The Christmas Season, Part 2: What are my goals?

Welcome to Part 2 of my Christmas Season prep.  Join in!  If you missed Part 1, it’s easy to find!

You know, I’m really happy I took a few minutes to brainstorm what is really important.  Already, I can see a few things that will be trimmed from my list of activities this year because, well, they don’t really matter to me.  I see that now.  But, more about activities later….for now let’s set some goals.

I’m going to look at it like this:  By the time Christmas is over, I want to look back over the month of December and know that we (or I) were able to ________________.

What would you fill in here?  Try to make it something you can measure so you’ll know if you meet the goal.  Here’s an example of a measurable goal that would fit in the above blank would be:

Have three small and simple get-togethers in December.

I don’t know if this is one of my goals yet or not, but I chose it because it reflects several of my values.  Likewise, it does not highlight anything that is not important to me.  Your goals can be anything ranging from handmade Christmas cards to at least 1/3 of the list, to using gift wrapping time as family time at least 2 times to reaching out to others in service or gift 3 times. I especially like goals that reflect more than two or three of my values.

Assignment 2: Set goals to ensure that your values are met this Christmas Season. Make them measurable.  One to three goals should be sufficient; we’re not going for overwhelmed, remember!

Here goes:

My Goals for the 2009 Christmas Season

1.  Create a piece of memorabilia (like a simple digital scrapbook) that showcases what we did this month.

2.  Have two small, simple get-togethers with friends and their families that have been on the “want-to-hang-out-with” list.

3.  Trim down my Christmastime activities to only those that reflect at least two of my family’s values.

Ok, it’s your turn!  What did you come up with?

Part three will help us get a plan so everything that is important can fit into our lives without becoming overwhelmed.

–Jen

P.S.  Sorry for all the Christmas images BEFORE Thanksgiving!  I’m a believer in waiting until after T-day to enjoy Christmas but since this was “planning” and all…I thought I could break my own rule.  After all, we’re not really celebrating yet.  :o)

Isn’t being perfect, supposed to be perfect?

You’ll notice (well, if you didn’t before you may be tempted to go look really quick) that I started this blog about a month and a half ago.  Started it and then….well….that was it.  Since then the “task” of blogging has only been a to-do item on my growing list.  I hate (here is where I should insert “don’t care for” because hate isn’t allowed in our house. However, it’s a fitting word choice and technically this blog isn’t my house….:o) the fact that I start things and don’t finish.  And, come to think of it, I dislike the fact that I usually DON’T start things at all, either.

I’ve come to realize that it all boils down to the fact that perfectionism prevents me from really starting anything because it is just too much pressure to be perfect.  And, I have to be perfect.  So, I’m better off to not start anything at all.  God forbid that I actually do something to completion that isn’t great.  That would be a reflection of me–who I am; my worth as a person.  I have determined my worth my whole life based on the quality of my work–what I do.  It has often led to not starting any work at all.  This mindset, no–heart condition, is grossly in error!!!  And I believe that this mourns my Lord.  God wants me to lead a productive, fruitful life.  And, He wants me to know my value, my worth, is based nothing on it.  Look!  It’s right here in the book of Truth, the Holy Bible:

“…God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him.” (Genesis 1:27, NIV)

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works…” (Psalm 139:13-14, ESV)

“I have loved you with a love that lasts forever.” (Jeremiah 31:3a, NIRV)

“You didn’t choose me.  I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last.” (John 15:16, NIV)

If I can just get that nugget of wisdom from my mind to my heart (the world’s longest road), I think life would be so much more enjoyable.  I have permission to screw up!  It is OK for me to fail!

Which brings me to where I began…I haven’t blogged since the day I signed myself up as a blogger becaue I’m too afraid to write my thoughts here knowing full well that they won’t be perfect.  Maybe they won’t be organized enough, or funny enough, or interesting enough or concise enough.  It would take me more time and effort than I realisitically have to make them so before I post them here. And, what if you don’t like them?  That is why I haven’t blogged.  The business of being perfect actually sucks.

I do declare, that henceforth, all of my blogginess will likely be mismatched, incomplete, unorganized, and otherwise not perfect in most ways.

SIDENOTE:  I’m soakin’ up a secular book on the topic if procrasination called, The NOW Habit by Neil Fiore  (part one, so far).