hopes and plans

I don't do resolutions.

I'm not even very good at goals.  

Let's be honest - I don't like to do things I don't like to do.

But, I do try to start each new year with at least a little direction.  Some, shall we say, plans.  Hopes maybe.  Hopes and plans.  That sounds good.

I plan this year to spend one hour per day working on my book.  I know that's lame and nothing at all compared to what I should be doing.  But it would be approximately 265 more hours than I have spent this year.  Or something like that.

My hope is that when I have written an hour, I will be on a roll and the words will keep coming.  I am hoping that just setting aside a time slot will work wonders.

I hope it will entice me to write more because I plan to have my book finished by September so I can present it to some agents.

I plan to take the dog for a walk once per week.  Ok, I know it should be daily.  But I don't do it at all right now.  If I were setting goals, I would make it a goal to walk her every day and then I would end up walking her once per week.  That's how I do goals.  But since this is a plan, I can just be honest about it.  I may end up enjoying our walks enough to do it more often.  I hope.

I plan to be more consistent with the laundry.  I plan to at least put up each load as I finish it.  I hope this becomes so routine and easy that the entire process loses it's intimidating hold on me.

I plan to spend more time with friends.  I hope they have the time to accommodate me.

I plan to be better at sticking to the way that I know I need to eat.  I hope it will become second nature to me and I will no longer feel the pangs of deprivation.

I plan to be more faithful in my Bible reading.  I don't hope, but I know that this will make everything about my year better.  Because all of my hope for life is contained in God's Word.  I need to drink it in.

What about you?  As you face 2009, what are your plans?