The New Year

My parents left this afternoon to head home. I wish they lived closer so we could see each other more often. The month of December is now over as well, and it's always my favorite. There is always such a feeling of let down when everything is all over and everyone goes back home and you have to go back to the normal day-to-day grind, so I'm feeling pretty emotional this afternoon. I've been pondering the new year and what I need to do with myself. For 2010 I found myself in circumstances that have brought many challenges and much heart break. 2011 will bring me no change in my circumstances, so I pray and hope for the ability to handle my challenges better. For my "New Year's Resolutions" I have come with the following: Love and Time.

First, love. The more I think about it, the more I come to the conclusion that Love is really all you need. So as part of my "Love" goal, I will strive to love others freely and unconditionally, to not take offense, to not throw myself pity parties, to not try to control other people and to live in gratitude for all the amazing, wonderful things in my life. As an outline for what my "Love" goal should look like I turn to 1 Cor. 13:4-8

"Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth."

Second, time. I resolve to spend my time more wisely and exert more effort towards worthwhile things. This means waking up a little earlier in the morning so I can exercise and so that the mornings with the kids before school are calmer and I have time for scriptures and prayers with them before they leave. It means taking the time to nourish myself spiritually. It means spending less time on the computer and more time doing activities with my two little boys that are home during the day. It means taking the time and effort to make healthy meals for my family. It means taking more family time to do things together. I usually look forward to my kids being older and me having more freedom and time to myself, but right now I am actually feeling like I wish I could freeze time, at least for a while, till I learn to love and appreciate these moments I have while they are young.

As a bonus to these two goals, I feel that if I can truly improve my ability to treat others with more love and spend more time with others doing worthwhile activities, that I will be a better mother, something I've never been that great at. So, as I look toward another year, that is bound to fly by, I resolve to face it with Love and Gratitude and to do everything in my power to make it a wonderful year for me and all around me.