If you are new to my blog, I like to post goals to help aid in my sanctification ( have some online accountability) and to inspire you with some creative ways to make your own goals. It is so easy to get distracted with our time, I find that making goals enable us to honor the Lord for using our time wisely. My goals are divided by categories that I purpose to make a priority.
In October, my aim was to rest (as we were super busy in September) and enjoying a new season of being in school. I found that through being sick this month, catching up with school, and hosting a gal from Poland, I didn’t complete as many goals as I would have liked. However, we serve a God of grace, and it is good to see my faults to remind ourselves that we all come to the cross dirty with failure. We need His help each day, each hour- and that is what is so good about salvation. So here were the results….
God
-Read (or listen to audio) the book of Numbers. Have Shaun check out of commentary on Numbers this week. I really enjoyed doing this book, so rather than rushing through to finish it, I am going to stick with completing Numbers this month as well. I really enjoyed the commentary Shaun checked out for me. (Here is a blogpost I did on some of the aspects I’ve been learning about in this book)
-Begin attending and finalize a decision on a community group (small group) to attend regularly within our local church. Check! We are attending the Viger’s Community Group and absolutely love it!
-As we have recently moved into our home (Oct. 1st!) I would like to purpose to find ways to make our home honor the Lord. Perhaps have scripture verses around the house, pray over the rooms, praise the Lord through music in the rooms, etc. I purchased a vinyl verse to hang in the kitchen over 3 weeks ago and was hoping it would have been in the mail by now, but alas, it is not. We did play music in several of the rooms. I have not prayed over any of our house. (here is a post of what I ordered)
-Purpose to prayer journal every night. Shaun and I are trying to have “Mary Moments” (see blogpost for details) in the evenings, and I would like to return to the habit of writing out my thoughts to the Lord. I prayer journal(ed) a ton more this month than ever, but not every night. It was so fulfilling to enjoy this season of journaling again. ((see blogpost for details)
-Pray that the gospel and the local church might be evident in my life [Pray this on Wednesdays]. Nope. 🙂
Family
-Read Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham Jr. This book is about “doing what it takes to raise sons and daughters who walk with God.” I borrowed this book from a friend and am looking forward to diving into it! I read through half of this book and was not as pleased with it the more I read into Baucham’s association with Vision Forum, so I decided not to finish this book.
-Read Parenting in the Pew by Robbie Castleman. This book is about “guiding our children into the joy of worship” specifically within the Sunday morning church service. I borrowed this book from a different friend and am looking forward to learning how to helpfully teach Augustine how to worship God! Yes, wonderful book, couldn’t recommend it more! (read some of the thoughts on this book in a blogpost I did here)
-Play with Augustine in the outdoor garden as well as in a nearby garden area. Purpose to praise Jesus with my words and facial expressions so he can understand the goodness of our Creator God. I decided to do this outside Shaun’s office near the ivy, since the outdoor and nearby garden were consistently wet. 🙂
-Find the other Doctrinal CD, upload it to my computer and play it for Augustine twice a week. I just used Shaun’s computer most of the time and did put the cd in my computer, but I couldn’t get it to upload. oh well. We listened to this music often, but I didn’t specifically count how often we played to it. (Here is a post with more details on the Doctrinal CD)
-Pray for Augustine on Tuesdays. I prayed for him more consistently this month in the area of his salvation rather than specifically on tuesdays. I think this might be a better practice than once a week. still thinking through this. But to be honest, I did forget to do it on tuesdays too.
-Take numerous family walks around campus, enjoying our time together therein! Yes!
Marriage
-Pick out one verse that will be helpful to our marriage and memorise it. (Thanks Michelle! Recently I have struggled to memorise scripture- so I am going to start with one verse so as to have an attainable goal)…. And yet you see my faults- didn’t do this either!
-Pray for Shaun on Thursdays. Same scenario as with Augustine above.
-Pray together every night. Except for the nights he was away this month, I believe we prayed most every night!
-Play Jenga together (per Shaun’s request) Yep! I lost.
-Enjoy two date nights. We enjoyed one date night. 🙂
Personal
-Read Ministering Cross Culturally by Sherwood G. Lingenfelter and Marvin K. Mayers. This book is designed to help minister to people from different social and cultural backgrounds. Since moving to Aberdeen, Scotland in January (2010) we have learned so much about the different culture, I borrowed this book from yet another friend (I like friends that read!) I am hoping this information will help us to thrive in Aberdeen all the more. I read this and really enjoyed it!
-Decide on a supervisor and a specific topic for my independent research project this semester. Begin preliminary research by searching for books and journals…. Check! My supervisor suggested a book to start with so I will continue more research once I finish reading that book.
-Attend/Participate in the Pro-seminar class I am sitting on. (Once a week) Check!
-Hang up pictures/wreaths around our house to make it feel more “home-y”. Check!
-Have fun house-warming parties with our church, American friends, and our flat building…. No. I was sick and did not feel upto to doing this.
-Finish going through all the bags of our stuff. Check! Well, all but one half of a bag that I am leaving in a bag 🙂
-Enjoy a walk to myself in the crisp air of Aberdeen by taking pictures and stopping for a mocha along the way… No, I should have done that. oh well.
-Post pictures of our new flat! … I posted a picture here…
-Drink a ton of water! (Try to have a pint by noon) I feel like I did this better in past months, so I am not going to check this off.
How did you fair in your aims for October? Feel free to leave a comment!
Thanks for reading!