New Year, New Goals

 Yup, it's been busy around here (still). I have made time to list some goals for the new year and I'm already being able to make progress in some of them.

One of those goals has been to do some topical Bible studies. Usually I do a read-the-Bible-in-a-year program, last year's being a chronological read through The Complete Jewish Study Bible.

It was very good to read a different translation than my usual since it caused me to pay a little more attention because the words were slightly different. I also enjoyed the study notes throughout and my eyes were opened a little more to the wonderful continuity and symbolism between the testaments and to how Jesus fulfilled not only a lot of prophecy, but also fulfilled the law and was the embodiment of much of the symbolism. Beautiful!

So this year I want to study a few things - the various views of the "end times," how to grow in being gentle and wise in speech, a history of Israel post-New Testament though also including the period between the testaments (hopefully reading Josephus's history will help), and look more in-depth into Jesus's "I am" statements (particularly in the Gospel of John. I believe I have my work cut out for me. I'm currently rereading the book of Proverbs, one chapter per day, as that covers a lot of needed wisdom topics.

Another goal has to do with decluttering, as it seems many of us need to do regularly. Only, I don't want to just move things around and organize them better; I actually want to finish the projects that cause a lot of clutter, or actually get rid of what is no longer needed or wanted.

So, I joined the American Patchwork & Quilting UFO Challenge, made my lists: 

12 Musts, 

17 Hopefuls (plus handworks which I usually do in the evenings while watching TV with huggy),

and a Dream On (to which I'm sure there will be additions).

Many of these projects will be tackled/enjoyed in my new craft corner, which ties in very well with the goal of decluttering and reorganizing. Since we finished the ceiling in the main part of the basement, I can now move my craft corner from a very cramped, disorganized, overcrowded corner of my bedroom down to a hopefully more organized and spacious corner of the basement.

Here are before and during pics:

It's still very much a work in progress, but it is definitely progressing and I'm very thankful. I set this as my UFO Challenge for January, so I think I've gotten a good start. My sweet husband very kindly helped me move the furniture and is working on some full-spectrum lighting for me. I am blessed. He's going to be rather surprised that I rearranged our bed to be kitty-corner as that's not our usual arrangement. I like to keep things exciting. 😁

Another tentative goal for this year is to set up a rabbitry (again) only this time for meat rabbits instead of fiber rabbits. (Although, I am kinda considering having one of my keeper bucks or does be an angora so I can do both fiber and meat. More research needed.) Saturday Lovey and I went to a nearby rabbitry and learned how to do the butchering and came home with fresh rabbit meat to try. I had been worried that I'd have difficulty killing a rabbit since they are so much cuter than chickens which I've butchered in abundance. We were shown a quick, humane way to do it and I felt much better about it. Then after tasting the roast rabbit, I'm more eager to make the whole plan happen. So I've been commissioned by Lovey to get all the facts together, like set-up cost, gestational time, how many litters can a doe deliver safely within a year, and stuff like that. I'm on it!

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So, with these big goals in mind, here are my week's goals for Joy's Monday This & That

Sewing/Crafting - January UFO Challenge

* Keep moving stuff downstairs

* Unpack stuff and organize

* Keep crocheting baby afghan for eventual gifting

* Restart Everyday Embroidery

Homemaking

* Keep decluttering bedroom

* Reorganize letter-writing stuff (in bedroom)

* Deal with four pumpkins

Homesteading

* Research & write up rabbitry proposal

* Order more seeds for indoor salad shoots

Reading

* (Classics Club) Little Women, primarily audio

* (Israel History) From the Maccabees to the Mishnah

* (Christian Living) Dancing with My Father - Sally Clarkson

* (Fiction) An Irish Country Family

* (Bible) The book of Proverbs 

Whew! That's a lot of reading. Fortunately, I have lots of tea that needs drinking, too. And a comfy corner in my bedroom. 

Enjoy your day!