July Update on 2014 Goals

What a tough month this has been!   For some reason I really struggled this month in every way to even "think" about my goals.   I was so reluctant to even gather the data to show up for my monthly report....but hiding never solved one thing or got anyone closer to anything....so here I am..a day late, but here to own it, and get back on the program....

First of all, here are some of the reasons I think I was struggling:
1.  Mike and I started talking about a possible move closer to the church. (Stress and Ick...I don't want to pack another box again...ever...but I want to be open to the Lord's calling...holding it all with open hands.   At this moment we have decided that it is not what we are being called to do.)
2.  I am getting creative again...focus is off of the day to day and on to planning for my first grand-baby.  I've been in full on DIY mode with shopping, pinterest-ing (yes...just made that a verb!),stripping and painting a crib and changing table,  and decorating a room, piecing a quilt, crocheting a blanket...Basically I have been playing before doing my chores.
3.  I did very well last month....so somehow for me it feels like I came to the "end" of something, and it was harder to know and proceed with "this is for a lifetime" mentality.

So....here is the outcome....  

1. Read 100 Books in 2014  I have read 48 books so far this year   Check them out on pinterest!  http://www.pinterest.com/kathywood1/read-100-books-in-2014/ I am really falling behind here.  

2. Brain Training Games on Kindle J.  Hey! Goals can be fun J.  I continue to play Words With Friends. Come and play me (ksw1963).   I finally made it off of level 86 on Candy Crush!!  I continue to play Ruzzle, although I play it super late and have been falling asleep in the middle of the two minute games :).   I haven't played the other games this month....I am a slacker :).   

Stature: 

1. Lose any amount of weight.  I have lost 2.5 lbs this month and am down 32.5 pounds for the year and down 60.5 lbs since last September.  Progress....but so slow!  

2.  Beat my 2013 step average/day (6828 steps/day)  In July, I averaged 7384 steps/day.  That is many steps backward from last month.    I have averaged 7724 steps for the year so far.  While I am technically meeting this goal...I really had two very bad weeks this month where I was not really even trying, and I have not continued to jog.

Spiritual: 

1. Read through the New Testament  I am on track...but played catch up many days.  I have been focused on my Beth Moore Study "Children of the Day" which has 5 days of homework.  I find it hard to do both some days.  

2. Come up with a system to pray intentionally for people (prayer journal) and then do it.

I have been pretty consistent with praying...but not journal writing.  I do write a lot in my Bible Study workbook...so some of this is getting done in a different method...not technically meeting the goal, but the "spirit" of it is being met. 

3.  Continue to make progress on writing the scripture in my own hand.  

   I finished writing 1 Thessalonians in conjunction with a Bible Study I am doing. I am also continuing sporadically to memorize 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 and the first 10 verses of chapter 2.     In addition to last years books(Genesis, James, Nehemiah, Proverbs, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, Habakuk, Obadiah,  Titus, Jude,   Hosea, and 1 John), this year I have written Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and 1 Thessalonians. Since this goal is open ended, I am meeting it...but in reality I only wrote two chapters this month so it kind of feels like I didn't make much progress.

Social:

1.  Make lunch dates 1/month with one of the ladies from the church with the intent of building a relationship.  

I met with several of the younger ladies in our church to decorate for the 30th Anniversary Banquet at our church and we had some "get to know you better time."  It was fun.   

2. Entertain in my own home 1/month.   

I am hosting a women's Bible Study in my home every Thursday night.   I've had some family in at various times this month...but not much other entertainment. 

Dream:

1.  Save money for a trip to Israel.  Research and plan the trip.  So far I have saved $631 towards my plane ticket which means I only saved a whopping $20 toward the ticket this month. I used the money I would have saved to purchase some things for the expected grandbaby.   I haven't really been "training" for the rugged terrain this month at all. With all of the upheaval over there, I am starting to wonder if it is going to happen.  I also haven't heard anything at all from the organization that we are planning to go with and they have already cancelled their Fall trip.  I haven't done any research yet into another possible group if that one falls through. I haven't given up though.  It will happen sometime...even if it isn't in March.  Maybe the Lord will come back before then and we will be celebrating in the Kingdom!  One way or another, I am going soon!      Tentative dates for the trip are March 16-28 2015. Tentative itinerary can be found here.  I am a little behind on this goal.

So....guess this report isn't all that bad.   Even if I didn't go gang busters, I did make some progress...more than I had expected when I started this blog!  I also accomplished an awful lot that is not on my goal list, so the month wasn't a bomb.   It is a new month so I always have a new chance to do better.   Onward!