Goal-Diggers, Plots and Planners

Last year, we were visiting Matt and Brit, and they showed us the exciting progress they had made on their goals. They created a chart that they posted in their bedroom of their financial progress, with space on the sides for their physical fitness goals and other achievements they wanted to accomplish during the year.

Well, it took us a while, but I'm pleased to report that I have become a "goal-digger." I dig this whole system! We drew a giant goal thermometer on a poster board and hung it over our door, so we can look at it any time we want. The thermometer contains our ginormous (to use Heather's word) financial goals, and we put little boxes to the side for our other goals.

In past years, I've gotten a little bit discouraged, because it seemed like every New Year I'd realize that I was rewriting the same old resolutions (could have saved the paper and just used it over and over). THIS year is slightly different: I have almost learned how to play two hymns on the piano (I keep track of the times I've practiced in my little boxes); we have driven to Pennsylvania and found grave sites of my ancestors, I have finished the ENTIRE Bible cover to cover, read Jesus the Christ, and the Book of Mormon.

I still have about 20 more boxes to check off with the workout section (which is cutting it pretty close), and I'm supposed to read books by C.S. Lewis and Emerson. I'm working on one with Adam Smith on the Wealth of Nations--not an easy read! But the big deal for me--what I really dig--is being able to keep track of making real progress.

On a side note, Stan's planner was lost while we were in Pokie. For us that's tantamount to disaster. Case in point: yesterday was Sunday. We came home from church pretty tired, and wanted to change out of our church clothes into jammies. Fortunately, the realtor had asked us to make the condo available for someone to come look at it, so we stayed in our suit and dress. I threw some pot pies from Costco into the oven for an easy dinner and we waited until the people came to see the house.

We were nonplussed when the doorbell rang a second time while the realtor and his group were here. It was a family coming for their son's patriarchal blessing! Yikes! They had made the appointment months ago--and it had been recorded in Stan's planner and forgotten. We remarked to each other afterward what a tender mercy it was to have the realtor bring some people by--or we would have been sitting in our jammies, eating pot pies, when they came.