{June Goals}

Summer - one of my personal favorite times of year! Growing up in sun-drenched Florida,  my sister & I would borrow our neighbor Donna's paddle boat for watery adventures, ride our bikes with wild abandon, roller blade our little hearts out & cannon ball off the diving board with friends.

So much of my childhood was spent outdoors: climbing trees, slathering on sunscreen at the beach, walking our dogs down the street, stopping for scoops of ice cream at Rita's, dreaming under weeping willows (while trying not to get stung) & that is one of the things I still look forward to each year! I try to sneak in as much of creation before the humidity/heat becomes too unbearable (quiet times on the porch, lunch breaks at the park & evening walks around the lake). "

The earth is the Lord’s, & everything in it, the world,
& all who live in it; for He founded it on the seas
& established it on the waters." {Psalm 24:1-2}

June Goals

>> Review spiritual disciplines (May carryover)
>> Plan a silence & solitude retreat
>> Continue learning to drive stick shift
>> Finish our date night jar (May carryover)
>> Plan our anniversary trip
>> Take a firearm training class with Dean
>> Finalize life insurance, wills & additional healthcare paperwork
>> Price insurance (May carryover)
>> Mail client gifts (May carryover)
>> Update online galleries

Weekly

>> Mediate on Scripture verses
>> Pray for ministries & church
>> Set aside time to truly rest
>> Date night
>> Connect with family
>> Seek to serve & bless others
>> Go for a walk/run
>> Blog 2x
>> Develop LMP skills
>> Stay faithful to our budget

{May Goals}

Have opportunities, not a to-do list.

{Kathryn Duckett}

Instead of just one more thing to do/aim for this month, I'm looking at each of these as opportunities, favorable times & conditions, in my life. Not only that, but if I find myself getting bogged down in the midst of it all, I have 4 choices to make:

1. Choose joy / 2. Live generously. / 3. Love with an open hand. / 4. Think about what is true.

May Goals

>> Review spiritual disciplines (April carryover)
>> Serve & pray for our Pretty & Polished guests
>> Finish our date night jar (April carryover)
>> Actually learn to drive stick shift. Dean, get ready!!
>> Recover the wooden storage bench (April carryover)
>> Finish our spring balcony makeover & camp out with Hubby
>> Price insurance & accountant (April carryover)
>> Take another online course
>> Book 3 weddings
>> Mail client gifts

Weekly

>> Mediate on Scripture verses
>> Set aside time to truly rest
>> Encourage my SG ladies toward God's truth
>> Pray for people to minister to & bless
>> Date night
>> Stay faithful to our budget
>> Connect with family
>> Go for a walk/run
>> Blog 2x
>> Develop new LMP skills

What's on your opportunity list this month?

{April Goals}

I declare 2014 the year that I let the overwhelming peace of God seep
down into all my heart, soul & mind. Read through the Bible & walk away transformed.
Learn & grow a photographer & business owner.

These are words I scrawled down from my heart back in January as I was filling out my PowerSheets. Well, it's APRIL now, y'all! And I'm excited to continue growing in all these areas!

April Goals

>> Review spiritual disciplines & pray asking the Lord to reveal what's lacking in my life
>> Put together a date night jar, with at least 1 outside activity to enjoy this beautiful weather
>> Price insurance, designer & accountant (carry-over from March)
>> Celebrate LMP's 1 year anniversary!!
>> Reach out to photographers for coffee dates
>> Take online course
>> Learn more about Mvelopes & decide to use or not use
>> Book 3 more weddings
>> Serve & pray for our Pretty & Polished guests
>> Search for material to recover the wooden storage bench in our bedroom
>> Stay away from all added sugar(s) for the rest of the month (INCLUDING Nutella!! Good thing we currently don't have any in our home...)

{March Goals}

Spring is getting closer. I can feel it! Although by the looks of the snow-covered tree tops outside & blankets of white covering the ground, it seems like we may have taken a step back toward winter. But here we are, in March 2014! Whew, I was just looking back over my goals for last year & it's awesome to see how much growth I've gained & discipline I've learned along the way. 

If you're wanting to set goals for yourself but are unsure if what things offer a worthy focus, try asking yourself these questions:

1. Will this goal help my life vision?
2. Does this goal also help other people?
3. Why would I spend my time on this goal?
4. Does this goal align with my core?

By testing your goals this way, you'll ultimately be getting at the WHY, the reason for doing it. So thankful to Lara Casey for her incredible gift in making goal-setting for others happen! 

March Goals

>> Look over past prayer journal entries & reflect upon God's faithfulness
>> Finish reading The Meaning of Marriage (carryover from February)
>> Celebrate 1 year of LMP! More details on that to come!!
>> Chat with designer about LMP logo & branding
>> Price insurance & accounting with our agent
>> Encourage my SG ladies toward God's truth
>> Hang & display photos, Scripture & art in our home
>> Put our prayer chalkboard up (I picked the spot, just need to put it up!)
>> Aim to be in bed by 11 & up to by 6:30
>> Set aside one day to truly rest
>> Take walks
>> Review Scripture memory verses/weekly
>> Work on being the first to admit to wrong & apologize in all relationships

"There is no great with Thee, there is no small, For thou art all, & fillest all in all." Amy Carmichael

{February Goals}

Photo by The Pinwheel Collective

Last month, I finalized my goals pretty late into January as I was still working through vision & long-term goals for the year & for my life. Y'all, it is so great to be intentional with each day the Lord has given us & to set aside time to visualize how to best use the time, resources & talents He's given you for His glory.

If you haven't tried monthly goal setting before, give it a shot this month. What things are you most passionate about? What areas of your life do you desire change or growth?

February Goals

>> Spend time journaling & expressing my love & gratitude to the Lord
>> Continue serving my spring bride well
>> Aim to be in bed by 11 & up to by 6:30
>> Put up a family prayer board in our home
>> Look for additional ways to respect & support Dean
>> Read The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller
>> Complete LMP business tasks & start new blog series
>> Plan styled venue shoot
>> Book new weddings & portrait sessions
>> Become more familiar with Mvelopes & track our spending
>> Schedule coffee dates with my SG ladies
>> Set aside time to truly rest each week
>> Finish styling our new bookcases & begin hanging photos/arts

"The key to not feeling rushed is remembering that lack of time is actually a lack of priorities.” Tim Ferriss