Well hello 2014

I don't know where time goes.
It baffles me!

Days and weeks fly by me...and I can't seem to capture them.
I pretty much pray and hope that my mind and my heart can capture all the good I bear witness to on a daily basis.

I'm a blessed woman.
Don't mistaken blessed for a life without struggles and hardships.
But, blessed nonetheless.

So, here we are...2014.
Another year!

I always have goals and dreams for the New Year.

I am like a little girl with new school supplies when I get my new, clean and crisp, empty planner.
I lay it out before me, and carefully print some goals and dates on the first few weeks. Careful to write neat and nice.

Oy, the promise of a new year.

What I do know, is that life goes as it does regardless what we hope and plan.
God has our time table in His hands.
And there is no where else I'd rather it be.

Of course there are things I hope and wish for for our family.
Sooo, I'll list them.
But, just know I'm open for change.

I'll do bullet points for my own sanity.

My wishes and goals for 2014 (and yes I'm about 3 weeks behind here)

• I want to have a yard full of beautiful plants, trees, vegetables and herbs. Every year I try to plant things, and I give up half way through the summer. This year though, I've enlisted Kie. I also plan on making a green-house area so that our plants wont die each year with our once-a year freeze. It also helps that Justin loves plants as much as I do :)
• I want to try a new class. Either a cooking class or an exercising one. I think I need to do Yoga. I have found myself stressed lately and I have no real reason to be. So, maybe some Yoga to slow down?
• I pray my family becomes more active and serving in our church. I'm so glad we are now serving in our children's ministry. It was a chance that only happened because God presented it to us. And so, I'm grateful for that open door. Also, my heart grows larger watching Justin with all the children. He is so loving and caring.  It really makes me fall in love with him more. And not to mention, I've been blessed by the children and by all the Godly people I've met through this ministry.
• I also wish to be more helpful in our neighborhood and in our community. I want to show Christ's love and not just live in my bubble. I want to love my neighbors as myself. I really want to make an effort to meet and give/serve to the people in my neighborhood.
• I also wish to read my Bible more. I want to study and research the Bible in depth. I find myself hungry for the Word and I want to really devour it and have the verses etched in my heart.
• I want to love my Husband as the Bible calls me to. Any success that I have in marriage is because of God. The first year or two in marriage was hard because I was selfish. I thought marriage was about making one another happy. But, I've learned with lots of prayer and help that a successful marriage is through work, compromise and respect. And most importantly, through God.   He has to be centered in the marriage.  I'm always a work in progress but I'm forever grateful to God for His guidance in all areas of life.
• I also want to be healthier in all ways. I typically desire to lose weight to fit in my skinny jeans but this year I want to be healthy for my health. Not my vanity. 
• I want to make a new family friend. --As in, we make friends with a whole family. (Mom/Dad and kids) I think it is important to have old and new friends! And I want to expand our love to others.
• I want to sign Kie up for music this year. I know he would enjoy it and I want him to be able to try something new every year. I hope we can find a class and teacher that would suit him.
• I want to get off social media one day. It is a time suck. I love seeing my friend's and family postings, but I want to eventually taper it off.
• I want to blog more though. Mainly because I forget a lot of things and I want to remember it.
• I want to learn to live with less. (Something I struggle with.) I tend to go through phases and then I start to hoard again. I actually don't 'hoard' but once I deplete the house of items I find myself buying and holding onto things again.
• I want to really pray for those that hurt me. I do pray for people that hurt me, but I want to do it on a daily basis. I want to love my enemies as I love myself. I want to love like Christ. Which means I need to pray often that my heart and soul can see others as He sees them.
• I want to continue working in my marriage and giving full respect to my husband. I'm grateful for such a wonderful man and father. I never want to take for granted ALL that he does for me. So, I pray that I continue to show him respect and to hopefully always fulfill his love-language need. 
• And lastly, this IS the year Justin and I will finally pay off ALL our debt. (Besides mortgage.) We have been working on this for the last few years and though it has been slow, we are finally seeing it come through. I'm so very happy to see it nearly over with!

So, that's basically it :)

I'm sure I have other things that are a bit more shallow...

like, I do want to take some family fun-weekend vacays if we can...

and other small things---but, really I just want to anchor our family in God. 

My biggest prayer is that my two boys grow up to love our Savior and our Creator with everything in them.

My prayer is that they become fishers of men, leading others to Him.

My prayer is that we fulfill HIS will for our lives, forever serving Him.

Happy 2014 my lovely readers! 

I hope I can also stay in touch better!

xoxo

-HK