RESOLUTION – in the dictionary the first definition for resolution is “Firm determination.”

DETERMINATION – in the dictionary the first definition for determination is “The act of making or arriving at a decision.”

GOAL – in the dictionary the first definition is “The objective toward which an endeavor is directed.”

I think I really like the word GOAL much more than the other two. In my past I have made New Year’s resolutions which I usually began to fail keeping about two weeks or so into the new year! I have also begun new years with the determination to change things about my life, my desires, and my interests. This past year has been a year of really growing as an artist for me. The funny thing is, on New Year’s Day, 2013, I didn’t decide on any resolutions and never even really set any goals! I don’t even remember having any determination to change anything. Frankly, I don’t remember last New Year’s Eve at all. No, I didn’t drink myself into oblivion. I am not a drinker any more. One glass of wine on a half-full stomach can make me so tipsy I giggle for hours! So it is rare around here. I just don’t remember New Year’s Day, 2013, because I have a terrible memory.

By July of this year I was feeling bored and restless. I was doing my art, but I needed a challenge. So I started this blog. It has turned out to be a blessing for me and I hope for others as well. I have found that keeping this blog has prompted me to become the best artist I can be, because I want to share my best work with you. So this year I am just planning to set some realistic goals that God will hopefully enable me to attain.

These are just a few goals I have in mind:

1. Complete 24 new pieces of art – I figure that is two a month. If I end up doing more, great!!

2. Read at least 12 new art instruction books.

3. Read 100 books – (I read about 70 this year) – I read mostly novels in the evenings before bed. But I read art instruction books, a variety of non-fiction, biographies and autobiographies. And all of that is not counting the Bible study I also do. 🙂 I learned to be an avid reader from my mom.

4. Learn how to paint watercolor portraits. – I have two projects already started. One is of a photo of my daughter when she was about nine years old. The other is a photo of a very talented boy, Matthew Songmaker, who is home-schooled, plays a large number of instruments and is the leader of a group called Matthew Songmaker and the Mountain Messengers.

Here’s a sample of his singing and playing with one of his band members, Sage Mitchell. Sage works at Sky River Music where my husband, daughter and I took some guitar lessons last year. There are very talented people who work there. Anyway, I am planning on doing a pencil work of a black and white photo of him and then possibly trying a watercolor painting, too.

5. Music – This last one is the one that I really need to be concentrating on this year. In fact it should probably be first! My husband and I have been doing more music at our church this year. Our pastor and his wife (she’s usually the only worship leader) will be retiring in May of 2015. So we have about a year and a half to improve my singing, and enlarge his repertoire of songs he can play on the guitar, and my repertoire of songs I can play on the piano. So those are some challenging goals for us!

However, for some reason I can’t play piano and sing at the same time very well. I feel a lot more nervous when I am trying to play piano and sing to lead others in worship. But I need to be able to play a song for the offering time when we are leading music. This year was easy, because I played a different rendition of Away in a Manger. This past Sunday we also did a fast version of The First Noel with the congregation along with all the other Christmas songs we led worship with. We sang the fast version of The First Noel as a solo at our Christmas Eve service also. That was fun and helped me feel more comfortable singing alone. It was good preparation for leading it a few days later!

So…lots of goals, but with God’s help they will be attainable. It will just take lots of hard work. Improving as an artist will be the more enjoyable for me. Improving as a musician and singer will be much more challenging. I tend to get more easily frustrated with it, because it takes me out of my comfort zone. I have never really liked performing anything in front of people. So since we are supposed to be leading others into the worship of our Lord, it is a bit easier not to think of it as performing.

This year my husband and I have our work cut out for us. May God help us live up to the challenge! And may you all set some realistic goals to strive for in the new year as well.

God bless you all, Happy New Year, and may you have a safe New Year’s eve. Give someone you love a hug! 🙂