Still ringing

New Year’s Eve came and went, and we celebrated. New Year’s Day came and went, too, and we celebrated then, too. But further into the first week of the new year, it still felt like we needed to celebrate. So, as evening rolled around, we gathered the kids together for a little still-ringing-in-the-new-year family party.

We broke out a board game from our stash…

…and while we played, we inhaled some fun finger-food snacks, like bacon-cheddar pinwheels…

…and these cute little ham and fruit picks…

…and a vegetable platter I knew they’d smile about, since it included specials treats like baby corn and Crazy Ranch Dip. (I just mix Ranch dressing with bacon bits and grated cheddar cheese, and they’ll actually eat the vegetables!)

We even pulled out “the good glasses” for some Holiday Cocktail. (We mixed apple juice, cranberry juice, ginger ale, and ice.)

And we topped it all off with some yumola chocolate-chip cheesecake dip, only I substituted Heath bits for the chocolate chips (and I must say it was amazing.)  I tried to healthy it up with some apple slices, but to be quite honest I could have easily eaten it straight from the bowl with a spoon!

Later that night during our devotional time, we went over our goals for the new year as a family. Earlier I’d had the kids write theirs down.

(And yes, in case you’re wondering…those ARE Beaver Nuggets they’re eating—a belated Christmas gift from friends who know us too well. I figure if I’m going to require them to do this, I might as well make the task as pleasant as possible.)

As always, I learned some things from my kiddos through this experience. I loved hearing them talk about the things they wanted to work on!

Here’s what Addy came up with. (Gotta love the “try” on #5.)

These were Connor’s:

(The last one is my favorite. This is my shy guy.)

I didn’t take a picture of Chandler’s resolutions, but I’ll tell you right now that they blew me away. He went crazy and wrote two full pages of goals to work toward, and after he read them to us Troy and I just sat there for a while, jaws dropped. (How could my 16-year-old’s goals make mine look so piddly?) Here are just a few examples from his list:

Take criticism with a good attitude, and use it to improve myself.

Do jobs until they’re done. 

Develop a servant’s heart.

Try to see the good in “bad” situations.

Try to see good in every person, especially those who are hard to get along with.

Be a good example to everyone.

Use my time wisely.

Apply Sunday’s sermons throughout the whole week.

Be friendlier and more outgoing.

Use better manners.

Think before I speak. 

Treat everyone with respect.

Enjoy each day.

Don’t take anything for granted.

Yeah…maybe I should ditch my goals and just copy his. I’d be a better person; that’s for sure!

So, are you working hard on your resolutions so far? My friend Lisa and I agreed to go over ours together once a week to help each other be accountable in the areas where we’re trying to improve.  It’s nice to know someone else is praying for your success!

Remember, if you haven’t set new goals yet, it’s not too late! (And feel free to share them in the comments. Hint. Wink. Nudge.)

Thanks for stopping by.

I resolve

Happy New Year!

I love new beginnings. Although I often feel I’m failing in a variety of areas, the coming of each new year brings a certain optimism that goes along with starting over. For me, a fresh start means new energy, new hope, and renewed zeal.

And while I realize that I, like most people, might be breaking my resolutions by February, I do think the start of a new calendar year is a great time to sit down and evaluate where we are, set goals for where we want to be, and make a plan for how to achieve those goals.

We usually spend time as a family on New Year’s Day, talking about our goals for the coming year. Each of us sets a personal goal in each of several categories: spiritual life, family relationships, and time management (all); school (kids and me); finances (parents); rooms (kids); and any other areas we come up with that we want to work on. We talk about them together. We write them down. We pray about them.

I love Philippians 3:13-14. “…but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Are you excited about a new year and the changes it could bring? Do you make New Year’s resolutions for yourself?  I would be so happy if you’d share one or more of them here. I’ll reveal one of mine to get things started:

Every week, I want to sit down with the kids and write thank you notes. Even if we just write one each, I think it will make us more aware of our blessings and help us show our gratitude to those who have made our lives richer in some way.

Our first note will be to the friends who hosted us on New Year's Eve.

Please chime in with your thoughts in the comments below. I wish each of you a year in which you are able to recognize God’s blessings in your life, and smile about them.

Thanks for stopping by!