Something has been on my mind lately…

~ First – what is up with these sayings that “Real woman have this” or “REAL women look like that”??

ALL WOMEN ARE REAL WOMEN!!!

Whether you are tall, short, skinny, curvy, have short hair, long hair, are buff, are weak, shy, outgoing, confident, you name it…if you are a woman then you are a REAL woman and YOU matter.

~ Second – stop the judging and the gossip.  Seriously, just stop.  Life is hard enough on its own without everyone’s negativity.  There is nothing good that comes out of it, no matter which side you are on.

Let’s start celebrating each others differences and encourage each other instead.

Ok?  Ok.

It’s the end of the year already?!  I think I should get an award for the least posts in a year!  To follow up on beginning of the year post – let’s see how I did!

1.

I would definitely like to spend more time in prayer.

–FOLLOW UP — I would like to think I’ve gotten better at this.  I would like to get a couple different books on prayer, I think that might help.

2.

Take more time in the morning. WAKE UP EARLIER. Enjoy some coffee or tea, pray, and check my email/Facebook before I leave for the day.

— FOLLOW UP — I have been getting to work on time, or at least within the 5 minute grace period, yay!! Buuttt…I have not woken up with enough time to enjoy coffee/tea and no time to check my mail.

3.

Be a breath of fresh air to my husband. Be a fun wife. Go out of my way to do thoughtful things. Leave little notes for him. Take out the trash for him every now and then.

— FOLLOW UP — I think this is always a work in progress.  I think it’s important to always try and have fun together and not get so sucked in to the stresses of life that you forget what’s important.

4.

Eat better.

— FOLLOW UP — ummm….still working on this.  We have eaten out much less (haha, this month doesn’t count), but I think we’re getting there.

5.

This sums it up!

— FOLLOW UP — Due to some health issues, I had to take a workout hiatus for a few months.  However, I’m starting to slowly get back into it.

6.

Do more with my hair. This isn’t too big of a deal for me, but it would be nice to actually do something different from time to time, even if it’s just on the weekends.

— FOLLOW UP — I ended up chopping all my hair off and had about 2 different ways to wear my bangs.  It has finally grown back, but also linked to my health issues, my hair has seriously taken a turn for the worse.  Let’s just say Tea Tree oil is my hair’s best friend right now.

7.

Make a quilt!

— FOLLOW UP — I didn’t make a quilt.  But I HAVE picked up crocheting.  I have made and finished the worlds smallest blanket, an almost complete cup cozy (just needs a button), and I’m working on my first baby blanket (not for me) :)

8.

Take more photos and learn to take them well.

— FOLLOW UP — I really haven’t worked on this too much.  I realized having fun and making memories is more important than focussing on making sure I get a good picture.  With that said, I’m definitely still interested and would like to get a nice camera to have fun with.  We’ll see.

(SIDE NOTE) I won a Gopro Hero camera at our Christmas party this year, so maybe I will end up taking more videos ; )

~ Well, there you have it.  This may or may not be my “End-of-the-Year post”, but it’s fun to look back over the year and see how I did.

(Note: thanks pinterest.com for all these photos and inspiration)

Weelllll…At first I wasn’t going to do a beginning-of-the-year post, but then I changed my mind.  I do that.  A lot.

Since 2014 is going strong, here are my goals for the year.  And thank you Pinterest for the pictures and inspiration!

1. Exactly this.  I would definitely like to spend more time in prayer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Take more time in the morning.  WAKE UP EARLIER.  Enjoy some coffee or tea, pray, and check my email/Facebook before I leave for the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.  Be a breath of fresh air to my husband.  Be a fun wife.  Go out of my way to do thoughtful things.  Leave little notes for him.  Take out the trash for him every now and then.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Eat better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. This sums it up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.  Do more with my hair.  This isn’t too big of a deal for me, but it would be nice to actually do something different from time to time, even if it’s just on the weekends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Make a quilt!  I actually just bought some fabric to start one.  I’m looking forward to and dreading this all at the same time lol.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.  Take more photos and learn to take them well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Note:  All pictures were found on pinterest.com)

This time last year, we were in the beginning of a nightmare.  We were hopeful and optimistic though that things were going to turn around for us quickly, and that we were going to get through it and breath again and say “well glad that’s over”.  Well…here it is, a little over a year later and still saying “we’re going to get through this”.  Why this nightmare happened and why we are still living it…I don’t know.

One thing that I do know is that Jesus is still walking with us through this long, dark, cold valley.  He didn’t promise he was going to take away our problems, He promises He will never leave us or forsake us.  He didn’t promise he was going to just grant us our wish, He said he would carry us through the storm.  He says He works all thing together for the good for those who love Him (Rom 8:28).  He says he knows the plan for us, plans to give us a hope and a future (Jer 29:11).  He warns us not to lean on our own understanding but in all our ways to acknowledge Him and He will make our paths straight (Prov 3;5-6).

So even though I wake up every morning with a load of worry and sorrow, I know I can come to the feet of my Jesus and cast all my cares upon Him because He cares for us and He will give us rest.  I know He has our best interest in mind.  I know that his love has no end.  It is on these promises I stand and in Him I will put my hope.

As we pray this burden is taken from us and even though I hardly understand why we are still facing this, I have come to lean on God more than ever before.  I am so thankful that instead of allowing my heart to become hardened and bitter (though at times it has been a struggle) I keep running to the arms of Jesus in the morning and resting at His feet at night.