New Year's Resolutions...

Thinking about today being a new year, and also being inspired by others' lives and blogs (especially my sister, Linda, and JoAnn), I think I want to consider putting a limit on my computer and TV time and make an intentional plan to read to my children more, pick up my guitar again, and finally, to try to learn to crochet again.  Another thing Tim and I want to do is to become more intentional about building relationships with people outside of our family.

Reading to my children more:  My two youngest don't have the privilege of having had Mom home for 6 years with Sonlight curriculum.  My oldest two did.  We read together for hours everyday.  Now I work full time, and don't have a plan for reading to them.  My sister also works full-time.  She probably works more than I do.  Yet she has read every Magic Treehouse book to her son, and they have read the first 5 Harry Potter books.  I've tried to read good books to Eliana and Josiah, but have met some resistance.  Josiah doesn't like chapter books.  He wants picture books.  I think I will start by letting him choose a book, and by reading from the many Sonlight and Five In a Row books I have stocked up from 6 years of homeschooling the girls.  I may even get some Magic Treehouse books and read them too.  Josiah has liked them in the past.  Elly may just need her own reading time afterward with me, so we can read some bigger books.  If I don't make a plan with them, it won't happen.

Limit my screen time.  I have gotten to where a majority of my free time is spent either on my laptop or in front of the TV.  I find doing this is fulfilling and easy, and has become a habit/addiction.  I think I need to have set-aside times for TV and computer.  I'll have to do some thinking about specific timeframes.  Do any of you have limits set that work for you?

I will get out my guitar and keep it with some easy worship music so I can grab it up and play around with it for a little bit when I see it.

As far as crochet goes, this may take a little more planning as I am still a beginner, and my lack of know-how is a limitation.  Perhaps just trying and doing what I can will lead to easy projects that may lead to more projects, etc.  I will consider doing crocheting one time a week, maybe Sunday afternoons, and see what happens from there.

Finally, regarding intentional relationship building:  I think Tim and I need to plan, once a month, to invite friends over for a meal or to play games or for a holiday celebration like Passover or Shabbot.  We've lived in our house for about two years and have never gotten together with our next door neighbors.  We've had their kids over and have gone to their kids' birthdays, but have never fellowshiped with them together as a family.  We have a lot in common with them and enjoy them, but have never worked at making this happen.  We've talked about doing this for two years.  I think it is time to give it a try.

It seemed like a simple plan when I first wrote thought about my plans, but now seems daunting.  Will I be able to overcome my screen addiction for what seems to be great alternatives?  With prayer, I sure hope so!