In the Storm

one little word - 2009

It's that time of year again for the one little word challenge. I made this 8.5x11 page to display on my scrap table to keep reminding me about my word for 2009. My word. To remind me to be PURPOSEFUL.

 Just some of the ways to be purposeful:

be purposeful about integrity

be purposeful in motherhood

be purposeful in my ministry

be purposeful in working out: walking and swimming

be purposeful in my relationships

be purposeful in mentoring

be purposeful in communicating with my kids (even my surrogate ones)

be purposeful in my new Etsy endeavor

be purposeful in creating

be purposeful in my relationship with Christ...

Project 365 - Day 3

Laugh.

 My husband will tell you that my laughter is the thing he loves most about me. It is my most favorite thing to do. If we all shared laughter we could change the world. Some of my favorite quotes are on laughter:

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.  ~e.e. cummings 

A laugh is a smile that bursts.  ~Mary H. Waldrip 

Seven days without laughter makes one weak.  ~Mort Walker 

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.  ~Victor Hugo 

The human race has only one effective weapon and that is laughter   ~Mark Twain 

A man isn't poor if he can still laugh. - Raymond Hitchcock

Christmas

Just a recap. Very quiet. Just Jeff, John, Jarrod and I. Elizabeth, Matt, and Ella went to Mississippi to visit Ashley, Brad, Ian and Baby Louk. Jeff deep fried a turkey. Yummy sweet potato casserole. Superb homemade pecan pie, cherry walnut bars, and Jeff made chocolate chip cookies which were perfect.

Mom and Dad arrived the day after Christmas and Elizabeth and Ella came over on Saturday for the day. So we had Christmas again because they brought their gifts and Ash's gifts to us.

Mel, Mark, Sydnie, and Blake flew into town for dinner on their way home to NC. So good to see them. This family is our 'surrogate' family. Mel is like a daughter, Mark like a son, and Sydnie and Blake like grandkids. In fact, Jeff and I are called Grandma Susan and Grandpa Jeff. And Mel calls me Mom (most of the time)

I got an MP3 player, a CD by Straight, No Chaser (their an Indiana-based, acapella band), yummy Isotoner slippers, Japanese Cherry Blossom everything (by Bath and Body works), Shea Cashmere (by Bath and Body works too), and a field guide to my camera. And this awesome purse from Equador (from Brad; when he was deployed there). I made out!!!!

This is y favorite photo from the holidays:

 

my two year old punk granddaughter, Ella who is also precious and adorable and photogenic, and prissy.

Project 365 - Day 2

Here it is. Day 2 of Project 365. A record of everyday life. A snapshot.

 

I can open my Bible and it falls to the Book of Daniel. That is because my study for the last month and a half has been in the Book of Daniel. It is a study by the phenomenal Beth Moore. In the middle of January I will be in a bible study by Kay Arthur (and I will still be in my Beth Moore study). I will be studying Daniel. My favorite quote by Beth Moore from this study is "We will live lives of integrity on purpose or we will not do it at all."  Oh, that I may live with integrity on purpose!

Project 365

I've seen this concept is different forms in the last couple of years. Project 365. I was perusing the net and checking blogs out, and digital scrapping and I came across the idea of a scrapbook idea for Project 365. So that's where I'm headed. In fact I started the project today because the 1st of January is this week. This project involves a 52, 2-page layout with 7 pictures each and 7 days of journaling. Becky Higgins has a scrapbook kit for this very idea. 

So what does this mean for me. I need to take my camera everywhere. I need to take a picture everyday. I need to complete journaling spots everyday. All this is to document the everyday. Not just the birthdays, or events, or adventures, but the everyday adventures and everyday life.

Here is Project 365 - Day 1.

  

I love snowmen. I love these little traveling snowmen. They only became traveling snowmen because I opened one of my three trunks in my livingroom and turned them into a decoration spot for one of my many snowmen. The idea of opening one of the trunks and displaying something is so chez-chic. This decorative spot was one of my favorite Christmas holiday spots this year. It made me smile every time I looked at it. It also gave me the idea to open the trunk for a decorating spot once I take Christmas decorations down. Oh, I need to say that I got these trunks when my sisters, Sandy and Paula were up visiting this past November. And we went shopping at Home Goods!   December 29, 2008

one little word

I am considering my one little word for 2009. It is a word that I will go back to again and again. Incorporate into my life. Grow was my one little word for 2008. I'll be recapping and writing down thoughts on how that one word impacted my past year. The new year is about starting fresh. I think that's very good. I'm considering be. So many possibilities.

Words. Since I'm on words I wanted to say also that I got this calendar that Ali Edwards created. It's words. A different word each month. Those words are going to be key for the months in my life of 2009. I'm going to incorporate those words into my everyday in some way. I'm going to be purposeful about it too.

More words. I have a few more stories to tell for my memoirs that have been rolling around in my head. Thought maybe I'd share one a month or so for 2009. I wrote the first one in my college Senior writing class, a couple years ago now. Since it is the first one I wrote it'll be the first one I share.

On the 22nd Day of Christmas

my true love said to me, "I love you."

"What was that for?" I asked.

"Your laughter. I needed it." he said.

I smiled.

I shopped for Jeff's gift to the boys. Just to help him out. He's done. Well, he still needs to wrap gifts. I am still working on San and PG's gifts. I know, I know they won't get there in time. I'm a loser. But I'm soooo pleased with them!!!

The boys completed all the requirements for their Forester Activity Badge for Cub Scouts. We'll be working on Naturalist and Scholar over the holidays too. The boys are just about ready to finish up Cub Scouts and cross over into Boys Scouts. 2009 is already filling up with planned Boy Scout activities.

So I missed days 19 through 21. Brad and Kim visited us on Thursday. We had tacos and jalepeno poppers. Went to church on Saturday evening and said goodbye to Brad and Kim. Great sermon on Unstoppable Joy. Sunday we had small group and got back into The Truth Project.

Elizabeth and Ella came by on Saturday too, to pick up Ashley and Brad's Christmas to take to them. Elizabeth, Matt and Ella are visiting Ash in Mississippi.

Boy's home for the holidays.

I've plunged in head and heart first

I've just mentioned it in another post. Now I've plunged in head and heart first. I am a co-leader of the Heart-to-Heart Women's Mentoring Ministry at SCC. After resigning from the Military ministry and sitting on the Advisory council for the Women's ministry and leading bible studies I knew God would take me somewhere where I least expect it.

I love how God works. He doesn't ask us to be equipped then He calls. He calls, then He equips us. That is now. He has called. I answered. Now I'm ready for Him to equip me.

And I am so excited. And I am sooo scared. And excited. I said that didn't I. But I am. The ministry fills my thoughts. When the women's ministry pastor said keep a pad of paper and something to write with available because you're going to need to jot down things regarding the ministry...she wasn't kidding! She knew, or at least had an idea of what the Lord would do.

Oh, Lord, what are You going to do?

Extraordinary Women

I registered today to go to the Extraordinary Women conference in Greenville SC, in March. I asked my friend Lori to go with me. She said yes! My hubby said he didn't see a problem with me going since March is so far off. So it's on the calendar. Our calendar is filling up in 2009. 

I have heard such great things about this conference from other women so I'm looking forward to it. Author Stormie Omartian will be speaking. I love her books on prayer. I've read several. In fact I might just pull those puppies out again and reread them.

In perusing other conferences I'd really like to go to the Deeper Still conference in Greensboro NC at the end of July in 2009. That would be the ault. I love Beth Moore and Kay Arthur and I've heard Priscilla Shrirer is mag too.

All about being an extraordianry woman for Christ alone!!!

On the 17th Day of Christmas

We took the boys to do their shopping for each other as well as two members of a family in need. Jeff's office is supporting this family for Christmas. I also got Ella's and Ian's gift. Earlier in the day I hung my second holiday wreath that I made in the morning. I invisioned it but couldn't quite make it look the way I'd invisioned. I'm satisfied none the less. Here's what I did.

 

I cut out a ring from a piece of white cardboard I had lying around the scraproom.

 

Pulled out supplies from my stash. I wanted snowflakes (which of course I had); and that glitter has been waiting for years in my drawer hoping to be utilized.

 

Some white material I applied with Modge Podge made the background 'snow' for my wreath and gives it some depth.

 

I began applying the glitter to the edges of the large white snowflakes and attaching them to the white fabric. The snowflakes are felt 'stickers' so no need for glue dots or modge podge.

 

I finished off the wreath with blue glitter infused silver snowflakes that I had on hand. I love the blue, white and silver colors. Very winterey. I attached a blue matching ribbon to the top and hung it on my 'sampler' wall.

Pretty simple. And I'm pleased with my 'work of art'.

Decided the boys and I will make these ornaments and these card ornaments while they're on Christmas break. The card ornaments I'll actually use cardstock and the other ornaments I'll use green, white, and red felt instead (because I don't have wool).

I still have a couple project ideas for Christmas decorations I want to try out. Also, for next year I want to do this display with my wreaths. 

Ok. that was yesterday.