New Year... New Goals

Hello 2010.

Simple enough. However, now is the time to lay down some goals for this year. I really don't like the term resolution, I really don't know why, I guess it seems like resolutions are never taken seriously. I hear on TV or read in magazines how people make their New Years resolutions and then 2 weeks later... they are done. Enough of the rambling, here are my 2010 goals!

#1 - Maintain my rule of life. What this means is to watch myself spiritually. This goal is to help me stay accountable in following my devotional life. I want to get up in the morning and the first thing is read scripture. Not so I can boast that I read everyday, but as a pastor, if I want my congregation to be in scripture, I need to be in scripture. It is so easy as clergy to ignore that part because, well I preach, I teach and all of those things involved scripture. However... I rarely have taken time to be in scripture myself. So I will take my first part of the day just to read, not necessarily take notes, but just be in God's word. I will schedule one time a month to be away no computer, no phone, no nothing to be in prayer. This could be walking in a park, sitting at the mall, or something that gets me away from busy work and just devotion.

#2 - Improve family time. This is really hard because of how busy Tracy and I are. But I will not have any meetings on Tuesday, and Friday night and try minimally to have meetings on Monday. I want to have quality family time at home. I don't want to sit in front of a computer all evening when I'm home, I want to be engaged with my wife and kids.

#3 - Write something every week. I will be using this blogger.com account to do most of my writing. If I am writing for something else that isn't cofidential, I will do my best to post what I have written here on my blogger account. Toward the end of 2010, I will be putting together my questions for the Board on Ordained Ministry in order to be fully ordained at Annual Conference in 2011. Seems so far away, but the work needs to start now.

#4 - Maintain my weight. Currently I am sitting at 173 pounds. I lost around 45 pounds at the end of 2009 and I want to make sure I don't gain it back. Working with Medifast has been extremely helpful and I am looking forward to working with them to learn how to maintain my weight and eat healthy.

#5 - Run a 5K - There we go... I have written it so be it. Here is a guide for me to follow.

http://running.about.com/od/getstartedwithrunning/ht/getstarted.htm
http://running.about.com/od/getstartedwithrunning/ht/getstarted.htm

http://running.about.com/od/racetraining/a/first5K.htm

I want to do this because it is something I've never done before. I'm not trying to become an uber athlete, but I want to have a goal beside my pedometer which I want to reach level 5 this year and gain all of my cash reward :)

#6 - End 2010 with 7,000 in my savings account and have no debt, except car. I want to build up my families security. 7,000 isn't a lot but it is a good start. This will mean extra work for me because I take money out of my savings to pay quarterly taxes which end up to be approximately 4,000 a year so the total I will need to put in savings is 11,000 out of my 53,209.00 a year salary. I think it is achievable.

So there we have it. My goals for 2010. In short

Maintain Rule of life - Walk with God
Establish deeper relationship with family - Walk with Family
Read and Write - Establish Mind

Maintain Weight & Run 5 K - Take care of physical Body

No debt but car and have 7,000 in savings - Financial

May God be with me as I work on my goals for 2010.