My Word for the Year & 2013 Book List

Well, here we are ... the last day of January 2013.
One whole month down.
Already.

I am super stoked to say that it was a month of accomplishments!
I made this month count!
Yay me ;)

I do, however, want to share just a couple more things to put the final wrap
on the 'beginning of the year' stuff.

Choosing a 'word' for the year seems to be trending right now, so I've jumped on the bandwagon.
It kinda goes along with what I shared on Tuesday about James & I choosing
our motivational phrase for each month.
{January's phrase was POWER THROUGH!  Check it out here.}

Now, for my word for the year, well, I didn't even have to think more than a second about that!
It seems it had already been on my mind & heart for a while.
I actually chose 2 words:  INTENTIONAL & PURPOSEFUL.

Intentional living.
That's what I want from each & every day of 2013.
I want to live intentionally.
No 'whatever' days.
No aimlessly 'going through the motions'.
No life lethargy.
{Ok ... maybe some 'whatever' days, but not several of them in a row ... or whole months of them.}
None of that.

This year, I want to live on purpose!
I want that Joie de vivre, the joy of living, that zest for life!
I want to suck every little tidbit of life out of every single day.
Life is too short ... too precious to be squandered.

I believe in the magic of ordinary days ... in fact, I love ordinary days.
But, I want to look at each day as being full of possibility.

I've lived long enough to know that the day-to-day pressures & demands all too often
determine our course ... & can make our lives feel mundane, IF we let it.

Sure there's a lot to being a wife, full-time homeschooling mom, & home manager, 
not to mention all the other hats that we moms wear.
There will always rooms to clean, laundry to wash, & groceries to get.
But those things are inconsequential if I am not connecting with the hearts of the ones 
that I'm doing all this for.
That's what matters.
That's what will last.
That's where I have to get this right.     
I want my family to get the very best of me, not what's left over.
 
Here's where I must be intentional in writing my own story.
I must be purposefully choosing the best things to incorporate into my days ... into my life. 

My goal in 2013 to nurture myself spiritually, physically, mentally, & emotionally because 
these are necessary ingredients in order to be the best ME I can be!

 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:14

 
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, 

which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

Lastly, I wanted to share with you my book list for this year.

I am excited about these!

In keeping with my intentional living, 

I decided to make a list of the books that I'd like to read throughout this year.

I will make more time to read ... something I love, but I just don't set aside enough time for.

And ... I'm happy to say that I have finished one book this month!

I read Simplify Your Time by Marcia Ramsland.

It went right along with January's theme:  Simplify!

I bought it for my friend, Jody, a year or so ago ... & she loaned it to me to read.

It's full of easy ideas to make life simpler.

Here are two of the quotes that I loved:

"Life is a journey, a process.  Every day you must deliberately make the effort to take a few steps.

Learn, grow, become better than you are today.  The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine."

-John Maxwell

A high-quality life has a lot more to do with what you remove from you life than what you add to it.

-Cheryl Richardson

Aren't those good?

My plan for the reading is... well, no real plan other than to read these books!

The top 3 on the stack are devotionals, 2 oldies that I have read through several times 

& 1 new one that I am enjoying.

Along with my Bible, I try to read in one of these each morning ... & a different one before bed.

{I'll review these on a blog post next week.}

Since February is the month of LOVE, I'm planning to re-read the 2 small books by Tony Evans,

For Married Women Only & A Woman's Role in the Home.

These are both very good little books!

{James bought both of these for me & the male counterpart books for himself.}

I have another book I want to read in February ... full of fun ideas to love & romance your hubby.

It's a cute book, by Family Life Today ministries ... I think?

The problem ... I've misplaced it!  Ahhh.

That's why it's not pictured.

I got to find that little book.

And here's one more.

James just bought this book for me & one for each of our sons ...

& he also gave one to each member of the leadership team at our church.

James started reading this in December & has been so impacted by it!

He feels like this will be pivotal in helping us reach our goals 

& for our personal/professional success in 2013.

How exciting!!

I'm only a chapter in & have to agree that this book is very insightful!

So for a wrap, on January 31, I'm feeling full of purpose!

I'm intentionally planning my days & months, for my life to be happy & fulfilled ...

& ultimately to bring glory to God!

Oh! Teach us to live well!
    Teach us to live wisely and well!

Psalm 90:12