I've been tagged again - this time by Sal.

Ten Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year or On Your Birthday

There are actually 31, so I'll give them all a shot. (We'll see how it goes!)

1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
Pray more.

2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

Have me be the mom He wants me to be. There is absolutely no way I can do it unless He does it through me.

3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?
See #1 and #2.

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?
Once again, see #1. What will I do about it? Still trying to figure that out, but I think one major thing is to make sure I set apart a time for prayer each day in my schedule.

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?
Probably the internet. Our new schedule should help with this, since I'll only have particular times when I'll be able to get on it.

Although I think another time-waster, though it's less obvious, is simply not knowing what to do or when to do it. So I sort of "flit" aimlessly, OR I get distracted on my way to do something. A schedule should help with this also.

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?
Hmmmmm, I'm not sure about a "new way," but I'm planning to get more involved.

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?
My children's.

8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?
More order to our days. It will definitely be by God's grace since I still have no idea just HOW to get it to work with my dh's (lack of) schedule!

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?
Actually have a set prayer time.

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?
Teach my children the Bible.

11. What's the most important decision you need to make this year?
Oh my. I honestly have no idea. We don't have any PLANS for the year that would involve an "important decision," but I'm sure something will come along!

12. What area of your life most needs simplifying, and what's one way you could simplify in that area?
Our stuff. And I can simplify it by getting rid of most of it.

13. What's the most important need you feel burdened to meet this year?
The need for my children to have more order to their days rather than everyone (me included) just flying by the seat of his/her pants. No one knows what to expect, and we need a routine.

14. What habit would you most like to establish this year?
A routine!

15. Who do you most want to encourage this year?
My husband.

16. What is your most important financial goal this year, and what is the most important step you can take toward achieving it?
Severely decreasing our debt. At a minimum getting our credit cards paid off. That is a MAJOR task, and definitely a God-sized one. The most important step is to simply continue what we've been doing - cutting back on the non-essentials and snowballing our debt.

17. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your work life this year?
Come up with a schedule and stick to it.

18. What's one new way you could be a blessing to your pastor (or to another who ministers to you) this year?
Praying more fervently for him.

19. What's one thing you could do this year to enrich the spiritual legacy you will leave to your children and grandchildren?
Make sure that I live what I teach my children about the Bible.

20. What book, in addition to the Bible, do you most want to read this year?
The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

21. What one thing do you most regret about last year, and what will you do about it this year?
Expecting some sort of routine to our days (and nights - ugh) to come together on its own. I know now that I need to make it happen.

22. What single blessing from God do you want to seek most earnestly this year?
That's a toughie since I'll take any blessing He'd like to give me. But I guess if I had to choose it would be for G to own his own faith and for me to see fruit in his life.

23. In what area of your life do you most need growth, and what will you do about it this year?
Serving others even when I don't feel like it. I think the only way TO do it is to just suck it up and do it LOL!

24. What's the most important trip you want to take this year?
Since I never go anywhere unless I am moving LOL, I'd take any trip! ;-) But I wouldn't mind going to some sort of WholeHearted Mothers Conference or something like that.

25. What skill do you most want to learn or improve this year?
Organization that actually LOOKS organized.

26. To what need or ministry will you try to give an unprecedented amount this year?
Our church.

27. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your commute this year?
Be dressed. (Since my "commute" consists of about 6 steps downstairs. ;-) )

28. What one biblical doctrine do you most want to understand better this year, and what will you do about it?
Honestly I just sort of think on stuff as I'm presented with it. But I'd like to do an in-depth study on parenting. (I know that's not really a "doctrine" though!)

29. If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say? Would they be right? What will you do about it?
Suck it up and do it. Yes, they would be right. I'd like to say that yes, I would just suck it up and do it.

30. What's the most important new item you want to buy this year?
A new house.

31. In what area of your life do you most need change, and what will you do about it this year?
See #17 and #29.

Let's see...I think I will tag:
Sprittibee, Catez, and Chewy Mom.

(Copyright © 2003 Donald S. Whitney.

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