Every January my husband and I get away together to have our annual State of the Family and Finances review.

Getting away from the hustle and bustle of your normal life is extremely important because sometimes the only way to see the solution to a problem is to step outside of the issue for a moment.

We both write out our annual goals, then pray together about the lists.

We discuss any major purchases we see in our upcoming year (i.e.. drivers ed for our almost 16 year old, vacation’s, etc.).

Next we talk about any character issues we are having with the kids. At this point, we focus on each child, one by one, and discuss issues and possible solutions. Then we discuss how to implement these new solutions.

We discuss our family life and make sure we aren’t too busy and that we are getting fed at our local church as well as evening Bible study.

Finally, we check in to be sure we are both satisfied with our marriage life.

Of course we take lots of breaks to just relax and recharge our batteries (This year we added prayer walks which were amazing).

For 2012 we stole away to the mountains for 5 days in a small two bedroom cabin with a fireplace and hot tub.

When we finish, we are both revived, refreshed and recharged. The kids know enough to be tense when we arrive home, because change is imminent. But we know the issues we’ve come to expect are now going to be addressed and in time resolved.

When’s the last time you and your honey got away for a time to reflect? If you aren’t married, you can still get away with a girlfriend and disconnect long enough to work out any kinks in your daily life.

This is an annual investment I believe everyone should make. It’s well worth the money spent for a better year and mentally refreshed you.

What are you waiting for? Make a reservation, hire a baby sitter and get going!

Goals are not so easy to meet. We want them to challenge us and improve our lives, but boy do they get in the way when things get busy.

Here are a few tips to help you (and me) reach our goals by the end of 2012:

1. Be realistic. Don’t set goals so lofty you need a miracle to reach them.

2. Be prayerful. Once you have goals in mind, take them before the Lord.

3. Be specific. Be sure to write down the specific steps needed to reach those goals.

4. Be committed. Research has shown that people who actually read over their goals on a daily basis are 80-90% more likely to reach them, so get into the habit of reading them over daily.

5. Be flexible. By February, most of us will have missed it on at least one goal. Don’t throw them all away, instead ask the Lord to give you fresh resolve and start fresh that day. You still have many more months to be faithful to reaching your goals.

6. Reward yourself. As you meet goals consistently, reward yourself. Buy a book you’ve been pining for, or go for a peaceful walk with the Lord, basking in His creation. Pat yourself on the back because you did it with His help!

“And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” Habakkuk 2:2

Thankfully, the issues are finally resolved and my site is back up and running.  I am looking at it as a fresh start for 2012.

I am excited about 2012. I have big plans for the new year. I have my goals set, with steps needed to take to reach them.  And I am ready with my resolve.  I sometimes think half of the battle is my resolve.

I also found a study that showed people who read over their goals daily are 80 or 90% more likely to meet those goals than people who don’t read over them.

Given these facts, I’ve put my goals in a place where I will read them daily. I hope to post at the end of the year about my success in reaching my goals!

Have you set any goals for 2012? Have you heard of anything to help us reach those goals?  Leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts.

Have you made your list and checked it twice?

Is your shopping complete?

Have you wrapped those gifts?

How about the food? Have you bought the Christmas dinner?

Don’t forget decorations, are they all in place?

The clock is ticking and the days are counting down until CHRISTMAS! You’d better be ready, because ready or not, December 25th will be Christmas day. December 26th will be too late.

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night” 2 Peter 3:10a (NIV)

Unlike Christmas day, we neither know the day or the hour of Christ’s return, but that does not excuse us from being ready! God expects us to be watching and waiting for His return.

How can we be ready for this fabulous day?

1. Make a list – of scriptures you’ve memorized, or ones you intend to memorize. We are told to hide His words in our hearts.

2. Check it twice – or more often if needed to ensure those verses are really in your hearts and minds.

3. Be sure you are nice – not naughty. Check your behavior and be sure it’s lining up with those scriptures you’ve memorized. Confess your sins and He will forgive them.

4. Pray. Spend time getting to know God himself through prayer. Pray the Word of God, pray your needs and pray your hearts desires.

5. Praise. Give God the glory. Praise Him for everything in your life, and for who He is.

6. Tell others. We are expected to bring others with us to Heaven.

As you prepare for Christmas, let it stand as a reminder to prepare yourself for His return!

Merry Christmas!

Make a list – and check it twice, right?

On Sunday, I had each child come into my office and tell me what they hoped to receive for Christmas. I neatly wrote each request down in my notebook. Next, I added other friends and family members – along with a gift idea.

Have you ever wondered Why we indulge one another with material gifts when God is the one who gave us the best gift of all, Jesus?

My husband and I are going to really downplay the gift giving this year. Not because we feel it’s wrong, but because we want the kids to realize the best gift ever is the gift of receiving God’s salvation through Jesus.

To encourage right thinking, we will do a family project to help those in need. We can get involved through different local churches in feeding the hungry in our area, Christmas Mother, Toys for Tots, etc… By doing something for those in need,as a family, we will be unifying our beliefs and creating long lasting memories.

Do you remember exactly what you received for Christmas when you were 13? You probably only remember one or two gifts. If I asked you to tell me about a time when you helped someone in need you would probably be able to give me word for word details. Why? Because that’s what really matters in life.

How do you make lasting memories with your loved ones at Christmas?

It’s Thanksgiving week once again and time to give thanks to God for your life.

When I’m healthy and money is flowing and my kids are making good grades, it’s easy to give thanks. But when someone in my house is sick, and bills are piling up, and the kids bring home a bad grade, it’s not natural to be thankful.

But God doesn’t ask us to do what’s “natural”. Instead He asks us to act out of faith and a knowledge of His word. The verse above clearly states when I’m supposed to give thanks – and for what. Give thanks in every circumstance.

It’s one thing to just accept a bad circumstance, but to actually give thanks for it is quite another thing.

All across the internet, people are doing this giving thanks thing. It’s on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc… But not once have I seen one of them give thanks for a bad circumstance. I’m not judging them, after all, just this morning I realized I’m guilty of falling into the same pattern of giving thanks.

Today, I will begin with a conscious effort to give thanks for all circumstances.

Today, one of my kids woke up with a fever, tummy ache and headache. I had to stay home from Bible study, and miss play practice at school (I’m directing a Christmas play at my kids school). Today, I thank you, God for my sick child, and your plans for me to stay at home to love on her and focus on YOU.

Wow, giving thanks in all circumstances really causes you to release control of your life to God. It’s really an admission that He alone is in control. You should try it.

PS. The black dog in the video is my dog, Laney.

Bullying is a current day issue – one that’s been around for a long time. Even in Biblical times bullying played out.  Many people bullied Jesus.  Luke 22:63-65 tells of one such incident:

“The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and demanded, ‘Prophesy! Who hit you?’ And they said many other insulting things to him.”

These were painful words unjustly spoken to a perfect savior.

How did He handle it? Even in the midst of persecution, Jesus asked His father to forgive them, stating how they didn’t know what they were doing (Luke 23:34).

I’ve been bullied. In the 7th grade, I became the object of bullying on my bus. Every day before and after school, I endured relentless verbal abuse.

I thought of the above phrase, but having lived it, knew that it wasn’t true. Their words did hurt. They ended up having an effect on my psyche for years to come. I didn’t find complete healing from the pain of my childhood until I went to counseling and allowed God to teach me how to truly forgive. But the scars of those wounds will always be there.

This week, a 9th grader at our public school had her arm sprained by a school bully. According to the news, she has been enduring verbal abuse for two years now.

Should we teach her the above phrase and expect her to move on, unscathed by the event?

NO!

Proverbs 18:21a says, “The tongue has the power of life and death.”

Romans 10:10 says, “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

Our words are filled with power. Words will either edify or destroy the listener.

When we know of someone who is being bullied, we need to acknowledge the pain they’ve experienced and direct them to God. He is the only one who can heal the wounds of the soul.

And to the bully, we need to teach them the power of words, too. They need Jesus just as much as the one being bullied. The real reason people bully is because they are hurting inside.

Be careful to choose your words wisely, and teach these truths to our children. There’s great power in the tongue.