Consider Lily

Throughout this year we will feature “Re-Considering Lily” where we will bring back by popular demand one of our previous topics. Sometimes the Consider Lily bloggers will add new comments and we will even invite previous bloggers to pipe in.

About 90% of the New Year’s Resolutions I’ve made have had something to do with habits … either making them or breaking them (obviously, the year that I resolved to grow out my bangs is not included in that figure … difficult times though, to be sure). I recognize that “New Year’s Resolutions??? are often more about hype than commitment, but we all make goals, whether they’re set on January 1^st or June 1^st, and, often, we are disappointed when we fail to reach them. I was recently considering why some resolutions had “stuck” while most had failed. The successful ones had a simple common factor: they weren’t a secret. Goals are easier and more likely to be accomplished when other people are around to encourage and challenge us. So, in the spirit of things, I thought we could do a little experiment. I’m offering up to you a few of my 2007 Resolutions (as you know, I LOVE LISTS!) and I would ask for you to do the same. I wonder if, by sharing them, we will be more likely to keep them … and if we might just happen to inspire each other along the way:

• I will call my grandparents regularly … for no reason
• I will make a point of eating vegetables more often (**note to self: cheese is not a vegetable)
• I will tithe. I will tithe FIRST. I will tithe joyfully.
• I will commit to getting places on time (THIS. IS. HUGE.)
• I will write a REAL letter at least once a month … to someone who doesn’t expect it.
• I will be more willing to accept advice from my mother … because she loves me … and she’s wise … and I don’t actually know everything.
• I will keep in touch with old friends.
• I will learn to cook at least one thing a month (I may not learn to cook WELL, but I will be diligent in my pursuit of a better understanding of what those knobs mean on the front of my oven).
• I will be honest (with myself … about myself) and confide in a trusted friend when I realize that I’m floundering.
• I will choose to be healthy, because I admit that it isn’t intuitive to me (#1: Kelly, I need a new workout plan, and #2: well, I already mentioned the cheese thing)

I appreciate you guys and am so blessed to be able to talk with you all here … Happy 2007!

What a FUN idea!! I love this! Of course, I loved it a lot as I was reading your post and then realized that I need to make just about every resolution that you already mentioned here! You are right, though. It does seem that our resolutions are better kept when we have some sort of accountability to keep them … even if it is simply knowing that we have shared it with friends who will be there to realize when we have not kept to our stated goals.

I think that I will have to think much longer and harder about this than just the few minutes that I am giving it this morning as I write this, but I do know of at least two goals that I am already convicted about that I need to work on:

• Work out at least 3 times a week. I have been averaging about 1 or 2 times a week (don’t judge me Kelly and Jenn – you fitness buffs!) — but I know that I need to get in that 3rd time (if not a 4th, 5th, 6th time …)
• I am giving up the urge to feel like I always have to interject my knowledge (or opinions?), to take that position that “I am right and you are wrong” in a conversation. I read the most intriguing article last night about how some of us find ourselves drawn toward a need to “win” a discussion or make sure others know “all the facts” so that they can come to the same conclusion as us. The article pointed out the neatest question to consider: What is the goal — to grow a relationship or to “win” the discussion/be “right” and make sure everyone knows you are “right”? I love that. I fear that the lawyer in me, unfortunately, is trained to be an animal that always seeks to be “right” and have the last say in being “right.” I am going to work on that this year. And you all have the right to call me out on this … unless, of course, I really am “right” … hee! hee!

Thanks, Nicole, for a neat topic!

When I read this, my first thought was “my resolution this year is to survive 2007!” My life is literally not in danger, so that’s a bit dramatic, but we have a new baby in the house. Our fourth baby … in six years … so when you have a new baby, and your brain and body are sleep deprived, you are in survival mode. (My husband’s resolution is to not have a baby this year.) I hope to just keep up with the obligations, all PRIVILEGES by the way, that I already have in place. Being a wife, mother of four, teacher to my children, and also all of the ministries that I enjoy so much! Writing for and teaching college girls, mentoring, and our ministry to engaged couples. My plate feels full! I feel like if I add a resolution I might crater! But with more thought, I came up with a few. Some attainable, some totally wishful thinking, some very boring, and some super-spiritual … but dream with me.

• I will catch up on Scrapbooking. (boring)
• I will force feed my kids a vegetable with dinner every night. Sadly, this is a lofty goal.
• I will get Janet Jackson abs, rather than abs that scream ‘babies have been here!’
• Cutting out carbs or cheese will have to wait for another year, because there’s no freaking way.
• (Here’s for the dream) I will run a half-marathon. I have been dying to do this since I started running. But finding time to train with the aforementioned children is maybe unrealistic for this season of my life. BUT STILL! I really, really want to do it! Who will train with me???
• (Here’s the super-spiritual) I will look more like Christ this year. Every New Year, I have to ask myself, do I look more like Him this year, or am I wearing the same flesh that I wore last year? 2 Cor. 3:18-19 says “And all of us have had that veil removed” (as believers, we no longer have the veil that keeps us from understanding and recognizing Truth) “so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.” I so want to be a mirror that reflects His glory in my life! I don’t want to stand still year after year, but I want to be more and more about His glory every year. That’s a little abstract for a resolution, I know. So let’s say I will let God rein in my heart and tongue more than ever this year. I will think less about how people perceive me and all about how the Lord perceives me. I will submit every cent I spend to the Lord, spending less on us and more on those in need. I could go on and on. But I won’t. I’m anxious to hear what you other wonderful ladies have to say. Happy New Year!

I forgot to add something here that I meant to mention. I have a suggestion for Nicole — a resolution that I thought she might want to add to her list. Nicole — what do you think about the following addition to your list?

• I will be nicer to Nikki and stop ignoring her in the Consider Lily posts.

Thoughts??? Anyone???

Learning to laugh more – another resolution that I have added to my personal list.

Hmmm … you have all posted some awesome goals here. I never thought I’d say this in life, but I LOVE GOALS. I do! Even when I don’t reach them. It’s been a breakthrough for me to just put them out there, on the paper, in someone’s ear, to, in a way, admit that I have dreams that I can only do with God’s help.

Three years ago I started posting “goals” (I know that I’ve never once kept a “resolution” made on Jan. 1st). Last year, I met three out of five. That felt great! This year, I have five more posted on the fridge. I’ve learned to make them measurable, not just “Be healthier … Laugh more … Speed less.” I look at them every day, at least three times or whenever I’m hungry (another good technique for the health-related goals). I have some personal, measurable goals for my songwriting career, including finishing 20 songs this year, and getting at least one song cut on another artist’s record. Here are the other ones:

• I will improve my posture, especially when I’m sitting down and listening to someone. (Friends: Tell me to sit up straight!!)
• I will exercise 3X/week, or at least 120 times this year (when I sign in at the gym, it tells me how many workouts I’ve done since Jan. 1st. Nice!)
• I will keep a prayer journal and celebrate God’s goodness and wisdom in His answers. (52 entries or at least weekly)

Okay, girls, make sure you let us all know when you are able to cross off some of these goals. And, Jenn, I LOVE dreams! Just saying it out loud makes you one step closer to running that marathon. It will happen! Thanks for letting us cheer you on. Now, if you are able to get those Janet Jackson abs, you send that little potion to me because my two-baby ab trophies are needing some love. Or maybe Kelly can give us all a program for getting great abs the “real” way.

Happy goaling!

I am sad to admit that I entered 2007 with no resolutions. Not even one little one that I could easily keep to make me feel better about myself. None. We didn’t exactly ring in the new year with a relaxing time of reflection and celebration (which is a subtle way of saying we had a terrible weekend that we’re still trying to recover from), and I find myself 10 days into 2007 with not one stinkin’ resolution.

I would like to state for the record, however, that I gave Nicole a new workout routine. Granted, she wrote it down on a napkin as I attempted to demonstrate the exercises while driving 80 mph on the highway so she wouldn’t miss her plane … But regardless, the next time you see her, feel free to assess her progress.

And Jenn … ever heard of juice plus? It provides all needed fruits and vegetables in four easy to swallow pills a day. I swear by the stuff. They make gummies for kids. So if the 1-a-day thing isn’t working for you, you could try that as a fallback. (Oh, and by the way, I’ll clearly be needing parenting advice soon, and I plan on coming to you.)

Anyway, enough procrastinating. My resolutions in list form (and FYI, Nikki, it doesn’t count as list form when each line in your list is followed by a paragraph of explanation):

• Be nicer to Nikki
• Meditate on Gods word daily … even if just one verse
• Cook for my husband at least once a week … pathetic, I know … thank God for take out
• Submit comments to the blog before being asked 3 times (sorry Audrey)
• Pray for the challenging people in my life (this would be instead of writing them off, which is what I do)

These are simple, but would, in some ways, be life changing if I would do them. Feel free to keep me accountable.

ps. sounds like we need to incorporate ab class into our lily 7 meetings … I’ll see if I can work up a program before our next one

Ahem … I’m glad that someone is making a resolution to be nicer to me (Nicole – did you read KJ’s resolutions here????) … then again, judging by KJ’s lead-in comment to her list of resolutions, I think she may have already broken that one …

And KJ – did you really suggest that we get all of our fruit and veggie nutritional requirements via pills???? Aren’t you supposed to be a medical professional? What kind of advice is that??? LOL … you’re killing me …

Nonetheless, we’ll expect that new ab routine at our next Lily7 Team meeting.

Hey guys, so remember that time that Nikki “resolved” to accept that she doesn’t always have to be right? And remember how she said she wanted to get over that sense of always having to win? Do any of you think she’s actually going to just accept defeat with this new “Nicer to Nikki” campaign that she has going?…yeah, I don’t think so either. A few more weeks and she’ll be getting “Team Nikki” t-shirts printed…

Nikki, I love you like I love kittens and air travel and the big ol’ beautiful state of Texas… xoxoxo