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.

Because I had lemon water this morning (I made it hot so it was like drinking lemon tea) and because I like lists, here’s a list of benefits you get when you drink lemon water.

10 reasons why you should lemon water

1. Boosts your immune system

2. Balances pH

3. Helps with wight loss

4. Aids digestions

5. It’s a diuretic

6. Clears skin

7. Freshens breath

8. Relieves respiratory problems

9. Keeps you Zen (something with the vitamin C helps your brain)

10. Helps kick the coffee habit

I’ve looked at multiple websites and they pretty much all say the same thing.  This information I got from La Jolla Mom-  http://lajollamom.com/2011/01/drink-warm-lemon-water-in-the-morning.  The website goes into more of an explanation of how it does all these things, but I just wanted to share the basics.
Enjoy!

Peace- the story of my week.  For once I haven’t felt the dread of going into work or thinking if one more thing comes up I’m gonna scream.  This week has been a breath of fresh air!  But let me tell you, it has everything to do with putting all my worry in Gods hands.

I’m reading the book “A Confident Heart” Renee Swope.  In this book she incredibly describes just how worrying and stressing about everything is completely fruitless.  She quotes Max Lucado in his book “Come Thirsty” and this is what it says (I can’t help but share):

~40% of what we worry about never happens (SO true!)

~ 30% of what we worry about is in regards to the past and cannot be changed (most definitely true)

~ 12% is our focus on what others think about us, which we can’t control (mmmmhmmm)

~ 10% is placed on our personal health, in turn worsens when we worry (ha!)

~8% is concern of real problems in which we can influence the outcome.

8 PERCENT!!!!  Seriously, think about it!  I made a list and came to the shocking realization that she is right.

Here’s what changed my week.  I ran to God with my new found knowledge and said “help”.   I committed my day to Him at the beginning of the day and I made a conscious decision to stay aware of my thoughts.  Every time a worry or a negative thought popped in my head I prayed and shoved it in Gods hands, practically saying “here you deal with it, I can’t handle it”.  If I was thinking of how situations could have been/be made worse “if” I was able to recognize that was a situation that hasn’t happened and stop thinking about it.  That alone made a difference.  The what ifs are the worst.

It is amazingly freeing to let go and let God.  Easier said than done at times but I had come to a point where I felt like I was losing myself completely because of the worry that was taking over my life.  I chose to let God handle it and let it go.  It’s a daily (sometimes minutely) conscious decision, but the result of giving your worries over to God  is so rewarding and sooo freeing!