Intentionality: Changing Wanna Be into Got'er Done

My word for 2018 is INTENTIONAL. It's my first-ever "word of the year," and there's good reason for my choice. Stated goals are great, but they'll never be achieved without an intentional effort to reach them.  

Dictionary.com describes intentional as something "done with intention or on purpose." An intentional act is a deliberate one done with a specific goal in mind. 

The last two years of caregiving took quite a toll on my lifestyle, including diet and exercise. I gained more than 20 pounds. That wasn't the fault of the care-receiver, of course, but cooking one meal was easier than separate meals for each of us. After a while, I cooked what Sam would eat and ate that, too. I realized at the time it was a bad idea, but I wasn't deliberate about making a better choice. 

In 2018, I want to be intentional about healthy diet and exercise choices, with the hope that weight loss will follow. Those twenty extra pounds have to go, plus a few more.

Over the last year, I did what had to be done. Time with family and friends, as well as recreation, took a back seat. It was a precious time and I'm grateful for it, but it was also lonely and hard. As in all caregiving, breaks were few and far between.

In 2018, I hope to be intentional about rest, recreation, and (most important) relationships. 

Because I need the accountability, I'll start blogging after the New Year about everything from recipes and healthy living to travel, leisure, and fun. Well, I'll begin as soon as I have a new name for my lifestyle blog. My first five choices were already taken, so feel free to make a suggestion.

The lifestyle blog will be weekly, but Lines from Leanna will continue as a daily faith-based blog. Faith won't be emphasized, but it will underscore everything in the new blog, as well, because faith infuses every area of my life. Isn't that what discipleship mandates?

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the importance of intentionality in matters of discipleship, as well. Do we want a closer relationship with Christ in 2018? Do we want to see God's Hand at work in our lives? To follow His leadership? To embrace His peace, love, joy? If so, we must deliberately choose a walk of faith that includes daily quiet time, Bible study, Scripture memory, and active efforts at forgiveness and love. 

Today, let's take a close look at our lives and the areas we hope will be different in 2018. Have our changes failed to be effective, or have we effectively failed to change? Intentionality is the key that turns "wannabe" into "got'er done." Feel free to adopt my word (intentional) as your own. 

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all the things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33 nasb
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In case you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: How to Set Goals You Can Achieve in the New Year

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