Goals for this school year

Ever since I remember, I've been writing goal papers every August and goal review papers every May. For a long time, it was the annoying thing that Mom ALWAYS made us do. It wasn't too bad, but I would always get bored and want to format it really funny.

Last year was my senior year, so it was the last time I would ever have to write one. I was free!
Free from having concepts of personal growth thrust upon me. . . But darn if it wasn't a good idea! (what is this, Claire? Your mom was... RIGHT?!?)

Now that all my siblings are filling in their brainstorming sheets and typing a formulated essay, I, unbounded by formal writing (not that I ever really followed the formatting rules anyway), shall make my own goals, and in an act of independence, make them very large and obnoxiously bright pink. Because, hey, if I acted like this was a school thing when it no longer is, I'd be admitting that I liked it how it was. (nawwww ;P )

So the categories we always use are taken from Luke 2:52 where Dr. Luke (Not that super rich and famous music guy who writes pretty much all of the music that makes me groan... St. Luke, the physician, evangelist, etc.) relates that Jesus grew in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and with men.

I think I've pretty much stopped growing in stature (well, it's been like that a while) but growing in the rest of those areas is a lifetime thing.

When it comes to wisdom, knowledge, learning, academics, etc, I'd like to (prepare yourself) MANAGE MY TIME WELL SO THAT I CAN SUCCEED IN MY CLASSES AND WORK WITHOUT GOING ABSOLUTELY INSANE.

c:

When it comes to stature, health, etc... well, I can maintain, even if I don't grow! I'll try to CONTINUE EATING AS MANY HEALTHY FOODS AS POSSIBLE AND EXERCISE REGULARLY AND CUT BACK EVEN MORE ON PROCESSED FOODS.

When it comes to favor with God, well, that's not really something I can do anything to earn. He already loves me as much as he's going to because the things that I do can't change that in either direction. I think this is probably the one that I didn't like the wording on the most. Like, I'm going to grow in favor with God! As if I could do that. I'd like to have God in a more favorable position in my life though. He might appreciate being more front and center. I'm really bad at consciously putting Him first. So my goal is to PURPOSEFULLY BRING THINGS TO GOD THROUGHOUT THE DAY. Not just a quick prayer at meals or an endless list of requests at bedtime. c: I'd like to be able to just rest in His presence, too. I don't really know how to do that except to do it? ;~; it's confusing...

Favor with man is something easily conned out of people but I don't like to con them. I tend to be brutally honest, actually, and I believe that this probably drives people away because I won't pretend that I am interested in a conversation if I'm not. (Guess how easily I make friends... -sigh-  at least the people who do become friends are top quality ones). I don't want to have more shallow conversations for the sake of being 'nice' or anything because that would be a stupid goal, but I guess I'd like to HAVE MORE GENUINE LOVE FOR PEOPLE AND TREAT THEM IN THE WAY JESUS WOULD.

So there we go.