Happy New Year?  What's up with that?  Think about it.  For most of us moms, today is more like the New Year than January 1st.  Each September our lives are turned upside down, rearranged, and look totally different than the previous year.  Our kids enter new grades.  Activities start.  Church groups resume.  It's like forward progress was put on hold for the last 3 months while we stopped to play, and now it's time to move forward again.  This happens especially in Minnesota where we suffer for 6 months, love and enjoy 3, and tolerate the 3 in between enjoyment and torture!  For many, it is time to buckle down and get back to work.  It would be nice if the things we had planned and hoped for over the summer had happened, but for many, the time has come and gone, and there has been no progress.  You've gained 5 pounds instead of losing 10.  You spent more money than ever, and you were hoping to save some.  You were hoping to get up early and spend time with the Lord and instead your kids were the ones to wake you up each day.  You planned to get on a workout program but instead were on a "who's selling cheese curds this weekend?" program.  Of course, there are those who stuck to their plans and did move forward.  We will see them at church and at school, and though our initial fleshly thoughts are of jealousy and hatred, you really do inspire us!  You have proven that it can be done (we will however assume that you didn't have as much fun as us over the summer as you must have had to sacrifice everything in order to accomplish such great things).  In all seriousness, whether you hit your goals, or missed your mark, today is New Years!  You have a clean slate.  Why should our new schedules be all about our kids new life?  Why not take this time to schedule your new life into the mix?  You already have to make adjustments.  Make some for yourself as well.  Those of the "one thing at a time" mindset, let me assure you: If you do not schedule in your life now, you most likely never will!  You won't let Susie miss dance class, why would you let yourself miss a workout?  You won't let Tommy miss hockey, why let yourself miss prayer time?  Spend some time with the Lord today and ask Him what New Years Resolutions you should make for yourself.  Don't worry about the "how" yet.  If you ask the Lord for help with the "What", you can be sure He already has a plan for the "How".  We'll continue tomorrow......

Proverbs 3:6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take

Love you all-
Jen
 ps you may as well get on board because we are riding this train for the next 30 days......ALL ABOARD!!!!!