Preparing for Heaven in 2011

You all read my post here telling of some of my New Year's Resolutions. Well, I have modified it a bit so that it doesn't seem so overwhelming to me. (This may be a little long. I apologize now.)

And that is the why behind my Title. Preparing for Heaven in Twenty-Eleven. My biggest and first goal is to Prepare my family and myself  for a Home in Heaven, some day. Now, don't get me wrong. We're not just now starting this, but we are working harder at it. Especially for myself. This past few years have really taken its toll on me. With constant sickness/surgeries for all of us, it has gotten me down. Well, I'm gonna pick myself up by the bootstraps, so to speak, and with God's help, this will be a better year!!

So, my main "GOALS" for this year are to become Spiritually, Physically, and Emotionally Healthy.

That's it. Those are my goals. Now, I know those include many things, but this keeps it from overwhelming me.

The more complicated list would look something like this:

Personal Goals:

• Read my Bible through in one year. (I did this last year, but I'm gonna do it a bit different this year. I'm using a list from here , doing the Chronological List. I think it will be very  interesting to read the Bible in this order.)
• Study more. (I'll tell you about that further in the post.)
• Become more organized. (I'll explain this further in the post, also.)
• Exercise, eat better, drink more water, and get more sleep.
• Do 12 things I've either never done before, or that I haven't done in a long time. (I'll post that list soon.)
• Read some books from a list I have created. (I'll post that list soon, too.)

Family Goals:

• Have the boys read their Bible each day. (They also have a list from the same site, I got mine. Lane is reading the Bible in a year, in order. Jacob is doing it in two years, one day Old Testament, the next New Testament.)
• Family Devotion Time every night.
• Read a Proverb a Day on months with 31 days.
• Read Psalms on the other months.
• Read to the Boys everyday from a book from a list we created. (I'll share it soon, as well.)
• Go to the Library more often.
• Have a Family Day, at least once a month, and I'm hoping for twice. (It really depends on Anthony's work schedule.)
• I'd like to have a one-on-one date with each boy, each month.
• Have Family Night twice a month.
• Stick to a stricter School Schedule.
• Less T.V., Movies, D.S.s, and other mind-numbing things.
• Play more games, especially thinking games.
• Get our Finances in a state to were we can do for others more.

This list is by no means it. It is just the basics. Now to explain a couple of these, further.

I've decided to do a few things, this year, to help me become a better, wife, mother, Christian, and homemaker.

Melissa Ringstaff from A Virtuous Woman has daily challenges for women, called From Chaos to Calm: 15 Weeks to a Happy Home that helps women get back on track. A quick rundown of the challenge: Each morning we wake up to a new email for that day. She gives you a memory verse and a quick encouraging word. Each week we focus on a new goal and build on them as we go. The main gaol is to have peace in our homes. Check it out!

Brenda, over at Unsolicited Advice, has begun a a goal for 2011. One Year to a {more} Organized Life is a week-to-week challenge to become more organized. So, far we have Found Our Purpose (or reason for wanting to become more organized.) And this week, we are doing the Bare Minimum  (or what HAS to be done each day, to get through the day. Ex: Personal Hygiene, Wash Dishes, and Schoolwork for the Boys)

Ms. Candace, from Sonbeams, has started a weekly discussion on how to become a better wife and a better parent in 2011, based on some books from Doorposts. These books are As Unto the Lord and For Instruction in Righteousness. I'm really enjoying these.

Angela and Courtney, over at Good Morning Girls, will be starting a daily reading in the Book of James, on January 17th, that goes through to April 15th. Each weekday, we will read 2 verses, using the S.O.A.P. way of study. S.O.A.P., for those of you who don't know, is done in this way. S ~ Read and then Write the Scripture you are reading, that day. You will have written the entire Book of James when done. O ~ Write down 1 or 2 Observations from the passage. A ~ Write down 1 or 2 ways you can Apply the passage to your life. And P ~ Pray about what you have learned from that passage. You can write down your prayer, if you want. I am excited to start this!!!

These 4 things, plus reading my Bible daily, will give me lots of time in God's Word. Along with reading a Proverb a Day and Psalms with the boys, and whatever their daily Bible Reading for School is, plus the Daily Devotions in the evenings, having the boys read each day on their own, will help them start at an early age getting into God's Word. (That was a horrible sentence. My English Teacher (aka ~ Mother) will be horrified! lol)

I'll be posting about my list of books, the boys' list of books, and the 12 new things I want to do, very soon!

Thought for the Day:
Psalm 107:28-30
28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.