Welcome 2012

Well, it isn't exactly January 1, but things at the Braun household have been pretty busy and this is my first post of the new year.   Many of you may find yourself like me wanting to start the year out fixing all the things that I felt needed attention to make life not soooo crazy.   Balancing work, school, family, church, and still managing to put meals on the table and provide my family with clean clothes seems at times like a fairy tale.  I am sure I can't be the only one who struggles with keeping up and not feeling guilty all the time when my expectations don't fit with the reality of what my life is.   I don't believe in resolutions but I do believe in reevaluation.   So, the Brauns, all five of us, had a reevaluation meeting this past weekend.   After much heated discussion and a "new" list of household rules and expectations, we are now on day two of the new and improved "Daily Schedule."   Like most changes, we are in the "honeymoon stage," where it all looks great on paper and seemed to be working because everyone is excited and cooperating.   We even have set a goal of all running 3.5 miles within nine weeks (Mom walking).  Everyone has been very nice to each other to this point, but I know the day will come where it is hard to keep up, or something interrupts the schedule, and I pray that we will be gracious enough to encourage each other to continue on and fill in the gaps that others leave behind.   Already Hannah and Franklin have switched meal days as Hannah had a friend over last night for dinner and a movie and she wanted to spend time with her friend instead of her chores so they switched, which was a thing of beauty.   My goal is to develop discipline for myself, in my children, and a sense of peace and harmony within our household so that our home is a haven from the outside world where grace is explemplified to each other and love abounds.   Lofty goals??? I don't think so.   The Bible reminds us in Proverbs 12:1 "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid."   I don't want to be stupid nor do I want that for my children.  As much as I hate exercise or how much I love to sleep in, it is for my good and the good of my children to be disciplined in these areas.  God's word is full of promises, lots of which are found in Proverbs, it is one of my standby books to read when I am not doing a formal bible study.   I am trying to encourage my children daily with Proverbs and hoping the end of 2012 will find us better fit physically and just a wee bit more disciplined but more so, a graceful, peaceful , happy household.   Happy New Year!