Top Five Goals For 2006 - A Praise Report

Last night we had a family meeting. I asked Connor and Monica to write down their top Five Goals for 2006. I wasn't looking for New Year's Resolutions, but I wanted us all to each list the Top Five Items of Importance in our lives right now and share them with each other.

To set the standard, I listed my goals first. (at Connor's request) Not surprisingly, we all had very similar goals. Now, in the next few days we're going to get together again to discuss and list how we're going to work as a team to help each other better accomplish each other's goals this year. We're going to be accountability partners for each other.

Now, notice I'm referring to these as 'goals', NOT 'New Year's resolutions'. I don't like the conotation of a New Year's Resolution. Very few people ever seem to be able to keep one of those. What I'm proposing (and what we need) are complete 'life-style changes' for our family.

And I didn't want these life style changes to come in the form of me issuing a proclamation: Hey, we're doing things different around here, now. There's a new sheriff in town, and all that sort of dictatorship stuff... I want our family to be more 'team oriented'. I want to foster a team atmosphere rather than a Monarchy-Plebian relationship.

We're definitely off to a great start because our goals were all very similar. And each of us listed our number one priority is to grow closer in our faith and walk with Christ. That's exactly what I was hoping for. We've done it. We've all agreed on the same thing without any coersion from me. Now we have to ask the difiicult question of ourselves: Do our individual lifestyles reflect our top five goals? I mean, if growing in the Lord is our number one goal, are we living a life-style to achieve that goal...? Out of 24 hours in a day, how much of that time is spent with God...? I haven't even touched upon my other four goals. I'll get to them in future devotional postings. I'd just like to focus on my number one goal today...

This journal is part of my personal process of growing my relationship with God and sharing my faith with my family and community. I try to get up early in the morning before the rest of my family. I have a regular meeting with my Savior. I pray, I worship, I study the Word. And I try to be disciplined with this routine 7 days a week. It makes a huge difference in how my day unfolds.

But let me wrap up this morning's commentary. The Chadwell~Copeland 'blended family' is off to a good start for 2006. We've all agreed that growing with God is the most important aspect of our lives as individuals and as a family unit. I couldn't be more pleased with that. In fact I added the title 'Praise Report' to my post headline as I was concluding this work because that's exactly what it is...!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for my family. We love You and want to serve You and grow in You, Lord. We want our lives to be living testimonies, my King. I pray this morning that You enable me to be the spiritual leader You've called me to be, Lord. Give me Your Wisdom, Discernment, and Grace to accomplish the tasks ahead.

Father God, You are truly an Awesome God. There is none other Like You. I am Yours, Lord. I pledge my life to You, Jesus. And I pray these things in Your Holy Name, Christ my Lord, Amen.


Not surprisingly, all three of us listed Growing in our Faith with our Lord Jesus Christ as our top priority for 2006.