Spring Semester Resolutions

In less than a week I'll be sitting in a college classroom listening to a professor talk about English Composition. Yay! However, I'm not really upset or annoyed that my winter break is over. I finished a lot of things that were on my Winter Break Resolutions list, so I'm happy about that. I thought that I would come back with a Spring Semester Resolutions list. The list doesn't have as time-consuming things as my winter break post did because I figured that a good amount of my time will be spent on school work. So, without further ado....

Spring Semester Resolutions

I wish my college campus looked like this...

 

1. Finish Season 1 of

 

Yes, yes I know... It's sort of ridiculous. I started watching the show a few weeks ago and I'm hooked.If you've never seen Alias, I highly urge you to watch it. It's on Netflix right now... so hurry!

 

2. Order Pictures from Shutterfly.com & Smash!

 

I bought myself a Smash Book for Christmas and I can't wait to start! If you've never heard of Smash Book look here. I'm hoping to use it as a scrapbook, so you might see some updates soon!

 

3. Save Money!

It's pretty self-explanatory. After Christmas and a couple of online "shopping sprees" I've had, I really need to save more of my money. However, that doesn't include this weekend when I'm going out shopping. :)

 

4. Work on Consciously Managing Time Spent on School Work and Recreation

Ehhhhh... that's a long title. I talked more about my struggle with time management here. Take a look!

 

5. Blog Atleast 2 Times a Week

 

I've been on a consistent blogging schedule and I like it! It's worked really well and I feel good about it. I'd like to keep this up as the semester starts and school work starts to make an appearance in my life.

 

That's it for now... thanks for reading! I'll be checking in again on Tuesday, my last day before school starts!

~Jessica

 



Oh My Word!

With all this talk about a "word of the year" and such I've felt a little bit out of the loop. So I decided that I need to get my game together and find a word of the year. It actually came a little easier than I had expected. My mom's word has been "simplify" and as a result of that we've been cleaning out everything. My room has been completely taken apart and put back together, the closet has been emptied and tidied, our dining room is in limbo as we are preparing for a yard sale that we're having this weekend.

Because my room was completely taken apart the aftermath has been lingering for the past week. I still have some piles of things to go through, some wall decor to hang up, and other things of the sort. In order to cope with that, I've come up with my own little "get 'er done" project. Did I really just say that? Anyway, like I was saying, in order to cope with the little things that still need to get done, I've started writing down my own daily resolutions. I mentioned this in my previous blog. I know that some people pick resolutions for the year, but I need something a little bit more short term.

What does this have to do with my word? Well I was thinking and decided on the word Resolution or Resolve. I haven't quite decided which one... it just depends what looks nicer in a journal or on my wall. Resolutions have been on my mind lately and they've probably been on yours as well. Maybe you're in the crowd that prefers "dream", "hope", or "goal". I, however, am much more practical and know that if I set a goal or dream it has a much higher probability of not getting done. I am not okay with that. When I want something to get done, it has to get done.

Resolution has a sort of punch to it, it weighs heavier than a dream. When you resolve to do something, dictionary.com says that you "come to a definite or earnest decision about" something. Let me give you a little example... take a look at this picture

 

When you look at this do you think "wow, this guy is serious"? What if we just changed a few words... "Hope To I would like to live for God and if no one else does, I'll still try." It doesn't have the same punch, does it? Resolve holds a heavier meaning and it seems to convey some sort of consequence. 

 

One of the things that I've been wanting to strive towards this year is time management. I like to think that I'm a pretty good manager of my time, I always make sure that school works comes before most anything else. But that seems to be the problem, I want to learn to play the bass guitar, I want to play the piano, I want to read books, and watch movies. But I get myself too caught up in cleaning my room, doing my school work, and things that are much more practical. So I resolve to make time for fun things.

 

 

One of the fun things that I have been doing for the past month is a Disney movie night every month. In honor of my Disney Senior Trip, which keeps getting pushed back, my friends and I have been having a movie night every month, with a different theme each month. Last month, since it was December, we decided to watch The Santa Clause 1&2 and we ate some fun Christmasy foods.... Cookies? It's been a great way for me to let go of any school worries and just have fun, that's something that I struggle with... having fun, I know, weird!

 

 Take some time to think about what you resolve to do this year, maybe you need to sit down and make a list of things you resolve to do every day. Find something that works for you!

 

Happy Thursday!

 

~Jessica 

My Backwards Bucket List - December

Hey friends, remember at the end of last summer I shared my backwards bucket list here and here??  Well I'd thought I'd share my December with you in that same format!!  Like I've said before, I would much rather look at what I have accomplished instead of list that's not been accomplished....this seems to work for me!!

 Ready?  Okay....here we go!!

1.  Rest....yep, among, perhaps the CRAZIEST time of the year, we found plenty of time to rest!!

We watched Christmas movies and enjoyed laid back dinners on the couch!!  We've even continued that into January!

2.  Family Night Out - Thanks to some generous, anonymous gifters, we were able to go the movies and have tickets for the six of us AND refreshments covered by Regal Cinema gift cards!!  We don't go out on the town very often at all, because, well, six people equals a costly evening!!  It was fun getting ready knowing that I was going out for a fun night!  We saw "The Hobbit", which was very good, even though I'm not a fan of the dark side of good vs. evil.  We also had our very first experience with YoGo!!!  It was yummy!!

3.  Putting my word of the year into action!! On December 31st I started a ridiculous project of literally simplifying my home!!  We took down Christmas decor' and I thought it appropriate to tackle the attic before putting Christmas items back up there!  It went on from there and we've tackled everything from cabinets to bedrooms and the detached garage attic!!!  We will be selling our stuff at a yard sale coming very soon....I cannot wait!!!

4.  My first real cookie order!!  My Pastor and his wife asked us to make sugar cookies for their oldest sons' engagement party!!  I was freaking out!! We make these for ourselves or holidays all of time and we've done them for fundraisers, but this time there was a little bit more pressure!!  I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out!

 

5.  Christmas & Programs-Our chidren's choir worked very hard on about 5 songs that they shared at three sunday services and at the Children's Christmas Eve Flashlight Service!  My hubbs and I also participated in the childrens Christmas Eve service; we played a spoof on Hollywood Squares.  My hubbs was a contestant and I was one of the nine squares!!  It was a blast!  Now that my oldest lives elsewhere, him "coming home" for Christmas is always a highlight <3

my girl all the way on the left 

 younget and oldest (8 & 21)

 My five heartbeats playing games together...a gift on so many levels <3

 

6.  Disney Movie Night- as per Jessica and her Senior Class Trip, they have been doing a montly disney movie night....December?  Santa Claus 1 & 2, Christmas cookie snacks and a fun photo shoot!! 

 

7.  Outreach-the month wouldn't have been complete without opportunities to get outside of ourselves!  We had new friends over for dinner, I was invited to have lunch with some sweet girlfriends that I haven't seen in way.too.long, I was asked to decorate for the Ladies Tea that our church staff puts on for some of the women in our congregation and we held our first big student leadership training & service weekend.  We hit the streets of two local cities with hot coffee, donuts and hats/scarves/gloves for those in need that we encountered.  All of these opportunities were a wonderful way to be the hands and feet of Jesus <3 

 

8. Chalkboard Art - I had moved things around enough to pull my chalkboard out of the garage and find a home for her!!  I've had alot fun with this and love the inspiration that I find on-line!

 

9. Christmas Shopping-thanks to friends!  Our wallet is very, very, very tight and we had come to terms with the fact that we just couldn't swing Christmas gifts at all this year!  I can hear some of you gasp!! lol  I know, the horror!!!  Thanks be to God that He moved some friends of ours to give a generous gift to us so that we could buy our children a few gifts.  It really made Christmas so much more special and meaningful and these were small tokens of our thanks and appreciation to these families <3

10. Seeking the Light -something that I always do!!  He is always present and where there is Light, there can't be darkness....that is my focus!!

11. Date Night-an unexpected opportunity to have a small night out with the hubbs <3

12. Face Mask Fun -we decided to try a recipe from Pinterest!!  Boy was that fun!!

13. Teaching Opportunities-teaching Senior High Sunday School has become a highlight!!

14. Family Walks-they started out as family walks but quickly ended up to be just the two of us!!

15. Don't/Did shave december-hubbs wen all through November and most of December before shaving...he had such a blast shaving it off, I'm sad that I can't share the pictures!!

16. The end of soccer season-Our boys had one make-up game that took us to the first weekend of December!!  They ended up in second place for their division!!  It was a great season and we are so proud of our boys and the team - they have grown tremendously in one season!!

17.  Hot Cocoa Station-it was so much fun to see all of the different cocoa stations out there in blog world!!  Each one is so unique to its creator...what a fun thing to have for the winter months!!

19. Advent-for years I have wanted an advent calendar, something to count up to the weeks of Jesus' birth and every year I go without!  This year I made my own unconventional advent candle"wreath" using a wooden box and candles.  I also had the opportunity to make a calendar or countdown, with empty match boxes.  I strung them up in an empty frame and each night that we were home for dinner we would have a reading from that days box and take part in the family activity included on the paper.  We did anything from performing a random act of kindness (leaving gingerbread men in our mailbox for our mail lady) to heading outdoors to play flashlight tag!!  It was a blast and a beautiful way to worship our Creator!!

20.  Baking-another aspect of the holiday season that we didn't plan on participating in was baking Christmas cookies, sad, but true.  We are learning to accept these things and God is blessing us for our willingness to say "yes, okay Lord, take it".  A dear, sweet, precious friend of mine, Denise, wouldn't hear of us having a Christmas without cookies, so she provided a way for us!  We went nuts baking!!  We were in the kitchen for three or four days straight!!  We were all so very thankful for Denise's kindness and gift!!

 

 

So there you have it!!  My backwards bucket list!!  It's amazing to see just how many things we can pack into 30/31 days!!!  God's goodness is everywhere - you just have to slow down enough to see it!!  What were some of the highlights of your December?  I'd love to hear about them!!

 

 

God Bless <3 Lorraine

 

My Word!!

Happy New Year friends!!  I really can't believe that the holidays are behind us and we are moving forward!!  There's a lot of talk out there about choosing a word, or rather having a word choose you that would define your year, your resolve, your approach for the days ahead.  As usual, I'm a few days behind the eight ball on this but it's alright!  I've been busy working my word out and it's only January 4th!!

My word or phrase for last year was "Just Breathe", although I don't remember picking it.   Things that we thought held security were revealed to be empty.  We learned that the only security we ever had was in Jesus Christ, something we knew, but didn't live out.   As a result of my hubbs losing his job, I had to learn to breathe again.

God has continued to provide for our needs and we praise Him daily for His faithfulness!! We don't know what tomorrow holds, we only know that He holds the future and that's enough for us!!

The journey continues.  As God continues to peel back the layers of our hearts and lives, I've settled on a new word for this upcoming year.  I'm tired of being buried under complications.  And so, I give you my word for 2013:

 

 

Why do we tend to complicate things, from our homes, to our minds, even our relationships with others and with Jesus.   Here are a few verses that came to mind as I pondered how "Simple" relates to the Word.



 

But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."  Luke 18:6

 

How does the kingdom of God belong to children?  Well, because they are uncomplicated and simple.  Their faith is genuine and they trust with their whole hearts.  They often don't even question, they just take what you give them and run with it.  God wants us to do the same.  To trust Him so much that we don't question.  With our mouths we claim His promises and doubt them at the same time.  I want to fully trust Him, no matter what I see.  I know that He is good and that must apply to all that I see!

 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."  Hebrews 12:1

 

I don't know about you, but I tend to find myself stuck behind a lot of things that hinder me from being and doing what God wants of me.  Over the past I've been stuck behind a false view of myself, financial debt, physical clutter, mental clutter or even wrong views and ideas of who God is.  God has been decluttering my mind for a while now and I've started tackling the physical clutter of my home.  I tend to accumulate way more than I ever need or really want.  I believe that "things" will somehow satisfy me.

 

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."  Philippians 3:12

 

I'm finally to the point of removing the boundaries and pushing forward.  I have been rummaging through my home to find things that I don't want, need, or use.  I have a room full of things that need to find a new address.  I want to walk through my home and feel the open spaces.  Knowing that when I make space available, God will fill it.  That's all that I want and need. 

 

I'm physically exhausted, we have a nice size home and a.lot.of.stuff!  But I am determined to not let anything hold me back from moving forward!!  I am really excited to have this focus for my year!!  I'm super excited to see what God does with the space that I make available to Him!!  I have no doubt that it will be utterly amazing!!

 

If you've never thought about having a word for your year, I want to encourage you to find some space and quietness and ask God how He'd like to define your year!  There are tons of ideas out there, visit the blog world and see what others are doing.  Through them, God will inspire you to find a word for yourself!!  Here are a few places that I would reccommend starting!

 

http://www.aholyexperience.com/

http://www.lemonademakinmama.com/

http://farmgirlpaints.blogspot.com/

 

Well here's to 2013!!!  A year full of amazing possibilities as we allow God to continue writing our story!!  Have a blessed weekend friends!!!

 

Lorraine