. Play a board game
    4. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    5. Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
    6. Attend After School Activities
    7. Prepare for Upcoming Summer Events
    8. Field Day at the girls school

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week – didn’t get this one done but it was busy!
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    4. Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz – almost done!

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Pay all upcoming bills
    4. Reseal Jungle Gym & Swing – put on hold
    5. Give Skipper a bath – she escaped bath time due to the rain this weekend

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Vehicles – made another payment on the van
    2. Pay medical bills in full – making payments

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Read Imagination Station: Problems in Plymouthby Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 6)
    2. Plan one special Activity with the Family
    3. Play a board game
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Summer Events
    5. Celebrate’s the Girls Last Day of School

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise at least 5 days this week
    2. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    3. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    4. Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Pay all upcoming bills

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Vehicles
    2. Pay medical bills in full

    I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true.  When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals.  Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick).  Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.

    Why Share My Goals?

    • To keep me accountable
    • To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
    • To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
    • Create healthy habits in my life
    • To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn

    How did you do this week on your goals?  Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.

    The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.