I realize we're about halfway through January already (how did that happen?!), but I have had trouble choosing my One Word this year. Several have rolled through my brain and heart for days, but one of those has come up in the sermon for the past two weeks, so I'm going to go with that one and look forward to how God reveals it to me through the entire year.
My One Word for 2015...
REDEEM.
Showing posts with label One word. Show all posts
Showing posts with label One word. Show all posts
Monday, January 12, 2015
Sunday, January 4, 2015
The story of 2014...He makes all things NEW!
Before we get too far into 2015, I really need to recap 2014...
What a year! In my 34 years of life, I believe in 30 years or so, this one will still stand out for me. So many amazing happenings, I'm not sure where to start, so I think chronological order will work best... Oh, and my one word for the year was "New," so that will be spread through the year, also.
January started with a wait. The kind of waiting that makes even phone-a-phobes like me keep their phone with them at all times, fully charged. The kind of waiting that makes you wake up several times a night and check your phone, just in case. The kind of unpredictable waiting that involves the unpredictable nature of childbirth. January 6th, right as the buttcrack of dawn appeared, I got a text saying it seemed this would be the day we had been waiting for! I arrived at my sister's house to find her vacuuming and cleaning with fast purpose. By late afternoon, I was so privileged to be present for the birth of my niece, Marlee Medora. This is the only birth I have been present for from "this end." Marlee was born at home, in a warm pool of water, AND with the amniotic sac intact until the very last moment. Truly amazing...and my sister rocks labor and delivery! NEW life!
February brought the usual in our family...lots of birthdays. Levi turned 7 and took a bunch of friends to The Lego Movie and for pizza afterward. Noah turned 14 and had a couple of friends over for movies and junk food. Hannah turned 9 and had a sledding party that ended up being attended by only homeschooled friends, though others were invited. Nick...he turned 13. If you know anything about our past with him, you know that we haven't seen him in person in over 2 years. On a whim, we brought his birthday presents to him (without warning, so his mother couldn't make sure he wasn't there). I was actually opposed to even trying, out of fear of disappointment for myself and the other kids. However, Nick was home and his mother did allow him to come out and see us for 10 minutes. It was only 10 minutes, but it was 10 minutes...and we were so thankful! We have been communicating with him almost weekly via Oovoo. Things will never be the same as they were before "that day," but at this point, we are thankful for having contact at all. NEW hope!
March had us finishing up trip planning for an RV trip to Texas and back! We left March 25th and were gone for 51 nights. We stayed in campgrounds or in the driveway of friends or family members. We had several day stops in Viriginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. We were in Texas for about 2 weeks. all the way from the Gulf Coast (High Island, TX) to DFW and Texarkana, where my husband has family. It was the first trip to any ocean for the three little kids and me (Brian and Noah saw the ocean in Florida and Haiti when they went to Haiti in 2013). One of the main purposes for our trip was to visit Brian's Granny in a Dallas suburb. Unfortunately, there was some family drama when Brian's dad died. We don't really understand why, but Brian's uncle hated Brian's dad and because this uncle is now taking care of Granny, he would not allow us to see her. That was heartbreaking and there were many tears shed. I will never understand...
All of April was spent on the road. Amazing... Part of why we took this trip was to see if we might want to be fulltime RVers once the 6 year legal thing got done. We did, indeed, have this as one of our main plans, until something so clearly more awesome came up. We did love our time in the camper together, and learned some things about what we wanted our next camper to have and ideas for longer trips in the future, even if the fulltime RV thing didn't pan out. NEW dreams!
May brought us back home, the week after Mother's Day. We were all exhausted, but proud of ourselves for doing something so big and kind of terrifying. We did have some scary incidents, with tornadoes closeby, mountain travels, and a reoccurring fuel problem that we didn't figure out until months later. NEW adventures!
When we came home, we realized that the house right next to my sister's new house was for sale. But the whole house thing needs its very own post...so stay tuned for that!
June was not too exciting (sometimes, that's a good thing!). We did loan our camper to my parents for an anniversary weekend getaway, and then got stuck at the campground for a few extra days when we went up. The truck's fuel issues decided to flare up big-time and we ended up having parts overnighted to us from Buffalo and then my boys fixed it under the camper awning in the pouring rain. Good times...
July...summer! We had our usual week of VBS at church, where I was a crew leader for the first time ever. The day that ended, we headed out to NW Pennsylvania, so Hannah could go to a new horse camp...Miracle Mountain Ranch. She had a great time there and will definitely return! We celebrated Brian's 6th tractorversary, the first one to fall on a Sunday, away from home. Very nice...and we knew the end of the legal mess was coming soon!
August...my sweet Essie-Mae turned 6 and celebrated with a bowling party, which she won at the bowling league awards ceremony. I started working for our church and Christian school, as treasurer's assistant. My first paid position in my field! Excellent learning opportunites for me in a wonderful environment, and I am thankful for that! At the end of August, I graduated from Empire State College, with a Bachelor's of Science in Business, Management, and Economics, Concentration in Accounting! This has been a very long journey and I am so glad to be done! Who knows where God will lead me... NEW horizons!
September started a new homeschool year. The kids at home are in 9th, 4th, 2nd, and 1st grades. What an adventure! Soccer and Awana started back up, along with FLL (First Lego League...lego robotics), so our calendar was very full. Hannah tried out the goalie position, which was terrifying to me, but she stuck it out all season and improved quite a bit! Brave, strong girl... Along with the business of fall, we spent all month going back and forth with offers to settle the 6 year thing. Exciting and mentally/emotionally draining, all at once! September 24th was the day we settled. We got the call while we were on a homeschool field trip at Fort Stanwix...and I will never forget it, as long as I live. Finished. Done. Finally! NEW beginnings!
October...we bought a house! More on that in the house post. ;)
November...we moved into that house! More on that...
December...we have worked on making the house our own. More on that, also!
It was a stressful year, with a lot of good mixed in. When I think of the year as a whole, overwhelming gratitude is all that I come up with. God has been good to us, so very good. We don't deserve any of it, not really, and we are thankful. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
Happy New Year...and may the peace of God fill your heart and life with overwhelming joy and gratitude, also!
What a year! In my 34 years of life, I believe in 30 years or so, this one will still stand out for me. So many amazing happenings, I'm not sure where to start, so I think chronological order will work best... Oh, and my one word for the year was "New," so that will be spread through the year, also.
January started with a wait. The kind of waiting that makes even phone-a-phobes like me keep their phone with them at all times, fully charged. The kind of waiting that makes you wake up several times a night and check your phone, just in case. The kind of unpredictable waiting that involves the unpredictable nature of childbirth. January 6th, right as the buttcrack of dawn appeared, I got a text saying it seemed this would be the day we had been waiting for! I arrived at my sister's house to find her vacuuming and cleaning with fast purpose. By late afternoon, I was so privileged to be present for the birth of my niece, Marlee Medora. This is the only birth I have been present for from "this end." Marlee was born at home, in a warm pool of water, AND with the amniotic sac intact until the very last moment. Truly amazing...and my sister rocks labor and delivery! NEW life!
February brought the usual in our family...lots of birthdays. Levi turned 7 and took a bunch of friends to The Lego Movie and for pizza afterward. Noah turned 14 and had a couple of friends over for movies and junk food. Hannah turned 9 and had a sledding party that ended up being attended by only homeschooled friends, though others were invited. Nick...he turned 13. If you know anything about our past with him, you know that we haven't seen him in person in over 2 years. On a whim, we brought his birthday presents to him (without warning, so his mother couldn't make sure he wasn't there). I was actually opposed to even trying, out of fear of disappointment for myself and the other kids. However, Nick was home and his mother did allow him to come out and see us for 10 minutes. It was only 10 minutes, but it was 10 minutes...and we were so thankful! We have been communicating with him almost weekly via Oovoo. Things will never be the same as they were before "that day," but at this point, we are thankful for having contact at all. NEW hope!
March had us finishing up trip planning for an RV trip to Texas and back! We left March 25th and were gone for 51 nights. We stayed in campgrounds or in the driveway of friends or family members. We had several day stops in Viriginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. We were in Texas for about 2 weeks. all the way from the Gulf Coast (High Island, TX) to DFW and Texarkana, where my husband has family. It was the first trip to any ocean for the three little kids and me (Brian and Noah saw the ocean in Florida and Haiti when they went to Haiti in 2013). One of the main purposes for our trip was to visit Brian's Granny in a Dallas suburb. Unfortunately, there was some family drama when Brian's dad died. We don't really understand why, but Brian's uncle hated Brian's dad and because this uncle is now taking care of Granny, he would not allow us to see her. That was heartbreaking and there were many tears shed. I will never understand...
All of April was spent on the road. Amazing... Part of why we took this trip was to see if we might want to be fulltime RVers once the 6 year legal thing got done. We did, indeed, have this as one of our main plans, until something so clearly more awesome came up. We did love our time in the camper together, and learned some things about what we wanted our next camper to have and ideas for longer trips in the future, even if the fulltime RV thing didn't pan out. NEW dreams!
May brought us back home, the week after Mother's Day. We were all exhausted, but proud of ourselves for doing something so big and kind of terrifying. We did have some scary incidents, with tornadoes closeby, mountain travels, and a reoccurring fuel problem that we didn't figure out until months later. NEW adventures!
When we came home, we realized that the house right next to my sister's new house was for sale. But the whole house thing needs its very own post...so stay tuned for that!
June was not too exciting (sometimes, that's a good thing!). We did loan our camper to my parents for an anniversary weekend getaway, and then got stuck at the campground for a few extra days when we went up. The truck's fuel issues decided to flare up big-time and we ended up having parts overnighted to us from Buffalo and then my boys fixed it under the camper awning in the pouring rain. Good times...
July...summer! We had our usual week of VBS at church, where I was a crew leader for the first time ever. The day that ended, we headed out to NW Pennsylvania, so Hannah could go to a new horse camp...Miracle Mountain Ranch. She had a great time there and will definitely return! We celebrated Brian's 6th tractorversary, the first one to fall on a Sunday, away from home. Very nice...and we knew the end of the legal mess was coming soon!
August...my sweet Essie-Mae turned 6 and celebrated with a bowling party, which she won at the bowling league awards ceremony. I started working for our church and Christian school, as treasurer's assistant. My first paid position in my field! Excellent learning opportunites for me in a wonderful environment, and I am thankful for that! At the end of August, I graduated from Empire State College, with a Bachelor's of Science in Business, Management, and Economics, Concentration in Accounting! This has been a very long journey and I am so glad to be done! Who knows where God will lead me... NEW horizons!
September started a new homeschool year. The kids at home are in 9th, 4th, 2nd, and 1st grades. What an adventure! Soccer and Awana started back up, along with FLL (First Lego League...lego robotics), so our calendar was very full. Hannah tried out the goalie position, which was terrifying to me, but she stuck it out all season and improved quite a bit! Brave, strong girl... Along with the business of fall, we spent all month going back and forth with offers to settle the 6 year thing. Exciting and mentally/emotionally draining, all at once! September 24th was the day we settled. We got the call while we were on a homeschool field trip at Fort Stanwix...and I will never forget it, as long as I live. Finished. Done. Finally! NEW beginnings!
October...we bought a house! More on that in the house post. ;)
November...we moved into that house! More on that...
December...we have worked on making the house our own. More on that, also!
It was a stressful year, with a lot of good mixed in. When I think of the year as a whole, overwhelming gratitude is all that I come up with. God has been good to us, so very good. We don't deserve any of it, not really, and we are thankful. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
Happy New Year...and may the peace of God fill your heart and life with overwhelming joy and gratitude, also!
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
One Word...New
I've been thinking for a couple of weeks about my "one word" for the year. This is the word I feel that God has given me, a word to inspire my life for the next year. A word that will affect the decisions I make, the way I parent, the kind of wife I am, the plans we make for the future. I've learned from the past couple of years that this word is one I will return to throughout the year, in the good times and the bad.
My word this year is...new.
This is what the LORD says-- he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a NEW thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
~Isaiah 43:16-21
For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creation; the old has gone, the NEW has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
~2 Corinthians 5:14-19
God, I ask you to do NEW things in me and through me this year. Help me to see the world through new eyes and with a new heart...Your eyes and heart. Be glorified in all that I say and do, Father...
My word this year is...new.
This is what the LORD says-- he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a NEW thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
~Isaiah 43:16-21
For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creation; the old has gone, the NEW has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
~2 Corinthians 5:14-19
God, I ask you to do NEW things in me and through me this year. Help me to see the world through new eyes and with a new heart...Your eyes and heart. Be glorified in all that I say and do, Father...
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Goals? Schmoals...
This is probably my last post this year, so a sort of recap of the year is in order.
In case you forgot my goals for this year...here's a reminder...
2. I did go GF and it has helped several health issues I have dealt with for years...migraines and sinus troubles. I was also diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis this year after seeing several doctors and having every test under the sun done. I feel best when my diet is cleanest...no refined sugar, no gluten, limited grains. When I eat gluten, I do feel it almost immediately in my joints and usually experience a 3 day headache. What do I miss most? Pizza and Tim Horton's cinnamon rolls. I also completely quit drinking Pepsi in May, which is amazing. I drank one or two 16-20 ounce Pepsi's every day for over 15 years, and quit...cold turkey. I have found a soda I can have on special occasions...Izze. It's made with fruit juice and no other sweetener. Last I tried a sip of regular soda, it tasted terrible. Never going back! :)
3. Walk more? Fail. In my defense, way back in January, I had no idea how sick I was about to get. At that point, I was having major vision disturbances but that was my only symptom. By May, I could not walk farther than to the bathroom and I ended up in the ER with lymph nodes swollen bigger than golf balls. In June, I was diagnosed and started on some medications for arthritis, but my joints have not recovered. Yet.
4. Model behavior and language I expect from my kids...always a work in progress. Some good days, some not so good. Thankfully, my kids are forgiving and every day is a new day...for them and for me.
5. Bank/late fees. Well, almost. I'd say we did pretty well, considering the kind of year we've had. God is good...
6. Blog at least 52 times? Fail. I just can't do it when there is so much I can't talk about and I have to worry about what little thing I say might be misconstrued and used against me. And no, I can't talk about why I can't talk about what I can't talk about. Ha. Someday I'll meet this goal...and until then, rest assured that I am just focusing on living my life and not caring who is watching or why. Watch away. We've got nothing to hide. So there...which goes into my one word for the year...
Fearless.
That word has applied in so many ways to our life this year. We've had some shakeups and big changes, but I have also had remarkable peace. This has been a big struggle in the past, and I am so thankful for God's blessing of peace. I am no longer scared of our future. We are going to be okay. We have faced so much already...what is there to be afraid of now? Things work out in the end, they always do. What is the alternative, you know? Again, God is good. I am thankful.
In case you forgot my goals for this year...here's a reminder...
- Play more games, at least a couple nights a week. We have a ton of board games, card games, and puzzles. This also counts as social skills therapy for my kids who have trouble with losing. ;)
- Eat healthier. Strongly considering going gluten free for at least a month, just to see what happens...
- Walk more. I'd like to get in 365 miles, which doesn't sound like much, but it's too darn cold right now, so I'll have to make up some miles in the nicer weather.
- Better model the behavior and language I want from my kids.
- Not pay any bank or late fees.
- Go on at least one date a month with my husband.
- Blog at least 52 times. Because I slacked off last year, especially after learning these posts are being watched.
2. I did go GF and it has helped several health issues I have dealt with for years...migraines and sinus troubles. I was also diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis this year after seeing several doctors and having every test under the sun done. I feel best when my diet is cleanest...no refined sugar, no gluten, limited grains. When I eat gluten, I do feel it almost immediately in my joints and usually experience a 3 day headache. What do I miss most? Pizza and Tim Horton's cinnamon rolls. I also completely quit drinking Pepsi in May, which is amazing. I drank one or two 16-20 ounce Pepsi's every day for over 15 years, and quit...cold turkey. I have found a soda I can have on special occasions...Izze. It's made with fruit juice and no other sweetener. Last I tried a sip of regular soda, it tasted terrible. Never going back! :)
3. Walk more? Fail. In my defense, way back in January, I had no idea how sick I was about to get. At that point, I was having major vision disturbances but that was my only symptom. By May, I could not walk farther than to the bathroom and I ended up in the ER with lymph nodes swollen bigger than golf balls. In June, I was diagnosed and started on some medications for arthritis, but my joints have not recovered. Yet.
4. Model behavior and language I expect from my kids...always a work in progress. Some good days, some not so good. Thankfully, my kids are forgiving and every day is a new day...for them and for me.
5. Bank/late fees. Well, almost. I'd say we did pretty well, considering the kind of year we've had. God is good...
6. Blog at least 52 times? Fail. I just can't do it when there is so much I can't talk about and I have to worry about what little thing I say might be misconstrued and used against me. And no, I can't talk about why I can't talk about what I can't talk about. Ha. Someday I'll meet this goal...and until then, rest assured that I am just focusing on living my life and not caring who is watching or why. Watch away. We've got nothing to hide. So there...which goes into my one word for the year...
Fearless.
That word has applied in so many ways to our life this year. We've had some shakeups and big changes, but I have also had remarkable peace. This has been a big struggle in the past, and I am so thankful for God's blessing of peace. I am no longer scared of our future. We are going to be okay. We have faced so much already...what is there to be afraid of now? Things work out in the end, they always do. What is the alternative, you know? Again, God is good. I am thankful.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
2013 goals
Some goals I/we have for this year:
As the past two years, I have chosen the "One Word" that will be my focus this year:
Fearless.
There is a picture going around Facebook:
I don't know what lies ahead, but my Daddy God does. I do not need to fear. I will choose to live without the "what ifs" hanging over my back. I will choose to love without fear of rejection or loss. I will choose to speak love and life without fear of repercussion. I will choose to not worry about tomorrow, a month from now, or a year from now. I will live my life in full abandon, not caring who is watching or what they are thinking. I will live the day I have been given...today!
- Play more games, at least a couple nights a week. We have a ton of board games, card games, and puzzles. This also counts as social skills therapy for my kids who have trouble with losing. ;)
- Eat healthier. Strongly considering going gluten free for at least a month, just to see what happens...
- Walk more. I'd like to get in 365 miles, which doesn't sound like much, but it's too darn cold right now, so I'll have to make up some miles in the nicer weather.
- Better model the behavior and language I want from my kids.
- Not pay any bank or late fees.
- Go on at least one date a month with my husband.
- Blog at least 52 times. Because I slacked off last year, especially after learning these posts are being watched.
As the past two years, I have chosen the "One Word" that will be my focus this year:
Fearless.
There is a picture going around Facebook:
I don't know what lies ahead, but my Daddy God does. I do not need to fear. I will choose to live without the "what ifs" hanging over my back. I will choose to love without fear of rejection or loss. I will choose to speak love and life without fear of repercussion. I will choose to not worry about tomorrow, a month from now, or a year from now. I will live my life in full abandon, not caring who is watching or what they are thinking. I will live the day I have been given...today!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
One Word
I first heard about this on Klove's morning show. And then our home group decided to do it also.
From myoneword.org...
From myoneword.org...
“My One Word” is an experiment designed to move you beyond the past and look ahead. The challenge is simple: lose the long list of changes you want to make this year and instead pick ONE WORD. This process provides clarity by taking all of your big plans for life change and narrowing them down into a single thing. One word focuses on your character and creates a vision for your future.
I'll be honest, I had my word right away, but I didn't really like my word. Too fluffy, I decided. Or maybe too hard. Depending on how I looked at it.
So what's the word?
Love. And not the hearts and flowers, Cupid waiting in the wings kind of love. Real, true love.
So what does that mean to me, right now, at this exact place in my life? Glad you asked... ;)
It means...
It's an insurmountable goal. I can't do one single thing on that list. But that's kind of the point. I've asked for the word, accepted the word, and now I wait for God to grow it.
- Knowing how much I am loved by God. I feel selfish putting this first on the list, but really, if I can't grasp how much I am loved by my Heavenly Father, how can I do anything else on this list? If I really knew how much God loves me, could I ever doubt that His plan was the best way? Would I ever complain about the pain and inconveniences of this life I've been given? I don't think so. I know this won't possibly be completed this year, but I do want to really get how much I am loved.
- Knowing that not only does God love me, but He loves those people I find impossible to love. He loves my stepson's mother, even though she is a mean, spiteful, hard-hearted woman who has kept him from us for over 3 months now. He loves Tractor Man, even though he refuses to take responsibility and pay for what he did to my husband and our family. He loves the former family member that does nothing but lie and stir up trouble. I don't know how He does it. But then again, sometimes I don't know how He loves the ugliness inside of me either. So if I am really to know what love is, it has to include the kind of love that had Jesus forgiving his murderers while he hung on the cross in agony.
- Truly loving my husband. Listening to him attentively, focusing on kindness and putting aside biting sarcasm. Losing my attitude. Being the support and helpmeet he needs, and stepping aside and letting him fill his role of Husband and Father, the leader of this home. Appreciating him for who he is right now, not who he used to be or who he might be some day. Loving unselfishly, not keeping tabs of what he has done for me lately. Daily asking God to bless Brian.
- Being free to love my babies. Loving completely, without reservation. Giving all that I have to and for them, knowing that they are my first and most important mission field. This means dropping what I am doing when my little girl wants to read with me, laying on the floor with my little boy and building the most amazing Lego garage, painting tiny toenails to make my little girl feel special, snuggling with my biggest boys, knowing they still very much need the softness of a mother's love. Loving each moment with my little people, knowing they have all been sent for such a time as this.
- Being a true friend. Speaking that word of encouragement, sending the "I'm thinking of you" note, praying for them faithfully. Really listening, hearing their hearts, and speaking truth in love. Loving unselfishly, without thought of what I might or might not get in return.
What is your "one word"? The one thing God has asked you (or you are asking God) to focus on? I'd love to hear your word, too!
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