Goals to Reality

Last Wednesday I shared some thoughts on reflecting over the past year and listed some questions to help us see that we really have made progress in life. I thought it appropriate to follow up with new goals for this year. Annie has already shared some excellent thoughts on resolutions in previous posts. Today, I wanted to encourage us to share one goal and how you will achieve it. This way, we can keep each other accountable, share suggestions that might help others reach their goal, and pray for one another to succeed.

One of my major goals is to double my income from my shops. This will allow me to remain home with my boys so I can continue to home school them and be here for them. My two main objectives for achieving this are:

1. To list 10 items per week

2. To reopen my Beyond5 shop by March 1^st with a new look and inventory

So far, I have created something every day. This was how my creation for Tuesday came about.

As part of a home school art assignment, we each quickly sketched 30 of one kind of animal. We chose our favorite one and were to embellish it in any way we wanted. (This part is due on Thursday-but I finished mine already!) These are a few of my sketches.

I chose the one I liked best and enlarged it on another sheet of paper.

I made a pattern on paper I found in my craft drawer (which you would not want to look at!) and cut it out.

From there, I added features and feet along with a tail. Until…tada! Stella was born!

Goals are great. But they are only dreams unless we break them down to a daily plan of achievement. What is one of your goals? How will you achieve it? If you have any great ideas of how I can reach this goal…please feel free to comment!

Dream Big…..

then bring it down to earth and give it a face, arms, and legs!

By

Patty

Catcalls and Dogbarks

How far did you travel this year?

As this year draws to a close, I have been reflecting on the past as I enter into the future. If I don’t do this, I feel as though I am always standing in the same place on the 'road to nowhere', either looking behind me or looking out in the distance but really never going anywhere. I found these questions useful as they helped me to see that I am indeed making progress on this journey we call life. Certainly there was much back tracking, but overall I can say that I have traveled a number of miles in the right direction. I have listed just a few of my answers here and hope you will share a few of yours in the comments.

1. What did I learn? (skills, knowledge, awareness, etc.)

~I learned that I can really make quality friends online, something I never believed possible.

2. What did I accomplish? A list of my wins and achievements.

~I was determined to quit my job and stay home with my children and through much sacrifice, have done so.

3. What would I have done differently? Why?

4. What did I complete or release? What still feels incomplete to me?

5. What were the most significant events of the year past? List the top three.

~Judah got married, Heather had our first grandchild, I quit my job.

6. What did I do right? What do I feel especially good about? What was my greatest contribution?

~After quitting work, I started attending church again (though I have no car now, so it is sporadic)

~I feel especially good about home schooling again this school year.

7. What were the fun things I did? What were the not-so-fun?

~Numerous trips to Chicago to visit my family (yay for Megabus!); creating new items

8. What were my biggest challenges/roadblocks/difficulties?

~Financial struggles have been ongoing, but I can thank God that I still have my basic needs met.

9. How am I different this year than last?

~I am past the “I wonder if I can actually sell anything online?” phase and no longer in the dark through lots of perseverance, reading, listening, and determination!

10. For what am I particularly grateful?

~Little Zeke! My awesome loving, close knit family, and a husband whose love I feel every day!

Dear Lord
Dear Lord, as I close the door on this old year,
I ponder on the things I've done...
on the things I've said and the joys I've had...
then I wonder, have I lost or won?

I've thought of the new friends I have made,
and of the old ones staunch and true...
the path of the old year was made easier Lord,
because I have walked it with You.

I think of all the many times,
when my burdens were so heavy to bear,
and how my faith slipped away from me...
but somehow You were always standing there.

Now as I open the door to this New Year,
and carefully peep inside,
I wonder what it holds for me...
but I'll throw the door open wide

And whatever it brings to me and mine,
I'll meet it with a heart so true...
I know that, Lord whate'er it may be
You'll be there to carry me through.

Mrs. Merrel Thompson

A Happy New Year to all my wonderful new found friends at Petsjubilee!

Patty

Catcalls and Dogbarks