It's already been a year since we didn't become better people, but it never hurts to try again.

We haven't really done resolutions in that we aren't going to commit to running a set number of miles per week, and we're not going to eat more vegetables even though we should, and we're not going to lose weight (I saw a poster that said that the 20 lbs you gained over the holidays makes your resolution of losing 10 less impressive, and this applies here).  But we do have goals, and one of the few things that I learned from Motivational Psychology in college was that writing them down is a good step towards attainment.  So we sat down and came up with the following "be a better person by next year" list.

Spiritually:  

Truly pray for the people that we say we will pray for, and write it down so we don't forget.  I hate it when people use the phrase "I'll be praying for you" or "you're in my prayers" because while well-meaning, that's a lie and what they mean is "I'm glad it's you and not me and that makes me feel sorry for you".  I am certainly guilty of confusing the two sentiments, but they're not the same thing.

Create goals within the groups that we lead at church to improve the preschool  and elementary school ministries, and follow through with them.  Sean would like to add here that he's going to "keep doing what he's doing".  I guess Meredith Lamb needs to humble him a little in the near future.

Read the Bible every day.  "Quiet Time" is something that we both struggle with and could do much better holding each other accountable in.  There have been times that we've been much better when we have a more structured plan, so that's something that we need to reinstate.

Consider leading an e-group in the fall.  Either for young married couples or for high school/middle school.


Relationally:


Make being uplifting towards Sean my biggest priority.  One of the most eye-opening things that I have learned about marriage this year is that you should pretty much be in a good mood, or at least act like it, all of the time.  People don't normally give that as advice because it sounds unrealistic, unattainable, and "fake".  But that doesn't mean that you can't have a bad day, just that you can't use that as an excuse to be a jerk.  I'll say that I think that I do a good job with this, but it's still my biggest relational goal of the year.  Sean makes fun of this saying that I'm basically saying "I'll just keep doing what I'm doing because I'm great at it!" but I've reminded him that he's lucky to be married to someone that he can't argue is great at being nice :)  And I can improve in uplifting him.

Sean says that he hasn't bought me flowers in a while.  Does that count as a goal?

Sean also expressed some sentiment that he wants to make sure that my needs and wants are a priority to him, citing that it's easier to tell me no than people at work...or in e-kids...or his parents...or Mogatu (who's a cat).  I'm not totally sure how to take that, but he smiled when he said it...

And then he expressed some concern that this is public on my blog, and thus the end of our relational goals.


Professionally:


Be involved in some professional organization or team through the NICU outside of general staff nursing.  I did a lot of different things within and outside of nursing at Clemson that I enjoyed,  but since starting work, have felt like a pretty mediocre asset at best and could probably do better.

Do and feel comfortable doing NICU admissions.

Sean wants to get better and more relied upon to communicate with clients.


Financially:


Stick to the budget that we have set.  Our budget is set in a way that encourages us to live a lifestyle that would afford me the ability to not work full time when we have children.  It's not particularly difficult, but I am guilty of spending money keeping in mind that I have an entire income instead of in a way that respects a budget really is set to ultimately benefit me.

Give on a level that requires faith.  Recognize the difference between a tithe and an offering and show that recognition in our giving patterns.

Other:


Put curtains in our living room (I realize how shallow this sounds).

Redonate our dining room table and get a new one.

Sean wants to attempt to dispell the notion that he's a crazy cat guy.  It's not helping that his goal earlier in this blog was to prioritize me over the tabby.  Or maybe it will help.