Here we are almost at the end of June. That means we are half way through 2016. Yes. Really. I know it takes us all a few months just getting used to writing 2016 before it sinks in. I decided it would be a good chance for me to review all those goals I set in early January.

It ends up that I’ve fallen short on many of them. No, my bedroom is not totally decluttered and remodeled. I haven’t memorized a bunch of Bible Verses. I didn’t blog weekly.

But you know what? That’s okay. When I take a step back and look around me, I see some progress. It may be a mole hill instead of mountain, but I’ve gained ground.

One goal we met was taking a family spring break tour of the Great Southwest. It was all truly great except for a few hours in a traffic jam on I-40 in New Mexico when we almost strangled each other.

Anyone who knows me well knows I struggle with outer organization. I’m one of those daydreaming creative folks who can ignore the basket of unsorted socks by my bed for weeks (or months) and forget where I put the notice to renew the registration for my daughter’s car until it’s way overdue, hypothetically speaking (not).

I may not have decluttered my whole bedroom, but I did go through almost all my clothing and get rid of what didn’t “spark joy.” One of the books I’ve read so far this year is “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo. Actually, I listened to the audio book, which I found on YouTube, while I went through my closet and drawers.

Kondo, a professional organizer from Japan, has something of a cult following with her “Konmari method,” which is to get rid of anything that doesn’t spark joy. She has some useful tips, but she’s kind of weird. She likes to talk to her stuff. If she is getting rid of it, she holds it and thanks it for what it’s done for her.

I feel a little silly thanking my old cherry red terry cloth robe for it’s many years of faithful service, but I never looked at it the same after hearing Jim Gaffigan’s take on them.

I haven’t blogged every week. Sigh. I’m disappointed in my lack of resolve. But I haven’t completely given up. I count up my posts. This is No. 14 for 2016. For the entire year of 2015 I had 7. If I keep on this pace, I will quadruple my output from last year.

I need to get out of the old mentality of abandoning goals because I only hit a single instead of a home run. It’s about progress, not perfection.

Another goal I set was to memorize 24 Bible verses for the year. I’ve only done two, and that’s being generous because I’m still sneaking peaks at the 3×5 card taped to my bathroom mirror. But God is still speaking powerfully through His Word. Just this last week several verses hit me up side the head.

This one seems especially appropriate:

 ^“But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”– 1 Cor. 15: 57-58

Let’s give some grace to ourselves and keep moving onward in faith.