Saw this on a friend's blog and liked the idea. I've found that writing things down is crucial for moving forward. Document your story, the good times and bad. It will remind you of where you've been and give you hope for where you're going.
2010 in 10:
Patience
Uncomfortable Obedience
Clarity
Affirming Relationships
Self Identity
Starting Over
How about you?
Friday, December 31, 2010
The Final Countdown
December 31. I am a sucker for the emotionally driven moments of life. I eat it up like a cupcake from Sweet & Sassy. Today is one of those days. The day to move past the regrets of this past year and start over. New beginnings. New opportunities. Another chance. A redeeming moment. (Sounds romantic, right?)
Starting Over. Again.
Makes me breathe a little easier. Makes the stress a little less burdensome. I get another chance.
If this joy project has taught me anything, it's that the little steps are the most important. Giving myself 5 extra seconds to reign it in, before losing my cool with the kids. Taking 5 minutes to call a friend and let them know I am thinking about them. Getting down on the floor for 20 minutes to have a tea party with Ava. Listening to the giggles in the other room while the girls play in their forts made out of sofa cushions and blankets from every bed in the house. I can clean it up later. Closing the computer and listening to the adventures my husband had at work. Meeting my sister for coffee. Praying for 20 minutes uninterrupted. Following through on a promise. Smiling.
I am grateful that every morning brings another chance to love my children well, appreciate my husband, connect with my God and live the life He designed for me.
My final 5 joys of 2010:
{96} Family. We laugh together, cry together, rejoice together and mourn together.
{97} Grace. He never gives up on me.
{98} God Moments. You know the ones where you feel His presence so thick that you don't want to move. The unexpected phone call that brings an answer to a prayer you've been praying privately. The person who speaks into your life without any knowledge of the situation that has been keeping you awake at night. It's all Him. Blows my mind. The same Jesus that the world celebrates on Christmas. The God that parted the Red Sea and was with the 3 Hebrew boys in the fire. He is looking out for me. He loves me. He wants the best for me. He has plans for me! I don't know about you but that rocks my world at it's core.
{99} 2010. At the end of the day, I close this year with joy. Every experience has taught me a lesson that I can take with me into the new year. Yesterday's heartbreak gives me the unique opportunity to walk alongside someone who will experience similar heartache tomorrow. This year has brought countless moments of laughter, joy, peace, fulfillment, and love. Regardless of my circumstances, I am blessed and I will bring praise to the One who divinely inspires every moment.
{100} 2011. I am giddy about the possibilities. New adventures, mind-blowing God moments, new friends, stronger relationships, personal growth, laughing til I cry, intimate conversations. New beginnings. Another chance. Starting again.
Love and prayers and I'll see you in the new year.
{98} God Moments. You know the ones where you feel His presence so thick that you don't want to move. The unexpected phone call that brings an answer to a prayer you've been praying privately. The person who speaks into your life without any knowledge of the situation that has been keeping you awake at night. It's all Him. Blows my mind. The same Jesus that the world celebrates on Christmas. The God that parted the Red Sea and was with the 3 Hebrew boys in the fire. He is looking out for me. He loves me. He wants the best for me. He has plans for me! I don't know about you but that rocks my world at it's core.
{99} 2010. At the end of the day, I close this year with joy. Every experience has taught me a lesson that I can take with me into the new year. Yesterday's heartbreak gives me the unique opportunity to walk alongside someone who will experience similar heartache tomorrow. This year has brought countless moments of laughter, joy, peace, fulfillment, and love. Regardless of my circumstances, I am blessed and I will bring praise to the One who divinely inspires every moment.
{100} 2011. I am giddy about the possibilities. New adventures, mind-blowing God moments, new friends, stronger relationships, personal growth, laughing til I cry, intimate conversations. New beginnings. Another chance. Starting again.
Love and prayers and I'll see you in the new year.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
The home stretch
Wednesdays is starting to be my favorite day of the week. Hubby is home during the day (working night shift), I'm off and the girls haven't had school. {75} We sleep in. {76} Stay in our jammies til noon. {77} Eat a large, hot breakfast.
Yesterday we decided to make the most of it, so we dropped the kids off at Uncle Paul and Aunt Liz's house. {78} I'm so thankful for family that loves our kids just as much as we do and helps out every once in a while so Mommy and Daddy can slip away for a quiet dinner. And the girls are thrilled because Uncle Paul makes the best hot cocoa ever.
{90} I am eternally grateful for God's Word. Last night I picked it up to read a few verses before bed and I am in awe of how precisely perfect each word is. It's as if He wrote it just for me.
I know he's been mentioned here and there and everywhere but I have the best husband ever. He brings me joy every day, in many different ways. {92} I LOVE to watch him with our girls. He teases them, dances with them, sings with them, rocks them to sleep, and genuinely enjoys them. {93} He's a pretty smart guy (although I don't tell him that enough). He's always given the best advice, and 9 times out of 10, he's right. {94} He's patient, kind, understanding, and incredibly self-less. I love him.
{95} Rounding out the list today would be you! I am so grateful for your kind words of support as I jump in to this blogging adventure. I love reading your comments and the things that bring you joy. Again, it's that feeling of community that brings healing and hope. I hope you feel it too.
Yesterday we decided to make the most of it, so we dropped the kids off at Uncle Paul and Aunt Liz's house. {78} I'm so thankful for family that loves our kids just as much as we do and helps out every once in a while so Mommy and Daddy can slip away for a quiet dinner. And the girls are thrilled because Uncle Paul makes the best hot cocoa ever. {79} Jonathan and I enjoyed a relaxing night out. Nothing fancy. But special none the less. {80} We talked about the past year and where we had been. And we talked about the new year and where we were headed.
{81} On our way home we stopped at one of those "we get the overstock" department stores and I found the cutest Steve Madden sandals for $7! {82} Even though it was 18 degrees outside, it reminded me that summer was coming. {83} I threw in a cheap pair of sunglasses as the cherry on top.
My latest addiction is reading blogs. This blogging world is fairly new to me and I am amazed at all of the {84} amazing women I have met so far. Women with stories. Women who aren't the cookie cutter perfect wife or mom. Women who are real about their struggles and victories. They give me laughter, tears, and hope. They motivate me to move forward. It still surprises me when I remember that I have never met any of these women face to face. I forget that we've never shared a conversation over coffee. We've never met for lunch. Yet they are intricately woven into my journey. {85} There is great joy in community. Doing life with people, right around the corner or 8 states away.
{90} I am eternally grateful for God's Word. Last night I picked it up to read a few verses before bed and I am in awe of how precisely perfect each word is. It's as if He wrote it just for me. One of my goals for our family in the new year is to memorize scripture together. I want us to live and breathe His Word. I want my girls to cherish their Bibles and the stories of disappointment, hope, fear, faith, pain, forgiveness, love and joy woven inside. The principles that were divinely inspired thousands of years ago and are still relevant today. {91} I'm looking forward to the adventure.
I know he's been mentioned here and there and everywhere but I have the best husband ever. He brings me joy every day, in many different ways. {92} I LOVE to watch him with our girls. He teases them, dances with them, sings with them, rocks them to sleep, and genuinely enjoys them. {93} He's a pretty smart guy (although I don't tell him that enough). He's always given the best advice, and 9 times out of 10, he's right. {94} He's patient, kind, understanding, and incredibly self-less. I love him. {95} Rounding out the list today would be you! I am so grateful for your kind words of support as I jump in to this blogging adventure. I love reading your comments and the things that bring you joy. Again, it's that feeling of community that brings healing and hope. I hope you feel it too.
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