Happy New Year

2012 is going to be a great year!
We enjoyed our first day of the year spending the day at home.  We had our traditional New Years Day lunch - our black eyed peas, salt pork, wilted lettuce and jalapeno cornbread. 
We watched some football.
Becca and I walked over to the store to pick up a few things, it was a nice day to get back to walking.
This year my goal is to become more balanced.
It is something I struggle with - don't you?
I  will be working on being more balanced in all areas.

Spiritually - Bible Studies, Prayer, Serving, Giving, all of it.  I will get very interested in study - but if I don't apply it to real life - am I succeeding?  If I'm not at church or around others - do I know how I can pray most effectively for their needs? 

Physically - Eat Better - making more healthy choices for a well balanced diet...Exercise more regularly - I'm not ready for the aches and pains to begin - I'm still too young for that!  Help my family to achieve their health goals too.

Emotionally - the above areas will help me balance this area - be joyful- read something this week on pinterest that I liked....BE SO HAPPY THAT WHEN OTHERS LOOK AT YOU THEY BECOME HAPPY TOO!

Intellectually - learn some knew skills, read some new books, gain wisdom and understanding

Financially - budget, budget, buget - and follow it consistently and other suggestions at - daveramsey.com

Time -  using it wisely...spending quality time daily with the Lord, with my family, better cleaning and organizational routines, not becoming consumed in hobbies

Might add to these as the year goes on - but my word for the year that I am working towards is B-A-L-A-N-C-E!

We had a great devotion last night.   Charles reminded the kids to keep their eyes on the Lord and weigh everything according to His word.  He received a magazine - one that was kind of churchy - one that we did not order.  We have never even heard of this particular magazine.  He took a look at the magazine and was reading an article earlier in the day that caught his attention.  As he read it - he weighed it according to the Bible and it just didn't seem right.  The author rambled, didn't give references to prove his theories and only mentioned one verse in this rather lengthy article.  Sometimes we get wrapped up in what men have to say.  Be very careful that you don't follow men - but follow God.  If something doesn't seem right - it probably isn't...that magazine that unexpectedly arrived in our mailbox, deliberately landed in our trashcan.