New Year's Resolution

2009: I can't believe it.

This is going to be a huge year! Full of graduations, weddings, celebrations, and major times of transitions, 2009 is going to be a year that sticks in my mind forever.

As always, it's a tradition to make a resolution (or a few) for the new year. This is easy for me to do. Too often than not my mind is preoccupied with thinking about the future. Some of the New Year's resolutions that I've set for myself include the following:

1. I want to read the entire Bible in one year. I know, I know, this sound super ambitious, super nerdy, and maybe super boring to lots of people. I think I made this resolution last year too. Obviously, it didn't exactly turn out as I'd wished. This year, I've looked into a few additional resources that can help me. I've chosen to follow an Old/New Testament reading plan, in which I'll be able to read a bit from the Old and New Testament each day. Other selections offer Bible reading plans to read the bible in chronological, historical, or from beginning to end. Check it out at Bible Gateway.com and www.ewordtoday.com/year/.

2. I want to continue to love myself and my body through emotional, spiritual, and physical care. Up until a few years ago, I never realized how difficult it was for me to love myself and my body. I never thought I was one of those young girls whose mind was filled with junk about false beauty, security and self-image until I faced some of those issues head on in college. I'm now excited to share that I've been pursuing a transition in which I'm truly beginning to celebrate my body. I'm recognizing God's creativity through it's uniqueness-curvy, short, and strong. Likewise, I've been trying to celebrate my strengths, gifts, and passions and focus on these areas in which God has specifically made me. I look forward to continuing to find freedom in eating healthy and exercising because of the right reasons, such as wanting to keep the body that God's designed me with strong. Just as equally, I hope to continue to understand that a love for myself is not based upon achievements and accomplishments, but on loving who I am on the inside, my character, my values, regardless of all that "stuff," especially when no-one's watching.

3. Finally, I want to continue to seek out opportunities to discover my passions. (Or, to perhaps narrow the focus on my passions!) With being interested in so many different things-teaching, ministry, speaking, etc. etc. etc.), I NEED to continue to seek out all different types of opportunities and record my thoughts along the way! Thus, in the New ear, I intend to network with speakers nation-wide, seek out speaking/presentation engagements, and blog about all of my experiences. Beginning with my student teaching experience come February, I hope to include my thoughts, struggles, and frustrations about teaching so that my responses are effectively considered!

It looks like I have a bit of things to hold myself accountable for. I hope that by publicly sharing some of these resolutions, I stick with them and keep you updated on my adventures!

Good luck on your resolutions!