A Word for the New Year - Intentional

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Every year in high school I made a resolution for the new year.  It was always the same - to stop biting my nails - and it always lasted about a week and then I would start up the biting again.  

I've made resolutions as a mom, but they were kind of intense, and so numerous, it was daunting! I ran from those in a hurry!

This year, I am summing up my resolutions in one word - INTENTIONAL.

Intentional about prayer and Bible Reading

I am a calmer mother, a more sensitive wife, and just generally a better person when I pray.  The Saint Andrew Novena, a prayer prayed 15 times every day from November 30 to Christmas, has shown me the reality of that. I want to make sure to continue to include intentional prayer like that.  I have signed up with Gospels in a Year, which delivers readings and commentary in a daily email, to help me stay focused with Bible reading.  {Thanks to Pam for mentioning it in her post about Christmas liturgy.} I also broke down and paid for the Divine Office App.  I was listening online initially, but it is so much more convenient to have it on my phone! We can even listen to the Liturgy in the car, now.

Intentional about spending quality time with my family

Losing the twins, and not knowing if we will be able to have any more children, has made me so aware of just how much I need to appreciate all the moments I have with Bear and J-jo and my husband.  See, the thing is, I listen to the lies that whisper that quality time with my family has to involve complicated plans and lots of money, but the truth is that the best moments are filled with laughter and the simplest things are what bring on that laughter. A tickle fight. Bouncing my son on the bed so that he can touch the ceiling.  Racing the kids around the house.  Watching a movie with a child snuggled under each of my arms.  But most of all, tucking in my daughter at night, for this is when she opens up to me and tells me all her wonderful secrets.  I want to make sure we have more of those silly, spontaneous moments.

Intentional about dinner

Coming up with something to eat for dinner is hands-down my least favorite thing to do.  I'd happily just eat a salad every night.  Or soup.  However, my children don't really prefer salad and my husband never feels full on a bowl or two of soup.  Don't Waste the Crumbs is a goldmine of information and good ideas on how to budget and meal plan.  I am also learning from Simplified Dinners, which I am in the process of reading.  One way I have become intentional about dinner is to categorize the days* and plan for two weeks of meals that we then cycle through twice to make up a month of meals.
 {* one night chicken, one night ground beef or ground turkey, one night pasta, one night something with beans, Friday homemade pizza, one night leftovers, one night soup.  Although I wanted to give each day of the week a specific category, it works out better to assign easier recipes to gymnastics days rather than assigning type of food to those days.}

Intentional about homeschooling

Sometimes I just let school happen. We open the books, we read, we write, we do math.  It's monotone and, well, a bit, blah.  I am not a do-tons-of-crafts-to-learn-history mom, but I do love teaching art and music history to my children.  But when I stop being deliberate about homeschooling and just let school happen, those subjects that all three of us absolutely adore don't get done.  I want to make sure we get to art and music and the only way I see we can do that is by starting with those subjects on Monday morning when I have the necessary energy. Let me be blunt. I will not get too tired to have them finish off math on Friday afternoon, but probably too tired to start that messy art project, so let's just start the week strong and let the happy flow that comes from immersing oneself in art and music trickle through the rest of the week.

Intentional about blogging

I have a renewed purpose for this blog and am excited about big changes coming in the new year. I have been intentional about praying for God's direction here and it's time for me to learn all things new (to me) about blogging.

One of those new things is how to make income through my blog.  All of your clicks and purchases through my Amazon, All About Learning Press, SQUILT, and Homeschool Planner affiliate links have brought extra income that has made a difference to our family and been such a blessing. Thank you! 

Do you have a word for 2014?  Leave it in the comments!

linked at Word for the Year Round-Up (goes live January 1st)