As the New Year bustles toward us, many of us are making goals and resolutions for 2009. It is often a time of reflection, and thought on the year that is coming to an end. What happened in 2008 in your lives? What are you planning in 2009? Is the Lord working a theme in your lives? Is He creating a tapestry in your life?

The theme the Lord keeps whispering to me is discipline. 2009 is going to be the year of Sweet Discipline in our lives. From the food we eat, to moving more, Bible study to homeschool, paying off debt and especially The Prudent Wife, all require more concerted, and disciplined effort in 2009!

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Hebrews 12:11

This verse keeps running through my mind, entwined with the thoughts of discipline and endurance, which often boil down to obedience. Obedience always results in walking closer with the Lord, and in this context I see discipline as a wonderful word, a freeing word to wrap a frame around 2009!

We have been prayerfully reflecting on our goals all week. Considering what the Lord wants in certain areas of our lives, thinking through other areas, trying to winnow our lives down into a tapestry that pleases Him, not just one that we think we want to do.

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the law, happy is he.  Proverbs 29:18

What is the Lord’s vision in your life this year?

If you are like us, 2008 was a year of change and difficulty. 2009 seems alive with the promise of a fresh year full of new possibilities, new life, and new days on a crisp, clean calendar! What will honor the Lord the most as we fill it? How can we attack our debt snowball? How can we narrow down what we will eat for maximum nutrition and savings?  What are some natural health and beauty tips to help save money? How will we navigate this new economy? How can we pray at this time in HIStory. How can we keep our focus on the Lord, when our lives seem in turmoil?

We will be addressing a lot of these issues when we unveil our new The Prudent Wife site very soon! You are going to love the bright and clean new look, and the easier navigation! I can’t wait to share it with you!

How are you doing on your goal setting for 2009?

For now, we are writing our goals on paper. We have all heard that 97% of the people do not write goals down at all. Only 3% do, and they accomplish much more than the 97% who do not commit them to paper. If you don’t aim at anything, you will hit it every time.

his year, we are making our goals high impact and front and center by writing  them on foam boards, keeping them easily visible for motivation. We are going to make it a fun project, breaking each large goal into smaller steps. Breaking down goals into quantifiable chunks with specific steps and smaller goals leading toward the larger goals helps you succeed. We can track progress monthly, quarterly and yearly. There is nothing as motivating as actually seeing yourself hit your target goals in small steps, climbing that disciplined ladder to success.

If you don’t have some spare foam boards, maybe you have some poster board that you and the kids can write your goals on. Perhaps tucking them into a journal is the better option for you, or writing them on your calendar or planner. Either way, break them down and see how much easier they are to achieve. Celebrate when anyone hits the little goals, and when you hit the big ones!

We all want to live life purposefully, with a plan, a direction, a vision moving toward goals. Let 2009 be the year that your goals propel you to action and a terrific, fresh, new year!

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