one little word: grace

despite not feeling the drive to reflect on last year's goals and set out a list of specific resolutions, i do feel compelled to choose a word for 2012. i'm not sure why, but i do.

i've mulled over it a few times these past few weeks. i've made lists and was pretty sure i had a word. and then it hit me...two weeks into the new year. i was totally off-base and the word just showed up. which is kind of what i would expect it to do. so when it did, i didn't really question it. 

my word is grace. 

strangely enough, i always thought of this word as a characteristic of a person ("graceful"). it wasn't until the last year that i started to understand it in a biblical sense. the act of grace. 

other words that i considered for this were adequate...but they were either action words ("balance") or implied searching for something ("contentment"). but grace...grace has already been given to me. everyday. by Him. 

my struggle is granting myself grace. (and accepting grace of others.)

i read something this week that really hit home for me. it was about subtracting things from our lives at the new year, rather than focusing on what we can add*. the last thing i need in my life right now is more. 

but i do need more grace...given to me, from me. 

yes, i have struggles and things to work out. but in the grand scheme of things...my life is good. and i need to remember that. one reason i can't see it is because i can't get past the flaws and the faults and the mistakes of everyday life. 

so in 2012, i will grant myself grace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

2 Corinthians 12:8-9

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

in case you are curious...

last year's word was focus

in 2010, i began my year with the word strive

but then changed it mid-year to balance

**************

if you are unfamiliar with the concept of *one little word* i recommend checking out ali edwards' blog here: one little word

**************

*oddly enough, what i read that inspired me was also written by ali edwards. appropriate. it was part of her newsletter series. highly recommend signing up (it's free). 

book review {one thousand gifts}

how it came to be...

a few months ago, i saw a post on a blog that lead me to another post on another blog (you know how that goes). somehow, i was lead to a book called one thousand gifts. it was relatively new and a blog called (in)courage was hosting an online book club. a book about a list. and a book club. oh yeah, this was right up my alley.

and so it began...

so, i made my purchase from amazon without even knowing what i was getting into. then i learned that one of my sisters had the book and already followed the author's blog. and then we pulled in my other sister. the three of us would tackle it together. 

the journey...

i decided to make it a priority to really absorb this book. i didn't just read it, i studied it. after completing a chapter, i would then watch the corresponding video and read the blog post. then, slowly, i would re-read the chapter again. underlining. and i journaled. my thoughts, my feelings, my questions. i did this for all eleven chapters. no, i didn't keep up with the timing of the book club, but that was fine by me. 

the project...

shortly after beginning the book, i began my own list of one thousand gifts. i forced myself to just start. no pretty journal. no flowery words. just start writing. now i have over 750 things on my list. my list that is housed in a boring, yellow spiral notebook. 

sharing...

my oldest sister came up with the idea for the three of us to email daily during the month of march. we would share what we were thankful for that day. ninety gifts later, we not only had given thanks, but were able to learn just a little bit more about each other.

the book...

before ever cracking the cover of this book, i read how life-changing it would be. i was skeptical. but, like many things, i think it is what you make it. you could easily rush through this book like a novel and never look back. or you could absorb every word and allow it to change you. 

this is not a quick or easy read. ann's style of writing can be tedious and difficult, but that works well in this case. her unique way with words makes you slow down and think things through a bit more. 

i chose to review this book in a post on my own. i was not asked, nor paid or rewarded for doing so. i paid for my copy of this book and have no affiliation with its author or publisher.

related resources:

one thousand gifts (official book website and community)

a holy experience (the author's blog)

(in)courage (blog hosting the book club)

celebrate {easter}

happy easter

 from our family to yours

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..." (1 Peter 1:3 NIV)

definition {journey}

photo source


when i first began my journey through the Bible, i chose that term because that was what the host blogger had called it. after a while, it just stuck. over the course of fifteen months, i really began to appreciate the word. it seems so perfect.

as you've seen, the last several days have been spent reflecting on this journey. as a result, i thought i'd look into that particular word a bit, as well.

i decided to look up the official definition. the first three were all related to travel. and then, there it was... the fourth definition:

passage or progress from one stage to another

i love that. i made daily progress into a deeper stage of faith. passage into a different state of mind with every word of scripture.

i know it's pretty dorky, but sometimes i just look up words for fun. it makes me smile. i'm glad i chose this one.

tutorial {the journey}

photo source

after reading the Bible in a year and sharing my thoughts, i thought it might be worthwhile to share some tips on completing such a journey...just in case anyone else might be interested. a few tips. things that worked. didn't work. what helped me.

:: commitment ::
the Bible is a long book. and it's not always an "easy read". we're not talking nicholas sparks here. in order to make it cover to cover...you are going to need to be committed. basically, you have to want to do it. it was never a struggle for me to get up early because i looked forward to that time. there were many times in my life that i know i wouldn't have been able to make that same level of commitment.

:: scheduled quiet time ::
for me, the biggest key to sticking with my reading plan was having a set quiet time each day. each weekday morning, i spend about 30 minutes (5:30 to 6:00 a.m.) reading my Bible, journaling, etc. something like this may not work for everyone, but this was ideal for me. keep in mind your 'quiet time' could be anytime - before bed, during naptime, your lunch hour, etc.

:: peace & quiet ::
though you can read anywhere that makes sense in your life, i personally would recommend trying to spend your time in place that is peaceful and quiet (thus, my getting up before everyone else in my house each morning). you will be able to focus and get more out of your readings. if you choose to incorporate devotionals or journaling (mentioned below), this quiet will be of even more value.

:: have a plan ::
develop a plan that will help you make your way through the entire Bible. it doesn't have to be formal, structured or even organized. just something basic. the easiest plan is to just decide how many chapters a day you are going to read. if you have a set amount of time for reading, you can base it more on time, rather than length. for instance, i could've said i was going to spend 20 minutes of my quiet time each day reading. whether that was one chapter or twenty. chapters vary greatly in length so if your plan is based on the number of chapters, your time spent reading daily will also vary.

:: be flexible ::
even though a plan is helpful, allow yourself some flexibility. if your plan isn't working for you, change it. adjust it. mine changed a few times during the fifteen months i was reading.

:: prioritize ::
committing to a reading of this magnitude requires some prioritizing. it will be necessary to put aside some other things (most likely) to make room in your schedule for this. there is so much information on the internet, that it was always tempting to start a new devotional plan or project, but i had to make myself stay committed to the reading and not get distracted by shiny things. on several occasions, i went ahead and printed out things that i found and stored them away so i could do them after my journey through the Bible was complete. you will also have to fight distractions such as housework, the internet, and other ways that you could spend that time.

:: be realistic & forgiving ::
life happens. you know that. God knows that. when you miss days...it's ok. one big thing that i learned was not to play catch up. if i missed a day, i didn't try to tackle eight chapters the next day. i just kept chugging along at the four chapter pace. set expectations that work for you. if you have six kids that you homeschool, you probably can't spend an hour each day doing this. ten or fifteen minutes might be more feasible. if you have a more open schedule, you may be able to tackle the entire book in a few months. everyone is different.

:: be organized ::
have all of your reading materials in one place. it may just be your Bible, but if you are using any additional books or journals, make sure those (and a pen) are stored in the same place. and keep it near where you read. for me, i kept everything in a drawer beside my husband's recliner, which is where i spend my morning quiet time.

:: there's an app for that ::
i recommend finding a way to always have a Bible with you, especially if you don't have a specific quiet time. if you are in the carpool, waiting at a doctor's office, on your lunch hour from work... you can sneak in some reading. you can go old school with a pocket Bible, or if you have a smart phone or tablet, i highly recommend the youversion app.

:: additional resources ::
depending on your purpose in taking on this journey, you may want additional devotional material. i didn't really go this route, so i can't recommend anything specific. keep in mind, if you pull in more reading, you will either need more time to devote daily, or you have to be OK knowing it will take you longer to finish reading the Bible.

:: write it out ::
similar to the option of devotional readings, you may choose to do some journaling. again, i did not do this on a regular basis and it will definitely add to the daily time commitment. however, i definitely feel it would help heighten the experience.

:: pray ::
obviously, the most important part of this committment is to pray about it. i may not be winning any "mother of the year" awards for admitting this, but there were many mornings that i would pray that coleman would sleep late enough for me to complete my quiet time. ask to be blessed with the time you need, the ability to focus on the word and an open heart.

if you decide to start this journey, i'd love to hear about it...

story {the journey}

photo source

the key component of making my way through the bible was my daily quiet time. without this, i may have eventually finished the reading...but it would've taken so much longer, and i know i would not have gained as much from my time spent in those words.

each weekday morning, i wake at 5:00. after beginning my day with a shower and preparing my cherished cup of coffee, i snuggle into my husband's recliner. for thirty minutes i sip and read before tackling the day ahead of me. yes, i could spend those thirty minutes in bed, but i don't.

and honestly, i don't miss the time in bed. at all. but if i sleep in one day...i do miss my quiet time. when the harsh alarm breaks the silence of my slumber, i quietly rise in anticipation. the warmth of the chair, and the blanket, and the coffee, and the words, calling me out of my comfortable bed.

sometimes i incorporate some journaling into my time. sometimes i read other faith-based books or articles. and there is prayer. but i do not allow technology into my time. no tv. no iphone. no internet. i have tried music, but it just didn't work for me. i much preferred the quiet. no distractions.

this time allows me to start my day in the right frame of my mind. things are easier, more peaceful, more relaxed.

i'm not going to lie...not every morning is as serene as the picture painted above. there are mornings when my son wakes before that 5 a.m. alarm even goes off. there are mornings when that alarm doesn't go off. and then there are the weekends, when i only wake when my early-rising toddler calls to me over his monitor.

when i began this journey, my baby was just beginning to start sleeping through the nights. the mornings aren't always easy. and certainly not perfect. but i love them.

and it turns out that my spastic little tot enjoys quiet mornings too. so, my weekends (or weekdays when he rises before the sun) are spent in the same recliner, with the same blanket, the same cup of coffee and the same Bible...but with the company of a snuggling sleepy-eyed little boy on my lap. maybe God's way of saying "you can't always have it your way, but isn't this the best way?"

i've often struggled with understanding what people mean when they say God "speaks" to them. i still struggle with this on a daily basis. but this fifteen-month journey through His word has helped me to hear him a bit more clearly.

the funny thing about God is that he always has a little message for you. good, bad, ugly or just a big 'ole fat wake up call. He's there nudging you with a note that, if you open your eyes to it, will get you through the day just a tad bit easier.

i'm not a preachy person, but if there are two things i would highly recommend to everyone, it would be (1) read the Bible cover-to-cover and (2) begin your day with some peace & quiet.

celebrate {the journey}

photo credit

last january, i began a journey. my goal was to read The Holy Bible. day-by-day. cover-to-cover. chapter-by-chapter. i was inspired by a blog which would be providing daily devotionals and the reading plan. it began as three chapters each weekday, five over the weekend. total time to completion...a year or so.

unfortunately, the devotionals didn't last and my efforts derailed along with it. but somehow, i got back on track. i considered finding my own "devotional" readings online, etc. and then finally, at some point, i realized i was overcomplicating things.

from that point forward, i simply opened the book each day and read. my goal was four chapters a day. if it didn't happen, no worries. i didn't play catch up. i didn't force it on the weekends. i just read.

it's hard to believe that fifteen months later, i closed my Bible and was able to say "i did it. i read the whole thing." i'm not going to lie...it's a pretty awesome feeling of accomplishment.

i'm going to spend some time putting together a few more detailed posts about my experience. more to come...

goals {april 2011}

it seems that some areas are coming easier for me (organization, for instance), while other areas are more of a struggle (scrap + blog). as i mentioned yesterday, i need to remind myself of these on a daily basis! i created an 8.5x11 printable that lists these goals. i will keep this at the front of my life binder to help me stay focused! i'm excited to see if this helps, particularly because april is a busy, busy month!
{organization}
-- purge downstairs coat closet
-- clean out & organize the kitchen pantry

{time management}
-- select one weeknight for "super productivity"
-- plan out meals for the week on sunday night

{blog improvement}
-- begin making my way through the blog design class (not finish, just start)
-- create an "about the chronicles" page for the blog

{scrap studio}
-- clear off the floor!!!
-- order photos from bridal shower & create album

{weight loss}
-- exercise at least once each week
-- lose at least 4 pounds

{faith + spirtuality}
-- finish reading one thousand gifts (while participating in the book club)
-- read 4 chapters of the New Testament every weekday morning

{financial}
-- manage the best use of extra paycheck in april
-- contact at&t about strange charges

{writing}
-- write four journal entries
-- continue the creativity boot camp workbook.
related posts:
goals for 2011
january goals and january end-of-month progress report
february goals and february end-of-month progress report
march goals

inspired by:
3 in 30, as presented by ap freewriting 101 and the tuckers take tennessee

goal update {march 2011}

i'm not really sure what happened to march. i feel like i blinked and it was gone. we weren't even particularly busy. i think i didn't realize february was over until march was halfway gone! anyway...

{organization}
-- help matt purge some a lot of his clothing :: YES, YES, YES, YES!!!!
      we actually did a total gut and reorg of our master closet! detailed post coming soon....
-- clean out the kitchen junk drawer :: yup!
-- clean out my car ::  yup!
-- purge downstairs coat closet :: oops...not so much.

{time management}
-- select one weeknight for "super productivity" :: sort of...going to have to work a little harder on this
-- plan out meals for the week on sunday night :: failed miserably

{blog improvement}
-- begin making my way through the blog design class (not finish, just start) :: nope...that's two months in a row i haven't tackled this.
-- create an "about the chronicles" page for the blog :: and again...two months, no progress.

{scrap studio}
-- clear off the floor!!! :: no
-- order photos from coleman's birthday party :: no
i need to work on making this area more a priority!
{weight loss}
-- exercise at least once each week :: shame on me...
-- lose at least 4 pounds :: i think i lost about 2-3

{faith + spirtuality}
-- finish reading one thousand gifts (while participating in the book club) :: i haven't finished yet, but i've made my way through 9 of 11 chapters.
-- read 4 chapters of the New Testament every weekday morning (as feasible while reading above book) :: i've made more of an effort to work this back into my morning routine. for a while i was putting the book before the bible reading. i've flip-flopped those. i wanted to keep this as a priority and work the above book into my quiet time when possible.

{financial}
-- work with matt to map out the use of my bonus :: we have reprioritized what we want to spend and pushed aside some bigger projects we were considering.
-- cancel rhapsody & netflix (two inexpensive services that we just aren't really using) :: cancelled rhapsody. after discussing our use of netflix with matt, we decided to keep it for now.

{writing}
-- write four journal entries :: yes...i've done a decent job of writing. it puts me in SUCH a better place!!!
-- start the creativity boot camp workbook. :: i did actually start, but only completed the first two lessons so far. i like that i decided to choose writing as my medium (for the larger workshop last year where i chose photography).

***thoughts & insights***
the last two months i have really stuggled with working on everything i've set out to accomplish. i think the biggest flaw in my system right now is that i haven't implemented a way of reminding myself of these goals on a regular basis. i think about them once or twice a month...i should be looking at them daily. i will brainstorm some ideas for april.
related posts:
goals for 2011
january goals and january end-of-month progress report
february goals and february end-of-month progress report
march goals

inspired by:
3 in 30, as presented by ap freewriting 101 and the tuckers take tennessee

goals {march 2011}

even though it's halfway through the month, i still want to provide a list of march goals!

{organization}
-- help matt purge some a lot of his clothing carried over from february
-- clean out the kitchen junk drawer carried over from february
-- clean out my car
-- purge downstairs coat closet

{time management}
-- select one weeknight for "super productivity"
-- plan out meals for the week on sunday night

{blog improvement}
-- begin making my way through the blog design class (not finish, just start) carried over from february
-- create an "about the chronicles" page for the blog carried over from february

{scrap studio}
-- clear off the floor!!! carried over from february
-- order photos from coleman's birthday party

{weight loss}
-- exercise at least once each week
-- lose at least 4 pounds
{faith + spirtuality}
-- finish reading one thousand gifts (while participating in the book club)
-- read 4 chapters of the New Testament every weekday morning (as feasible while reading above book)
{financial}
-- work with matt to map out the use of my bonus
-- cancel rhapsody & netflix (two inexpensive services that we just aren't really using)
{writing}
-- write four journal entries.
-- start the creativity boot camp workbook. carried over from february.

related posts:
goals for 2011
january goals and january end-of-month progress report
february goals and february end-of-month progress report

inspired by:
3 in 30, as presented by ap freewriting 101 and the tuckers take tennessee

goal update {february 2011}

i'm quite late in reporting on my february goals (which doesn't bode well on tackling march, but oh well). i will begin with a disclaimer that i knew my ability to accomplish much in february. hosting two parties at the end of the month meant a lot of free time was spent planning & prepping. my goals were a little overambitious, to say the least. i wish i had accomplished more but i'm trying not to beat myself up!

{organization}
-- help matt purge some a lot of his clothing nope :(
-- clean out the kitchen junk drawer nope :(
-- bring home 2 binders from work (to use as home management & recipe binders) yes

{time management}
do laundry at least twice a week. yes. i've done well with this. i've been doing it over the weekend and at least once during the week. i also like starting on it as soon as the workday is done on friday (schedules allowing). then, i will do it again on sunday which allows me to start the work week with a clean (laundry) slate.

{blog improvement}
-- begin making my way through the blog design class (not finish, just start) nope
-- create an "about the chronicles" page for the blog nope
in addition, i haven't been posting as often as i'd like...

{scrap studio}
-- clear off the floor!!! unfortunately this got worse instead of better (because of the parties).
-- order photobook of christmas 2010 photos nope

{weight loss}
-- do the elliptical machine (30 min) at least once a week  nope. i did well at the beginning of the month, but then slacked off.
-- eat out no more than one meal per week doubt it.
-- lose 6 more pounds yes (i think)

{faith + spirtuality}
-- read 4 chapters of the New Testament every weekday morning. in order to do the item below, this has to be pushed aside slightly. it's still a priority, but second to finishing the book.
-- begin participating in the one thousand gifts (by ann voskamp) book club  yes. i'm working on chapter 8 right now (of 11 total). in addition to reading, i've been watching the book club videos, reading the blog posts and journaling.   

{financial}
-- finish reading "debt free for life". yes.
-- start making bi-weekly mortgage payments. oops...forgot!

{writing}
-- write four journal entries. yes, because of the book club mentioned above, i've been journaling a lot more lately!!
-- start the creativity boot camp workbook. nope. again, took a backseat to the bookclub.

related posts:
goals for 2011
january goals and january end-of-month progress report
february goals

inspired by:
3 in 30, as presented by ap freewriting 101 and the tuckers take tennessee

gifts {the bath}

i could've written...

~ the chance to take a nice, relaxing bubble bath

but instead i wrote...

~ opportunity for solace with an inspirational book
~ patience to repeat the important words
~ warm water over my skin
~ the flicker of candlelight against dark gray walls
~ iridescent bubbles covering my body
~ gentle, soft crackling of the suds, otherwise silence
~ cool wine against my lips
~ gentle heat in my cheeks, remnant of the sun

i will not pretend that i am able to stop and find the gifts at this level of detail often. i'm trying. and i have so far to go. but every so often, in the calm, in the quiet. i am able.

this list makes 300. in my trek to one thousand gifts.

 

goals {february 2011}

i was pleased with my january baby steps and i'm excited about tackling a new set of baby steps this month!!!

{organization}
-- help matt purge some a lot of his clothing
-- clean out the kitchen junk drawer
-- bring home 2 binders from work (to use as home management & recipe binders)

{time management}
do laundry at least twice a week. since my work schedule changed back to going into the office daily, i have been doing laundry mostly on weekends. my goal is to try and tackle some of it mid-week so i'm not so bogged down with this during our family time.

{blog improvement}
-- begin making my way through the blog design class (not finish, just start)
-- create an "about the chronicles" page for the blog

{scrap studio}
-- clear off the floor!!! this seems easy enough but right now it's a collection of items purchased for parties, computer cords, bags of "works in progress", piles of spencer & coleman's old schoolwork and artwork...just to name a FEW.
-- order photobook of christmas 2010 photos

{weight loss}
-- do the elliptical machine (30 min) at least once a week
-- eat out no more than one meal per week
-- lose 6 more pounds

{faith + spirtuality}
-- read 4 chapters of the New Testament every weekday morning. i will continue to plug away at this until i'm done with the Bible
-- begin participating in the one thousand gifts (by ann voskamp) book club i've already purchased the book. the club begins this sunday (feb 6th).
{financial}
-- finish reading "debt free for life". this book was a free download online that i printed and began reading a few weeks ago. my goal is to wrap it up this month and start taking some of his advice (see next item)
-- start making bi-weekly mortgage payments. the above book states if you make 1/2 of your mortgage payment every two weeks (instead of the full amount once a month) you should pay off your mortgage about 3-5 years earlier depending on your interest rate (this is based on making 1 extra monthly payment).
{writing}
-- write four journal entries. since i didn't accomplish this last month, i figured this should remain a goal.
-- start the creativity boot camp workbook. my goal is to finish this before the live summer session in may.

related posts:
goals for 2011
january goals and january end-of-month progress report

inspired by:
3 in 30, as presented by ap freewriting 101 and the tuckers take tennessee

web wednesday {prizes won}

this week's web wednesday is a bit different than normal. in the past two months, i've won two different giveaways online so i thought i'd share them here and publicly thank the bloggers who hosted them! giveaways are very common in the blogworld. you could spend hours a day entering them, if you chose. i try to limit my entries to things that would be truly exciting if i were to win. needless to say, i was tickled pink about both of these.

Ashley @ AP Free Writing 101 hosted a DaySpring Giveaway. And I WON! i had a blast shopping on their website using my $35 gift card. their site is full of wonderful faith-based products. i was able to purchase a few gifts, as well a couple of treats for myself. here are two of things i bought for me:

i love these so much, i opted not to put them up with our christmas stuff so that i can use them year-round.

Michelle @ So, I Married a Mennonite hosted a Tommy Nelson Giveway. and I WON! i have heard a lot of wonderful things about tommy nelson's children's book but we didn't own any! i'm excited that his title, a christmas prayer, is now a part of our christmas book collection. i was also pleased to realize, when it arrived, that it's a board book - perfect for coleman!

thanks to ashley & michelle!!!

looking forward {2011}

if you are interested on my thoughts surrounding new year's resolutions, read the first part of my post from last year. i will spare you a recap.

with the new year here, i'm once again pondering what lies ahead. what has worked this year. what needs to change. i'm reviewing my major posts from last year: look forward 2010 and mid-year update, and sharing how i did.

i've been pondering goals for this new year, but more importantly, i've been pondering how to be better focused on making them happen. a blog i follow (ap freewriting 101) has put together a concept of 3 in 30. the idea is to set 3 realistic and attainable goals each month. these can be small, stand-alone goals or individual steps to bigger goals. i'm hoping to lay out the big stuff below and then work to break them down. i think i fell short of a lot in 2010 because i didn't make an attempt to break the "big things" down into "little things".

one significant change: last year's list consisted of a lot of conceptual things. though most of these things are still relevant to my life (patience, balance, etc), i feel my current list needs to be more concrete.

{organization}
i'm a pretty organized person. but i often feel totally unorganized. i'm not sure why that is. it might be because i have great organizational ideas that i never implement. or it may be that my type-a personality just leads me to believe i'm not organized, but i actually am. i typically don't lose things or forget appointments, so overall, i guess i'm doing ok. but there are parts of our home that are getting out of control (in my opinion) so it's time to deal with them.

{time management}
i wavered as to whether to combine organization and time management but ultimately decided to separate them. my biggest struggle with time management is actually based on motivation. after a day at work, it's difficult for me to find the energy to be motivated once i'm home - to do something beyond the standard taking care of coleman and feeding the family...something other than vegging in front of the tv. some days, i can't even find the motivation to get on the computer, and that's pretty sad!

{blog improvement}
i want to work my way through the online course that will (hopefully) help me visually re-design this blog. i also want to get better at planning posts ahead so that there are not so many peaks and valleys in my posting. i want more good quality content, but plan to still wiggle in my useless ramblings (if i didn't, it wouldn't really be *me*).

{scrap studio}
though this kind of falls under the umbrella of organization, i feel it's large enough to deserve it's own official goal. i have accomplished absolutely nothing in 2010 as far as improving this year. no improvements to work flow. no adapting so that coleman can be in there with me. very little purging. as a result - very little creating.  i need to get the room under control and get back to creating!

included in this, i should mention library of memories. i haven't done much of anything with this in 2010. right now i'm not feeling the *pull* to work much on it, probably because of other priorities. but a year is a long time and hopefully other things will come together so i can put more emphasis there. my focus will be on general organization of that room and improving my ability to create. the LOM process is secondary.

{weight loss}
you knew it had to be on there! this was on last year's list. i didn't lose any weight. but sometimes people asked if i did. when i look at pictures from last christmas, something is definitely different. i think what happened is that my body shape kind of recovered from the whole "having a baby" thing. even though i didn't lose pounds, my body resituated itself back to where it was. NOW it's time to lose the poundage. luckily, matt's on board with this. his focus is more on "toning up" which involves exercise (something i hate). my focus is more on controlling diet (a tougher thing for him). i am hoping that by our focus & strengths being different, we'll be able to support each other in the areas where we are weaker. in other words - i can help him eat better and he can motivate me to exercise.

{faith + spirtuality}
matt and i have continued to fail at finding (or even searching for) a church home. i have been consistent in my daily time with God and the Bible in the mornings. i've worked my way through the Old Testament and will continue my current plan until i'm done with the New Testament. then i will find a daily devotional plan that will allow me to dig deeper into scripture. as coleman gets older, i need to search for ways to share my faith with him.

{financial}
matt and i totally fell off the dave ramsey bandwagon and both agree it's time to hop back on! again, matt is on board with this and will take will power from both of us!

{writing}
continue to focus on writing, not only on this blog, but in journals. i am sometimes able to do this during my morning quiet time but not often. during december, i've used the reverb10 prompts for my writing, but i want to get back to the "pen to paper" journaling more often. this seems to be an "ebb and flow" type thing for me. i'm aiming for consistency.

so there you have it. eight main goals for 2011. stay tuned for my focused january plan.

tradition {the story}

this post is not about a tradition that we do, but rather, something i'd like to do.

photo taken in 2009: one of my favorite ornaments on our gold tree

one of the areas where matt and i have not done a good job over the years is sharing with the spencer the real meaning of christmas, particularly from a biblical perspective. i recently read a post over at one of my favorite blogs, the MOB society ("MOB" stands for "Mother Of Boys"...if you have a son and are a christian - i highly recommend this blog).

the post explains how one mother reads the christmas story to her children on christmas morning when they come downstairs, before opening any gifts. the adults enjoy their coffee and the kids each get a cup of hot cocoa. the kids love it. if we did this to spener right now, we'd be greeted with sighs and eye-rolling. that means that we, as parents, have done something terribly wrong.

i'm still mulling over this, and i don't know if christmas morning is *the* time for this, as i've heard a lot of great ideas for bringing in the christmas story. but, i do love this idea and i'm leaning towards implementing it. i love how it keeps the focus on jesus that special day. i love that it allows the kids to settle down and gather themselves before diving into the gifts, hopefully putting the day into a better perspective. will we do it this year? next year when coleman's a little older? we'll see...

i'm also wondering -- do parents share a "straight from the bible" version of the story or a more kid-friendly version that might be easier for younger children to understand?

how do you incorporate the birth of jesus into your holiday season, particularly with your children?

***twelve days of christmas traditions***

from december 13 to 24, i am featuring christmas traditions here on my blog.

most of these are ones in which my family personally participates.

i encourage you to comment with your own holiday traditions. it's something i adore hearing!

{take a deep breath}

i have one of those minds that goes a mile a minute. it rarely stops. i think. i worry. i plan. i recap. i obsess. i speculate. i analyze. then i do it all over again.

in most cases, this is all fine and dandy. my brain is geared this way and i have 32 years of experience dealing with it. i’m at home and comfortable in my exhausting world. but sometimes, the spinning can get out of control and my body can’t quite keep up with my brain.

that happened this afternoon. a whirlwind day of thinking. planning. stressing. problem-solving. and i realized that my body was starting to act like my brain. it would have been interesting to know what my heart rate or blood pressure was at that moment.

but i took a deep breath. and i prayed. i asked God to take my stupid over-reacting self and kick my butt into gear. yes, i sometimes talk to God that way. no one really ever taught me how to talk to Him so i just treat him like a buddy. i mean, i figure if he’s put up with my crap for this long and still loves me, he must be a pretty cool dude. so i’m thinking he’s ok with us just chatting. or at least i hope so. but i digress.

part of my ‘mile a minute’ issue stems from wanting to be constantly doing something. i have a perpetual need to learn and absorb  information. i’m always on the hunt for new knowledge, a new project. i spend 2+ hours in the car everyday. instead of using this time for quiet reflection or prayer or whatever, i find ways to fill my head…plenty of which are probably dangerous, but let’s stay on topic here.

today, when i realized that my poor little brain was spinning out of control, i put my phone down, and prayed the little prayer mentioned above. then i picked my phone back up…but only to put on some music. i sought out a calming song. for me, this was lee dewyze’s version of hallelujah. i turned it up loud. i held on tight to the steering wheel and i soaked it up. gradually, my breathing slowed. my grip on the wheel loosened.

i forced myself to NOT feed myself my brain more *stuff* for the rest of the drive home. i just listened. calmly. to the music.

i’m not even going to pretend that i have some grand purpose for this post. i don’t. but you know what else i do to relax myself? i write blog posts in my head. a lot. today, in the car, i scripted this one.

a few hours later, i sit here on the coach with the a huge burden lifted from my shoulders (more on that tomorrow maybe). so i wrote.

musings {joy comes in the morning}

if you've been reading my blog for a while, you probably know that sometimes i need a little *pick me up* and i use this my corner of the web to accomplish that (like this post back in april). today is one of those days. i'm actually feeling better now than i was this morning when i first decided to do this post, but i still think its therapeutic.

yesterday, i had a discussion with my boss that is most likely going to lead to a very hard *career versus family* decision. i was an absolute mess last night and this morning didn't look much better. as i said...feeling a little better this afternoon (after a chat with a co-worker). so, with the weight of this decision on me, i have focused all day on things in my life for which i'm feeling lucky & blessed. i was happy to run across this on a blog this morning:

“Weeping may endure for a night,
but joy comes in the morning”
(Psalms 30:5).

so...with that in mind...here is the "joy"

• thankful that God made me get behind on reading certain blogs so that the scripture above showed up this morning when i needed it.
• coleman was in a good, cute mood this morning (granted, this made the decision thing worse, but makes you smile anyway!).
• spencer is really enjoying his fall season of rec baseball and i'm so happy that he's found the passion for the game again.
• fantastic ankle boots. loving that i'm slowly breaking out the fall footwear. loving that they are nine west and only cost me $15. loving that they remind me of a pair i had in high school and loved. loving that they are comfy.
• so appreciative of my husband who tolerated my blubbering last night and has been gentle and reassuring with my fragile emotional state.
• excited about my mom, sister, niece and brother-in-law coming into town. celebrating my nephew's 18th birthday.
• pumped about the britney/brittany episode of glee next week.
• amused that our friend is coming over tonight for a few cold ones because my husband thinks i should drink my sorrows away (sarcastically, of course).
• anxious, but excited, about the usc/auburn football game.
• totally excited that the gamecocks are currently ranked 12th in the country and this is their third consecutive week of being nationally ranked.
• having spencer's room makeover 99% complete.
• that i have a super coworker that can make my mood better.

thank you chronicle readers for serving as my own personal therapists...much appreciated.

inspired {progress update}

today, i want to talk more about how i've been doing with things related to the motivating website inspired to action. if you aren't familiar with the site and my recent motivation to follow kat's inspiration, please check out the list of links/resources at the end of this post. i will not be doing weekly updates, as i have been, so i wanted to take this opportunity to share my thoughts and feelings on the topic.

the benefits
it might sound a little overdramatic, but putting this plan into action has been life-altering. my execution is far from perfect and i still have goals on which i really need to work. but the things i've accomplished so far have made a noticable impact on the flow of my day, my outlook & mood, and even my energy level.

improved energy & motivation
you might think that getting up early would make you more tired, but on the mornings where i get up at 5:00 and have my quiet time before getting ready for work and heading to the office...those are the days that i feel more energized and less tired. not only do i get "me time" but i also tend to have extra time to knock out a few chores before heading to work! the mornings where i cheat a little and get up later because i'm working from home or it's the weekend...they never feel quite as good as the super early days. i tend to be more focused on providing for coleman when he's awake and i'm less able to concentrate on the aspects of my morning routine. my goal is to work towards getting up at 5:30 on those at-home mornings.

improved relationship with God
earlier in the year, i began a journey through the Bible based on a plan provided by another blog. unfortunately, the guidance at that blog has dropped off, but i'm sticking to the plan (and then some). i am currently reading at least 4 chapters per day and it feels great to start my day that way. i have implemented what i call "purposeful prayer" in the mornings, where i am able to really focus. i use two prayer calendars to pray for matt and the boys. i also developed a weekly schedule for me to follow. i really feel that these 15-20 minutes in the morning have helped strenghten my relationship with God so much.

organization
my planning is very easy with the weekly sheet i created for myself. the checklist really helps me stay focused on small goals (like drinking 8 cups of water daily). i love having somewhere to jot down blog posts and meals for the week. i have never been a meal planner, and this has made the evenings so much easier!

write to the heart
and i love that i have designated time to journal. i love to write but was not previously making time to write for me. i have found some good writing prompts online and have truly enjoyed rediscovering this part of myself. hopefully the continued habit will improve my writing here on this blog, and i have a feeling some of my prompts will end up being blog posts as well.

get up and *move*
as i've stated many times, the biggest hurdle for me is exercise. my goal, right now, is to just do 10 minutes each morning and i have a super easy routine that fills that time perfectly. but i'm still lacking the motivation. i'm trying to take baby steps...last week i only exercised twice. so, this week, my goal is three times.

now it's your turn: if you are inspired by my story or by kat's blog (linked below), i encourage you to read her e-book and get started. take baby steps. tweak the system to fit your needs. if you follow only one blog...follow hers. at first glance, it may seem like a lot to tackle, but it's really not. break it into realistic steps and you will love the results! do i sound like an informercial???

Related Links:

Inspired to Action blog
where it all started! kat has several free downloads that are worth your time, including two prayer calendars and two e-books.

So I Married a Mennonite blog
michelle hosted a four-week challenge in august to walk folks through the *maximize your mornings* concept.

Here at the Chronicles
i jumped into this concept *gung ho* so there are several related posts here:
     free downloads - daily & weekly cards
     totally inspired
     mission statement
     morning maximization
     week 1 report card
     week 2 report card
     week 3 report card

photo credit

inspired {report card - week 3}

luckily, coleman was on the mend after monday of last week, allowing me to return to a normally scheduled world as of tuesday. so here's how i did...

{report card - week of august 16 to 22}

• to-do list = 6 of 10
• woke up early = 5 of 7 days
• stuck to the meal plan = 5 of 7
• cleaned = 7
• Bible & prayer = 6
• blogged = 5
• took photos = 4
• water intake goal = 3
• exercised = 2
• worked on editing process = 2

{august challenge update}

as presented by michelle at so, i married a mennonite, here is how i did with the WEEK THREE challenge: DEVELOP AN EXERCISE PLAN

1 - Pick a Workout: done...i have a 10-minute morning plan in place
          i do sets of 12 for each of these: crunches, push-ups, squats, jumping jacks & leg kicks. i do as many as i can accomplish in about 7-8 minutes. the last 2-3 minutes i use 3lb weights for some arm exercises.

2 - Make it Fun: is she serious??? i have NO idea how to do this :)

3 - Create your Habit: What is the one thing you'll do everyday? this should be #1 above...but i don't do it everyday.

4 - Set a Goal: i would really like to lose 10 pounds by mid-October. but at this rate, it's not going to happen!

So, I did OK on the four goals above...i just haven't done well at implementing the actual exercising!

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE (WEEK 4) CAN BE FOUND HERE

~ if you missed it last week, i shared some downloads that are perfectly matched for this week's challenge!

~ sidenote: if you feel like you need a swift kick in the butt...watch the video in this post at inspired to action

~ and remember all of this *maximize your morning* goodness was started by kat at inspired to action.