2016 Goals

About 6 months ago, we started watching Music and the Spoken Word on Sundays. It quickly became something we all looked forward to. Blake and Evelyn call it the "waterfall show" because often they have video clips of nature and waterfalls during the songs. I do love the music, but I love the inspirational messages. 

The message from December really hit home for both Brandon and I and inspired our 2016 goals. Here's the message: 

“It is not enough to be (busy),” wrote Henry David Thoreau. “So are the ants.” He then poses the question, “What are you (busy) about?”

We live in a world that frequently confuses busyness with importance. Thoreau’s words are a good reminder that just because something “takes some doing,” that doesn’t mean it’s worth doing.

The start of a new year is a good time to reflect for a moment on what we’re doing. Some of us may find that we are caught in the thick of thin things, spending our time chasing goals that aren’t really all that important in the long run. Others of us might be engaged in so many worthwhile causes that we are unable to truly give our best to any of them.

Time is such a precious commodity, and it can be tempting to approach all of our daily allotment of 24 hours at full speed, trying to squeeze out every ounce of productivity. But sometimes the best use of our day is to slow down, listen to a loved one who needs us, and enjoy some of life’s lighter moments.

For one hard worker, vacations and holidays seemed such a waste of valuable, productive time. He rarely took time off, constantly climbing the corporate ladder without really pondering what he would find at the top of that ladder. He prided himself on his busyness; he was always productive, always going and doing, and people around him soon got the impression that he was too busy for them. And then the time came, as it does for everyone, when his time ran out. All he could think of were his regrets and missed opportunities. It’s not that his life was bad or all his efforts wrong; it’s just that he could have balanced his priorities better and focused more intentionally on things of lasting value. Perhaps we all could.

Life is a balancing act, and priorities change throughout life. But regardless of our stage of life, it’s never too early or too late to ask ourselves, "What are we busy about?"

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We like being busy. We love learning new things and working on projects. But we don't just want to be busy like ants!

So in 2016, we've been focusing on SIMPLICITY & SPIRITUALITY. We are trying to be more deliberate in what we choose to be busy about. We are going to simplify in all areas of our life: the stuff we keep around, how we organize and run our household, how we spend our time. And by simplifying, we hope we will make more room for spirituality and things that matter most. 

I know we won't be perfect overnight. In fact, we are just a month in and we've already found ourselves slipping into old habits. Simplifying and being more spiritual will take time and we will mess up. Habits are hard to change. But I know Heavenly Father will help us as we continue to TRY.