I Pray 2009 Will Be a Year Filled with Love, Joy & Blessings!

It's 2009...though I was mightily blessed in 2008, I am glad to see it gone...

These were my goals in 2008:

Read the entire Bible in 2008.

Take a spiritual inventory through out the year - was I growing in Christ? Practice the presence of God daily...see Him in ordinary events through out the day, stay in fellowship with Him during the day.

Sit quietly in His presence each morning before prayer and time in the Word. (You know - be still and know He is God)

Walk at least 2.5 miles a day at least 4 days a week and ride my bike 10 miles once a week. (I did this for years.)

Lose 30 lbs.

Donate excess clothes, towels, kitchenware, etc to a local charity. Clean out the physical house which makes for a better spiritual house in my case.

Participate more in the Lions Club and do more prayer ministry.

See Valerie (my dear cohort in crime since 5th grade) at least once a month in person.

Not become annoyed with my mother. (Karen B. do not repeat that! I may tell people you rolled your eyes at the hospital when she said she did not micro manage everything. Oh, wait - I rolled my eyes too and she caught us.)

My goals were a mix of the heavenly and worldly weren't they...

Can I just say among friends - HA - I accomplished few of these things.

I read the daily Bible readings until January 12, dad had been hospitalized for 4 days at that point, I got behind and never caught up.

Did not walk any where or ride anything other than in a car or elevator for months. My bike is in the garage somewhere...

I gained 30 lbs (now I need to lose 60lbs) and bought some larger clothes.

Did not attend any Lions Club meetings from January through September or participate in their fund raisers etc. (Dad and I made the Oct/Nov/Dec meetings.) I have begun turning in volunteer hours again.

I was a prayer minister several weekends in 2008.

I zoned out a lot in hospital waiting rooms and lost a lot of time with the Lord as a result. Though I did pray for people and their families as they came into the ER and listened to many people vent in waiting rooms at the hospital, my listening to their story helped them and kept me from dwelling on myself.

Some of the blessings of 2008 were:

Making bloggy world friends - Leslie, Karen, Annette, Wendy, Mitzi were the ladies I "met" 1st in blog land and now I have met many more. I met Annette in person in November and saw her again in December...will attend Bible study with her this year.

I am going to be a prayer minister the 1st 2 weekends in January and I suspect a few more weekends during the year.

I walked a mile today, I am starting out slow, don't want to be too sore to walk tomorrow.

I joined Weight Watchers.

I will read the Bible this year with Karen and whoever joins us, I am looking forward to it.

I will donate clothes etc to Helping Hands this year. (As my god son Alaric says - donate what is surplus to requirement. Does anyone know of a way to donate fat which is surplus to requirement?)

I will also see my best friend Valerie in person more than 3 times in 2009.

I am practicing God's presence and see Him in more ordinary things of life and I want to be a vessel of His love where ever I go. I find I pray more during the day, mainly short prayers or short periods of praising Him through out the day. I am committed to learning Scripture this year with over 2300 Siestas.

Joy is my word for 2009. I will be filled with joy, the Lord's joy is my strength.

I hope no matter what happens in our lives in 2009 we see the blessings that occur daily, we stay connected to God through out the day every day this year. I pray 2009 is a wonderful year for you ladies. One day we will all meet and I think will have one Texas size gab fest.

I want the following Scripture to permeate my very being PS 29:11, NKJ:

The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.

I am now going to sit outside and watch Goldfinches and Chickadees while I drink more coffee.

Happy New Year Y'all!