2024 Goals

It always feels so cliche and, admittedly, silly to honestly think a new year can mean a new me. The clock striking midnight on December 31 doesn't turn me into a pumpkin any more than it makes me suddenly a more thoughtful wife or a more patient mom or someone who loves black olives (literally the only food I legitimately hate). Still, there's something about the new year that feels fresh... a blank paper where I can (at least try to) write something new for myself.

I'm not always one to make a ton of big new year's resolutions. I'm currently in a stage of life where I feel like just making it through the day was a huge success, so making a goal for an entire year seems extreme. I do, however, have a few things I'd like to do this year. Here they are in no particular order.

Invite three people/families to our house for a meal

I really admire people who are great at hospitality, and it's always been something I've wanted to be better at. This year I would like to invite three families to our house for a meal. It will be something casual like a crockpot dinner or pizza--I'm not trying to go crazy. But I am excited to start practicing more hospitality in the form of in-person gatherings this year.

Read five physical books

I'm pretty sure I only read one, yes ONE, actual book last year all the way through. Reading did not make it on my radar very much. When I did have free time, I was usually either doing dishes or scrapbooking. Although I did listen to a lot a lot of podcasts. SIDE NOTE: I will die on the hill of there being a difference in listening to a book vs. reading a book (physical or e-book). People are all "I read 780 books last year" and 777 of them were audio books. NOT THE SAME. You can @ me all day. I have thoughts and I'm right.

Listen to the Bible in a year

I purchased the Dwell app and listened to the Bible chronologically in 365 days last year. I feel like I really got into a good habit of daily Scripture, and I have restarted a plan to listen again for 2024. I also want to spend more time physically reading the Bible, but in this stage of life, I appreciate the resources I can use to have the Bible being read to me throughout the year. I really enjoyed it last year.

Scrapbook 2022 and 2023 Christmases

I have an album for scrapbooking our Christmas memories, and I didn't have a chance to start 2022 or 2023 yet, so I'm a little behind. I would love to be caught up with that album by the time 2024 Christmas rolls around.

Run three races

This is hopefully going to be a softball goal, since I am already signed up for two half marathons in 2024. Both are in the first half of the year, so I am hoping to find a good fall race to sign up for. J has mentioned wanting to run a kid's race, so it would be really fun to find a 1-mile run to do with him. I would not be against doing another half marathon either.

_ _ _

This last year was one of the hardest of our parenting and our marriage, and I really hope 2024 is a little kinder to us. It felt like pure survival for most of 2023, and I would love to do a little more thriving than surviving. It was hard, but I am thankful for so much. Our health, our family, and our church are three things that I'm so incredibly thankful for. 

One of my favorite lines from a worship song says, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace." That verse comes to mind sometimes when I am feeling stressed or anxious, and I wanted to share that in case it encourages you as it has me.

Wishing you a wonderful start to the new year!