It's Time...

My husband asked me many years ago, "What are your five year goals?". 
I literally looked at him crazy.  Five year goals?  Are you joking?  I don't even know what I'm doing this afternoon!!

I have NEVER made any lifetime goals.  I was comfortable with whatever the Lord would give us five years from now and thought it a waste of time otherwise. 

That was simply my mindset. 

Now my husband has a completely different view on setting goals (thank goodness) and I completely respect him for that!  He is always looking forward especially when it comes to providing for our family.   He is wired completely different from me and is more structured with his day, takes frequent notes and stays on task to the best of his ability. 

Though I try my very best to stay on task, some days I feel like a butterfly........fluttering....... from one thing.......to another...... and when that happens, I feel scattered and frustrated that nothing seemed to get accomplished that day!  Some part of that is having four children + daycare children + a doll ministry + church ministry that I work with on a daily basis.  Each of those beautiful things take time and cause interruption and distraction.  You have to be flexible.  I always thought I couldn't do my husbands job easily and he couldn't do mine easily.  We are different people and approach things differently...yet we balance each other.  It's a beautiful thing!

Over the past six months or so God has been speaking to my heart about these goals.  Not directly concerning a five year goal but simply daily, weekly, monthly goals. 

Short term!  Yes Lord!  I need me some short term goals!!

In starting to practice these short term goals, I feel less frazzled and more focused.  I'm writing down my goals in an actual daytime calendar instead of napkins that float around on the counters!  I feel more accomplished in each task that is completed and use red ink to scratch that duty as complete! (feels awesome!)  I've structured my days differently setting goals to housework, computer and sewing time.  Bit by bit, step by step -sweet accomplishment!

The thing is though, my nature is to start strong but fizzle out and fall back into old routines and craziness.  I've felt defeated in not keeping up and letting people down -like maybe even you if it has taken me over a week to email you back =( .  But God is the one who is faithful and he draws me back.

"Standing in an imperfect place is just the perfect place to begin, and everyday offers the hope of day one.  His mercies are new every morning -and this is a gift!  Yesterday is gone, nothing left today but grace." 

and also and most importantly....

"The accomplishment of a day isn't so much about accomplishing goals but abiding in God, and this is the thing that needs remembering!"  {both quotes by Ann Voskamp written in my journal for remembrance!}

My point?  If you fall back or fail.  Simply stand up, dust off , grab His hand and start again.

Yesterday I was talking to Laura and she mentioned that it would be nice to have some finished dolls on hand so that when we receive emails requesting dolls for special occasions that the personalized lead time didn't fall into, there would be an option for a finished item.   It is never a coincidence when God uses someone to speak a word to you because I shared with Laura that one of my goals for this year is to be more consistent in offering finished items.   Like in many other areas of getting organized, to set a day each week to offer some new finished products.  Though this has been a goal that was set, I drug my feet to actually get it started because of trying to catch up on personalized orders.  Reality is (and I praise God mightily for it) we are never caught up on personalized orders! We haven't really been for the past four years!  What is caught up?  We have seasons of longer lead time than others but we are always busy...and may God be glorified!  I pray Lord that it is always about You!

So long story short --I guess.  (This post is a longer than expected.)

We are just going to move forward and trust God with it!  Each Thursday we will have a shop update in which new finished items will be added to our site.  Some weeks will have more than others and I pray and ask God for your grace as I start down this new path! 

YAY!!  I'm excited! 

So, see you next Thursday?????