on goals and objectives


I hear my husband saying these words in his office. He is a part of the machine known as corporate America. He does goals and objectives. The words alone sound productive enough to make us feel a little better about our existence. They remind me of the word "consultant". We don't know what it specifically means but it sounds impressive.

My hard working husband tells me that it's a game really, these goals and objectives, just a way to show your work. But we all want to feel like we've got something to show for everything we do I guess. It's like that medal at the end of a race. If you gave the medal to someone else it really wouldn't mean anything to them, they would take no pride in hanging it on the wall...it wasn't their accomplishment.

I think it would be really weird to sit down and write out my goals and objectives...and I ask myself why? Why don't I like goals? Why not have an objective? It's not that I'm so laid back I don't need a plan and it's not that I don't have any dreams.

I started thinking about this one day when the kids asked me what was for dinner...my answer wasn't specific...in fact my family has learned by now that I honestly don't ever really know what's for dinner until I start cooking. I'm not a menu maker, I don't follow recipes, I don't know what I need at the store until I get there, I don't really have any set in stone plans for any day...to me it's all "subject to change".

Unfortunately this can drive a goal oriented husband crazy...but he is patient and we even balance each other out. Honestly though I ask myself why? Why can't I get better about making "plans".

I would love to say it's for good reasons, but if I look way down deep inside, at the parts of me that have a long way to go, I realize I don't have goals and objectives because I'm afraid to fail. I'm afraid of letting people down. Or I'm afraid of being let down. It's just safe to not be committed to anything. I learned this as a kind of survival tool when I was a little girl, "just get through today."

But, our days, weeks, months and even years are not about just "getting though" as much as they are not about "goal and objectives". Both ideas can suck the life out of us...like "the machine" in The Princess Bride.

So, I have a thought...instead of calling them goals, objectives, resolutions, etc. I'm going to call them Joys. Big sigh of relief...that doesn't sound so scary at all. In fact Jesus called His goals "Joys",

"for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross..." Hebrews 12:2

The Joy that was set before Him was Heaven...Heaven opened up and free for us because He endured the cross. 

I think our Joys in life are sweeter when our endurance is all wrapped up in the glorification of our Creator...when we accomplish something for Him that is a goal worth having and one to be beaming about.

The Joys set before me for 2015

hiking and camping with my loved ones
finishing our trailer
being a true friend
writing real letters
looking at my children
holding my husband
having a garden

that's it.

oh, and Heaven...always Heaven.