"My One Word" New Year's Resolution

In a recent Seekerville blog post, I read about a website called My One Word.  This website takes a new approach to the New Year's Resolution.  Instead of making a list of things I want to change about myself, I choose a word that sort of gives a central direction to the goals I wish to set. It is one word that encompasses all of those goals and becomes the driving force behind my efforts to accomplish those goals. (Feel free to click on the link above to investigate this idea further.  They do a much better job of explaining themselves than I do.)

The process consists of:
1. Determining the kind of person you want to be when the year is over,
2. Identifying the characteristics of that person,
3. Picking a word that leads you toward those characteristics,
4. Finding and claiming a Bible verse that will help you along the way.

My One Word for 2011 is 'Finish.'

Why?  Because I hardly ever finish anythin (that's 'anything' see, I can't even finish a word). I have an image of myself standing in judgment, accounting for all the things I did in this life, realizing that, while I started a great many things, I never finished one.  Jesus did not stop short of the finish line.  I am determined that, with his help, I won't either.

Enter My One Word.

My goals are:
1.) become a better housekeeper
2.) have my first novel in "pitchable" form by the ACFW conference in September

The first thing on this list is very vague, the type of resolution that sets up well-intentioned people for failure every year.  The other is specific and  fairly measurable, so it's not bad.  The great thing about My One Word is, it works with both of them.  Becoming a better housekeeper will require me to FINISH individual daily tasks (little pieces). FINISHING my novel is going to require me to 'keep my eye on the prize' so to speak; working in small amounts daily, but always working toward a single great accomplishment (the big picture).

Okay so much for the characteristics and the word, now what about the Bible verse? Well, so far I have four.  I'm planning on studying each one out and posting what I learn here

So in the interest of being consistent, and FINISHING...here are my tentative blog plans for 2011 (help me pray they will be more successful than the last set).

Monday-Bible Study, consisting of my latest lesson on the verses God gives me that pertain to My One Word.  OR This could also be a discussion of what I learn as I participate in the My One Word homework journal, in the event that I am without a verse to discuss at any time. This post will require me to devote time each week to FINISH a study of my verse, or the homework for the MOW blog.

Wednesday-Book Review.  I have a friend who calls hers 'What I Read Wednesday.' I think that's clever, and I find myself wishing I'd thought of it first. But since I didn't, this will have to be called something lame like 'Wednesday Book Review' until I think of something better.  This post will require me to FINISH reading a book each week (not a difficult task, except that it means just one), and to FINISH writing a review of it (a bit more difficult task).

Friday-Flash Fiction.  This is a writing exercise I've shared before that I do with a couple of cyber-friends.  (They named it 'Flash Fiction Friday' [another clever alliteration] before I joined them, but since they both use this name on their blogs, I feel like I can use it too).  This post will require a committment to FINISH that short writing session each week.  You may be surprised how difficult it can be for me to carve out even five minutes to write sometimes. Then again, most of you are writers, who started out someplace near where I am now, so you might not be so surprised after all.

Also, I don't know if you've noticed it or not, but I'm pretty long-winded. So I'm also gonna work on FINISHING faster.  You know, writing shorter posts that take up less of your valuable time.

Lord willing, this is what is in store for my readers for in the coming year.