Pages

Friday, February 10, 2012

2012 G.O.A.L.S.: January Update

I am so enjoying using this blog as a means of accountability for myself!  Please join in with a comment here and there at the bottom of the post.  I would love to know your goals too and how you are doing accomplishing them!  Here are the results from the first month!!! 

GOD
Increase in visits to the adoration chapel (weekly, hopefully)       
One visit in January! Hooray!
Daily family prayer      
Accomplished about three nights each week - it's a start!
Teaching Rita the traditional Catholic blessing before meals, the Guardian Angel prayer and the Hail Mary    We have prayed the blessing before meals and Guardian Angel prayer at least twice a day.  Not much success adding the Hail Mary.
Establishing 15 minutes of conversational prayer time      
I have achieved this about three days a week.
Saying as much of the Rosary each day as I can (separate from conversation time with Jesus)      
No progress.

OWE NOTHING
Decrease vehicle debt by $1200 (at minimum)     
No progress.
Take a family vacation with CASH only      
Plans fell through, but aiming for this by May.

*Currently we owe on one vehicle and on our home, so this won't happen in 2012 but we are at the start of the journey to totally debt free living!

APPRECIATE
Being a SAHM is the greatest blessing, Lord let my lips not complain!
Become great at pursuing gratitude and expressing it at every opportunity
Appreciate our financial stability and practice frugality as part of my job as wife and mother
I started buying sale items and try to not spend more than 20% of our weekly budget on non-sale items.  We have also committed to slowly lowering our grocery budget each month.  For February our budget for groceries per week will drop from $100 to $95! Hooray!

LISTEN
I talk way too often
I interrupt even more often
Lord Jesus Christ, remind me of the simple anatomy of my being - two ears and only one mouth
I am more conscious of when I am yacking away, and if I catch myself, I say out loud, "I'm sorry I'm talking/interrupting too much."  I think that is a good first step.

SAVE
Save, save, save!
Save $6,200 for our three month emergency fund  
No definite progress, but we have Tyler's W-2!  Any money from taxes will go toward this category.
Save $400 for photos with our new baby in July and for family Christmas pictures     
No progress.

Obviously we are very focused on our finances.  I really feel that once we have a sort of routine budget and can lower and/or accurately predict our expenses our goal categories will broaden.  This year, 2012, is the year we get our financial house in order.  We are also trying to establish a sort of prayer routine, which I think is obvious from above too.  This takes a lot of practice but me and Tyler both desire a more deeply rooted relationship with Christ.

2 comments:

  1. I love your goals! We're in the process of de-cluttering our house...planning on having a joint garage sale with my brother's family.

    We're working on our finances too do I can stay home with Landon, and one of my personal/spiritual goals is to read more. Sometimes I only read a couple pages a day, but it's still a work in progress :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Jen! Our goals have really helped us to stay focused even with a baby coming :)

    Decluttering feels so wonderful! You'll see how life becomes more enjoyable and stress-free. It's amazing! Prayers for a successful garage sale.

    Staying at home with Rita is the best gift ever and having our finances in order is always a must.

    Reading is an awesome goal. I wish I would have included that in my goals - next year for sure! I'm currently reading an e-book all about decluttering! It is titled: How to Declutter Your Home and Your Life by: Martha Sinclair
    It is a great read!

    ReplyDelete

So glad to hear from you! All conversation is welcomed, within good reason and kind intentions.