"2009 is our year!"

happy new year! this is a time of year that i love-a new beginning and a fresh slate. there will be many opportunities, moments, and blessings that are just waiting to happen.

i had lunch with pauline yesterday (LOVE that girl) and as we were talking about the new year, she said, "2009 is our year!" it made me realize all the things that i really want to accomplish in 2009.

i'm bound and determined to change some things about myself. i'm not very big on resolutions, but i just had to share this with you, especially since publishing this on the web holds me accountable. ready?

1. read through the entire Bible this year (it's a family goal)-because there's no way i know everything about God or my faith
2. actually apply what i'm reading and studying, much more than i am now
   
3. drink more water/cut back on dr. pepper-need i say more?
4. cook at home more rather than just picking up chick-fil-a on the way home (which, by the way, is NOT on the way home)
5. take voice lessons-it's been over 3 years, and i can tell my voice is nothing like it used to be. anyone know a good voice teacher?
6. learn to play the piano...again-basically i want to be a better musician all around. just because i changed my major in college doesn't mean that my love for music died. i still love it. music is a huge part of me, a part of me that i don't ever want to deny. which brings me to #6...
7. learn to play the violin-i know nothing about the violin, except that it makes pretty music. and since i'm completely clueless about the string instruments, i think this will be a good challenge for me. but that's not the only reason i want to learn to play the violin. it goes with #7...
8. enroll in grad school-it's time, don't you think? i want to be the best teacher i can be and as a future reading specialist (God willing) i want to know exactly how music aids in the reading process. i already know that it does, but i want to do my own research, especially since i've decided to take on voice, piano, and violin (insert overwhelming scream here).

that list looks pretty darn impossible right now (especially #3). but i hope and pray that through the process of working on this list, i will learn how to trust God more and continue to rest and rely on Him only.