Another Year, Another Resolution

It's another year--2020!!!--and that means another resolution to use this blog to write and publish. I'm starting the year sharing my goals. My fourth goal maybe should be revised to "Think and publish every day."

I have been thinking about this for several weeks, and I'm thinking my categories will be personal, spiritual, educational. If there's stuff beyond that, I will be surprised. I used to have Pages for Writings and Readings and Pictures, but now everything is going together. In 2020, I'm going to post pictures with my thoughts, I'm going to post videos with my thoughts, I'm going to post quotes from what I read or listen to with my thoughts, and I'm going to post some things that I might write. It's all going together, because it's all making me who I am and it's all what I'm thinking. Back when I started this blog, that was the whole purpose.

But I think this year, a year that I'm walking into with more of a grip on my sense of love and being a spouse and father and what parenting and loving is about, and also discipleship and education and aging (I turn 40 and that is actually meaning something to me), it's about me openly dialoguing with myself. That's what I hope to do here.

So here are my goals for 2020:

1. Date Kristin every month.
2. Write to Magnolia every month.
3. Seek God every day. Study his word. Pray. Externalize the teachings of Christ.
4. Write and publish every day.
5. Flexibly follow a budget. Reflect each month and learn through the process.
6. Decorate the basement. Paint the stairs and hallway. Create new visuals of Bible verses, sayings, pictures.
7. Be a partner with Kristin, not a dictator. Be a leader and father to Magnolia.
8. Love others as Christ did—not in fear or scarcity, but earnestly, with no strings attached.
9. Learn something new as an educator. Finish EU classes.

from Wednesday morning

When I normally read during my devotions, I wrote on Wednesday. This is what I wrote:

I do believe a renewed drive is present within me now, and possibly three: (1) study Biblical languages, going back to school so that I could get a job at university level; (2) help grow and stabilize the OWP; (3) finish my masters degree. Were I to rank them by desire, this is how they would fall, with my desire to study Biblical languages far beyond that of completing my masters. In reality though, I need to work and complete #3 first, as I word weekly on #2 and investigate and plan for #1.

I must renew my move for teaching by grounding myself in what got me into it in the first place - impacting students' lives. I need to back off building up my PLN and myself on twitter, through blogs, and across nings. I need to ease my pursuit of research, research, research and start digging with that same intensity into my students' needs. I need to participate in the community of friends that still exists for me here in Springfield, and I need to work harder to build community in my own classroom.

The 2009-2010 year hasn't gone great, and I've had a lot to do with that. Now is the time to start making necessary changes for the better - not only for my students, but also for me.

I need to be intentional, so here goes: I ask for wisdom, the necessary knowledge, patience in all situations, and hope each new day. Help me to see the potential in each day, in each student, and in me personally. Do not send me up from here if you do not go with me.