Today is the official first day of the new year. While you enjoy time gathered around the table with friends and family eating pork and celebrating other New Year traditions, you may or may not be thinking of what this year will bring.
Every year, we set goals, we dream,
we make plans of what we want to accomplish in this blank chapter of our lives.
Some of us need to go back and re-read last year’s chapter in hopes it will
inspire us to set new goals moving forward. And then, there are some chapters
we should set aside and wait a few years before going back and reviewing. There
is no sense in reminding ourselves of where we failed, what we’ve left
unfinished, or driving back down those dead-end streets.
Some of you may be thinking of this
year as a theme. You’ll pick a word. That word will be your inspiration for the
year, your motivation to get you through those times of feeling lost, hopeless,
or alone.
There is no wrong way to start out
the new year, but you may want to consider doing what is best for you, in this
season of your life, and in a positive inspiring way as it may affect the
people around you.
A long time ago, before I had my
first child, I decided when I had kids, I wanted to be the mom who stayed at home.
I didn’t want to have to work in order to have someone else care for my
children. Please understand, this was my own personal choice, and while I
understand it isn’t always the case for others, this was what I wanted. I
wanted to be at home with my kiddos, just like my mom was always at home while
I was growing up.
Over the years, I’ve stepped out of
our home and taken jobs when needed. Life doesn’t always work out the way we
planned, but in the end, I’ve always found we are provided for with what we need.
Sometimes the biggest thing your family needs is you.
As a wife and a mother, the things
we value most are sometimes not the ones we can buy. They are the ones we
create, nurture, and prioritize.
This year, the title of this new
chapter for 2018 is FAMILY.
Things will come and go in your
life, but your family is beyond value. If there are relationships that
need to be mended, be the one to make the first move. If you’re not carving out time
for your children or your spouse, make it a point this year.
If there is anything I learned from
growing up on the farm is that family comes first.
What will you do this year to help
strengthen the bond of your family?
