Let's start at the very beginning...

Welcome to 2018!     

I'm excited and thankful to start a new year!

There are lots of plans swirling in my brain.

This morning, though, I am thinking about these plans:

Jeremiah 29:11New International Version (NIV)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Those are some exciting things to think about in this new year.

He wants to prosper me ( which I know does not necessarily mean monetarily).

He doesn't want to harm me.

He wants to give me hope.

He wants to give me a future.

With those things in place and in accordance to His will and His Word, I have freedom to bring my plans in alignment with His.

Here are the habits/plans I plan to continue in 2018:

• Walk 30-40 minutes every day as has been my habit for years
• Read through the Bible, as has been my habit for years (I use this plan.
• Teach children's church
• Direct the choir
• Babysit my granddaughter
• Be available for my other kids and grands when needed
• Take good care of my hubby

I have taught a ladies' Bible study the past few years and am praying about continuing it.  With my mother's decline, I think I may need to postpone the study.  Although I love to teach and I love these ladies.

In addition to the above here are a few new things I want to do:

• Participate in the Uber Frugal Month Challenge this month
• Work on my personal sewing challenge
• Be more intentional about setting aside time each day to read
• Be more intentional about sitting down at the piano to play

I also want to set up some kind of schedule for this blog.  As in Mondays are for children's ministry, Tuesdays are 'use it up Tues', etc. but I have not fully fleshed that out yet.

In addition, I want to spend less time on the internet.  It can be used for so many good things, but it can be a terrific time waster.

In the spirit of accountability, I want you to hold my feet to the fire here.  I have cut out 5 Christmas stockings.  They are very labor intensive, but I would like to finish them by the end of January. If I get off the internet and get busy, I might be able to finish one today tomorrow for sure.  

Check back in and see how I did!

Happy New Year!  Thanks for reading (and commenting!).

Pondering on this verse this morning:

and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.  I Thessalonians 4:11-12