church and new year's resolutions

I want to use my blog as a way to share my thoughts with others, but mostly with myself. Share your thoughts with yourself?! Yes. I want to share my thoughts via my blog as a way reflect back later on about the things I am learning. Today in church our pastor, Brother Allen, discussed new year's resolutions. I know some people are anti-resolution. I love making a new year's resolution. I am goal oriented :) Last year my resolution was to learn to cook, and I did. I learned how to cook lots of things. I was very proud of myself. I have several resolutions for this year, but I will share those later. Brother Allen challenged us to make 2011 the year of God in our lives. He told us about five daily spiritual practices to keep in 2011:
1. bible reading
2. prayer
3. repeating scripture through memorization
4. sacrificially serving others
5. faith conversations

I will be using my blog for several of these. This is a faith conversation! For #3 our church has a monthly scripture memory verse. I am going to add that to my journal and recite it as part of my prayers each night. This month's verse is:
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
Ephesians 4:32

My additional resolutions
1. continue with the cooking from last year
I want to do more cooking and less baking. I want to have more dinners that I can make.
2. clean/de-clutter before bed
Cleaning isn't my favorite thing to do and I know that when I get lazy about picking up the little things that it makes it even harder to do the big cleaning because I know I will have to spend a lot of time picking things up and putting things back where they belong before I can vacumn, mop, etc.
3. sleep more and fewer naps on the couch
4. learn to fry catfish
I tried over the summer. It was a disaster. I know when I try this again Mom will be by my side helping :)
5. save more and spend less
Managing money is a struggle for me.
6. get active and be healthy
I got zumba for the wii as a Christmas present. I want to use my wii on a daily basis to get active. I don't set weight loss goals mainly because I don't believe in weighing myself.
7.  I want to learn how to sew.
I tried to check online to see what kind of classes Hancock fabrics is offering this month. It hasn't been updated. I guess I will go by the store sometime soon. This resolution might include purchasing a sewing maching. Luckily for me until I am sold on the whole sewing thing I can use my mom's machine. She can also help to teach me. I want to take a class because I learn better from a stranger. I don't voice my frustrations to new people. I am quick to voice frustrations to my mom. I also am having a flashback to being 15 and learning to drive. Only by the grace of God did we make it through that experience.
8. be a better person
I want to be a better friend, daughter, sister, teacher, etc.

And by sharing with y'all my resolutions you can keep me accountable :)

P.S. My blog is no longer blocked by outsiders. You might have noticed that you don't have to log in anymore. The upside to this choice is my blog can be shared with others and added to a google reader. I love my google reader!