[good works]

I've been camping out on Ephesians 2:10 today. "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." I think a lot of times we focus on the part that says we were created to do good works. But I know that a lot of times I ignore the second part that says those good works that God prepared in advance for me. There are so many good works in this world but I am only called to do those He has prepared for me. Those things that I say yes to that overwhelm my calendar may be the good works that He prepared in advance for someone else.

[perfection...not]

I took 2 weeks of vacation over the Christmas and New Year's break.  We all got to sleep in and lounge around the house for 2 weeks and 3 weekends.  It was so needed...I think we rented a dozen movies from Redbox and watched every Hallmark, Lifetime and UP TV Christmas movie ever made.

The first week was baking and getting ready for Christmas.  By the second week we started to get into a routine of hanging out as a family, keeping the house straight and actually keeping the laundry up.  So when I went back to work the Monday after New Year's I was determined that I was actually going to get organized and attempt to keep the house straight and maybe even make dinner a couple of times a week.

If you know me, then you know that I don't have any domestic abilities at all.  Of course that is an exaggeration but keeping my house straight, let alone clean, is a major endeavor.  Add on that I am a perfectionist who will procrastinate if I can't do it all exactly perfect at one time so you can imagine how much dust has accumulated over time.  Now I am the first to admit that I have done a horrible job of enlisting my children to help with the major housework.  That's a project and a post for another day.

And so I digress...I searched around the web for the perfect organization tool that will whip me in shape and get this house looking good all the time.  It's almost overwhelming all that is out there and how many experts there are to choose from.  I really wanted to have the spiritual aspect to this so I ended up finding The Confident Mom.  I had heard of her before and even bought the 2013 Weekly Household Planner but never used it.  So I downloaded the 2014 version (it's free by the way).  For now I think it will work for me.  I like it because it is broken down by the week and she gives you examples of activities to do over the week to help you get it all done in little bites.  I know that I will have to adjust it to fit our lifestyle but's that's ok.  It's a place to start and I guess getting started is the hardest thing to do.

So I started today and one project that was way overdue is our master bathroom.  Now when we built our house in 1999 we only had one child.  The house has 2 full bathrooms and one half bath and another potential full bath in the basement if we ever get around to finishing it.  We've since added two more kids who insist on using the master bath instead of their own.  So that means 4 of us are trying to get ready in one bathroom every day.  I cleaned off the entire surface and the cabinets underneath.  I filled up half of a large trash bag.  It was pretty gross.  I can't tell you how much dust there was.  But here it is now and hopefully we can keep it that way.  I should have taken a before picture but let's just say that the left sink was completely filled with stuff so we could only actually use the right sink.

That gave me a small burst of energy and I cleaned out my bedside table.  Threw a bunch of stuff away in there too.  How does it all accumulate?


On a side note we did get out of the house a little over the break...2 movies (Frozen & Saving Mr. Banks, both excellent), the trains at Bevell's Hardware (an annual tradition) and for the first time the Newport News Celebration of Lights.  Our Christmas Eve service and New Year's Day prayer service at church were very special too.

[2014]

A new year...new beginnings. A chance to start out with a blank slate, a clean white page, a new calendar. What does this new year hold? Praying for wisdom this year and a deeper relationship with my Savior.

[Day 13]

Today is day 13 of my social media fast and to be honest I haven't missed it very much. I did find myself checking email more often and checking the news.  Next time I will need to delete the news channels too.  It will be interesting to see if I am able to control the amount of time on them after tomorrow.  My hope is that it will be easier now.  More to come...

[what...no facebook?]

Today is day one of my social media fast.  No Facebook, no twitter, no Instagram and no Pinterest.  I've done ok so far.  I haven't even had a desire to look.  I also haven't picked up my phone as much.  I read a few chapters in my book, went bike reading with Olivia through the neighborhood and will read some more when I get home from church.  Overall a good first day...

[beginning...again]

I didn't want to do it. I tried to talk myself out of it. I wanted butter pecan ice cream instead. But I did it...

And yes I will hurt in the morning. Maybe I will get brave enough to actually post this for others to see. But until then this will have to do.

[summer...]

So here we are a couple of days after the 4th and it seems that summer is already on it's way out.  Isn't true that we spend so much time in the current season wishing it was the next season instead of just soaking up where we are today?  The sun is out bright today and it's going to be hot but that's ok.  It wasn't that long ago that we were complaining about the cold.  So here's to today and all the blessings it brings.

                                                                Schroon Lake, NY

[brand new year]

We are 19 days into the new year and I haven't blogged yet, even though one of my goals was to blog once a week.  So many goals and so little time...

[merry christmas]

[what am I thinking]

I made a decision last week to start running.  While I was home for 5 days sick I had plenty of time to blog hop.  I don't know no how I came to find this site but it inspired me.  I am using a program called Couch to 5K.  I hadn't heard of it but it sounded like something I could do.  You run/walk for 30 minutes 3 times a week for 9 weeks.  By week 9 you are running a 5K.  So last Saturday I went to the store and bought my first pair ever of running shoes.  On Sunday my dear husband and I ventured out to the local high school track and pushed our way through 30 minutes of pain.  I still can't believe I made it and who starts exercising the week of Thanksgiving anyway??  Tuesday came and we actually made it though again.  This time we ran in our neighborhood in the dark no less.  Today we made it through day 3 and guess what...we survived.  My goal is to run a 5K race before my birthday in April.  On to week 2!

Photo credit

[day 16 - 30 days of gratitude]

I have been sick most of this week and have fallen behind.  However, I have vowed to finish, not be perfect.  So for day 16 I am thankful for the "Hello Mornings" challenge.  While I haven't made all the changes I wanted to this session, I completed it.

[day 12 -30 days of gratitude]

Today I am grateful for all that served or are currently serving in our Armed Services including my dad and granddad.  I am so grateful for the freedoms I have today because of these brave men and women.

[day 11 - 30 days of gratitude]

I am grateful today for a lazy day of watching Christmas movies before Thanksgiving.  I have been under the weather all weekend and my daughter has kept me company while I cry through some of these tearjerkers.  Can't wait until she and I can watch "Holiday Inn" and "White Christmas."

[day 6 - 30 days of gratitude]

Today I am thankful to live in the United States of America where we have the privilege of voting for our leaders. Even though the outcomes are not always the way I would want them this is still the best country in the world to live in.

[day 5 - 30 days of gratitude]

Today I am thankful for my job in a time when so many are not so lucky. After 22 years I still enjoy it (most of the time)...:)

[day 4 - 30 days of gratitude]

Today I am thankful for my church family, how they love and support us and how they serve helping to show others the love of Christ and carrying the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

[day 3 - 30 days of gratitude]

Today I am thankful for my children.  They have been a true blessing from God and I can't imagine my life without them.  They bring joy (and tears) to my life.

[day 2 - 30 days of gratitude]

Today I am thankful for my husband.  God knew exactly who I needed and I am thankful for his spiritual leadership in our family.

[day 1 - 30 days of gratitude]

All over Facebook and Twitter people are posting one thing a day they are thankful for for the month of November.  I also saw this post today that made me think I should do the same, so here goes.

Today I am thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ and through salvation the hope I have for eternal life.

[lazy day]

Today is Columbus Day...which means I have the day off from work and I am home alone.  The kids are in school and the hubby is at work.  It is raining today which always makes me want to blog. Not sure why.  It also makes me lazy.

There are so many things on my To Do list but I am drawn to my coffee and the book I am reading.

It's feeling like Fall today and I think some Taco Soup is in store for this weekend.