Once a Month

I've read the 31 days to a better you, home, life...books. 
Excellent resources.  Fabulous changes in just one month!

Sometimes, I successfully complete the challenge. 
Often, I don't.

These failures are discouraging.
 
And, I have to wonder why sometimes I can do the challenges and sometimes I just can't.

Maybe the schedules or tasks become too much for me to still have an ongoing life.  And, let's face it, I like to live and enjoy life.  

Perhaps I lose motivation.  Someone else's plan and motivation may sometimes feel confining.

Either way, I need my own plan. 

This year, I have devised one with my kind of time table. 

It's the once a month routine.  Because, there are many things I can do just once a month, every month, for an entire year.

Like...

Once a month, I can bake cookies.  Instead of waiting until Christmas time and baking for two days straight, and having way too many cookies in the house at one time.  Why not space out the homemade cookies and possibly avoid cookie disasters?

Once a month, I can deep clean and organize a room.  By year's end, I'll have been through the entire house.  Hopefully, I will have gotten rid of many unwanted items and organized our home better.

Once a month, we can open our home in hospitality to new and old friends.  We love spending time with our friends.  So, why do we allow the busy times in life to overwhelm our social calendar.  We need to carve out more time to enjoy our friends.  This year, we will.

Of course, this once a month won't hold water for many of life's tasks.  I can't school the children only once a month.  I can't serve fruit and vegetables only once a month.  And, I certainly can't exercise just once a month and expect to see results.

For those tasks, my typical daily routine encompasses them, and I hope to continue with these healthy habits this year.  The once a month, every month, for an entire year plan is for those larger scale projects I'd like to accomplish this calendar year.

All the while, I want to remain focused on this year's theme: goodness.  To help keep me focused, I printed off the picture, framed it, and set it on my desk. 

A portion of Galatians 6 remains in full view each and every day, reminding me, and focusing my thoughts and actions as I go about each and every day of 2012.
~ Dorie