Happy New Year!!!

I know I say this every year but how in the world is it the beginning of a new year? 2012 flew by!! I cannot believe it is January 1! I love new beginnings and fresh starts and, just like always, I'm excited about this clean slate of a brand new year.

I don't make resolutions but I do try to set some goals for myself. I was looking back at the last couple of years and realized that I've written down many of the same goals again: having a closer relationship with the Lord, being more intentional about loving my husband and training my little one, and being healthier by eating right and exercising. In light of my crohn's diagnosis that last one is more important than ever and there are going to be, actually HAVE to be, some big changes in the way I eat and live. One thing I've set as a goal is being more disciplined in several areas of my life, which definitely includes my health. That has to be a priority this year because I am tired of hurting and spending my mornings in the bathroom.

I am easily overwhelmed by some of the changes that need to be made. So I have decided to adopt the motto of baby steps. Big changes don't have to happen overnight. If I can just focus on taking baby steps in the right direction then progress will happen and that is definitely what I need.

A couple of months ago I read Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst. One thing that really stuck with me was the concept of imperfect progress: slow steps of progress wrapped in grace. She said,  just make progress. It's okay to have setbacks and the need for do-overs. It's okay to draw a line in the sand and start over again. Just make sure you're moving the line forward. Take baby steps but at least take steps that keep you from being stuck. Then change will come. (p. 14-15)

That really resonated with me and I've decided to let that concept of imperfect progress guide my 2013. At the end of the year I want to look back and see that progress has been made in several areas of my life. Imperfect progress. I'll probably need lots of do-overs and there will be some setbacks but I want to be farther along than I am right now.

Our New Year's Eve was really low key. We stayed home and were in bed early. No big parties or celebrations at our house--even though the neighbor's fireworks did wake us up! Today we ran some errands and, unexpectedly, came home with a new piece of furniture-a recliner-which was desperately needed since we set ours out by the side of the road for our town's fall clean-up almost 2 months ago. Tonight we had our annual New Year's Day meal of Hoppin' John with my family. A great start to 2013!