The New Year and a bit of Life Lately

Today's post is MUCH more lighthearted than yesterday's.

Yesterday a friend of mine shared a blog post she wrote for another blog called Missional Motherhood.  I shared it on Facebook, but thought I would put it here as well, in case you're not on Facebook.  You don't have to be a mom or a woman to use this, so if you're not one of those, feel free to check it out for yourself and your family.  You all know my passion for prayer, and that is what this blog post is all about, the one I'm sharing the link for.  It's written by my friend Jean Stockdale, who is also a bible teacher and author, and someone ahead of me both in years and in the faith.  The whole post is dedicated on scripture to pray over your family.

Here's the link:

http://missionalmotherhood.com/uncategorized/the-power-of-a-praying-momma/?fbclid=IwAR14TwV51e-QxMG7kf6U29NlCBHONm4YY6mOD5JV_RzJCfL1KOzsDcGLdBs

Also, just a little tidbit, on this same blog is where the idea for a prayer notebook came from.  That post is written by Donna Gaines, and she shares a personal testimony and how she uses her prayer notebook, and there are printables available for free. 

Here is the link for that post:

http://missionalmotherhood.com/intimacy-with-god/make-prayer-notebook-personal-prayer-testimony/

I'll share some other resources here one day next week, but for now, those are enough to get you started in your faith journey this year, if you are looking for something. 

Do you make resolutions?  I used to, but stopped years ago, since I feel like they're invitations to fail.  I used to do the "word a year" thing, too, before that was anything even remotely talked about, but I no longer do that, either, because it stopped meaning anything to me.  (If you do those things, that's awesome!  You'll be far better at keeping them than I ever was, I'm sure.  Sometimes I think I have the disorder that I like to call "failure to follow through".)  Also, the older I get the more I'm becoming a realist.  That being said, last year I made a commitment to read through the bible again in chronological order.  I kept at it, too, even though I did miss some days, but I was usually able to get caught up again.  I learned the key was for me to not get too far behind.  If I didn't read for more than three days, I knew that realistically, I would have a hard time getting caught up.

I like to set goals for myself, though, like reading through the bible, or reading books more.  I think that has to do more with self discipline instead of setting a goal.  I know that as a believer, I need to always be reading the bible, and I also know that reading a book is so much more healthy than me sitting me in front of the television and watching a show on Hulu or Netflix.  (I still will do that, don't get me wrong, but not until I've done other things.)   

Have you heard of bullet journaling?  I read about this a few years ago, but I kind of modified this that I do now to my own version of it.  So, a few months ago, I started doing this, I just didn't write about it.  I shared a tiny bit of this with my friend Missy the other night, though, and I thought I'd share it with you, in case this sounds like something you would want to do for yourself.  I noticed a few months ago that I had stopped using my journal.  To remedy this, because I love to write all the things down, I started writing down what my days looked like.  It honestly looks like a to-do list, but I go into more detail than I would on just a regular to-do list.  Anyway, I do that with my day, every single day, and to keep myself disciplined, I make a deal with myself that I cannot do one thing (like watch a show or go to the grocery store) until I've done several of what is on my bullet journal page.  I know, it sounds so simple, but for me, it works and helps me stay on track with my day.  I've been reading books a whole lot more than I was before October because through doing this, and I've been more intentional about trips to my happy place (the local library).  I keep an ongoing list on my phone and in my purse (and on my computer desk) of books I want to read, and when I notice people talking about books, I decide whether or not I want to try one for myself.  Also included on the pages in my journal are things I want to remember, like when God showed me something really cool in scripture that morning, or when some prayer request I'd been praying for gets answered.  The purpose in my journaling is to REMEMBER. 

(Go to Deuteronomy and read about how over and over God tells them to remember all He has done for them!  It'll make you want to start your own journal.)

That all ties in with me setting goals for myself or trying to be more self disciplined.  I really love to read, but Netflix and Hulu messed me up, because I also love television.  I don't always make time to sit and watch a movie, but a forty-two minute episode of Gilmore Girls?  Sure!  The whole bullet journaling thing has also helped me keep my house cleaner and tidier than I have in the past, and it helps me keep things organized and cleaned out.  I love to pick a room of the house and go through it and organize it really well.  Simplistic living appeals to me so much, so I do this pretty often.  I don't like a lot of tools and gadgets (or papers, for that matter) in the kitchen.  I know some people don't understand this, and that's okay.  God made us all differently.  I won't buy something unless I KNOW I will use it and use all of it.  Like candles.  I love them, but I will only buy one at a time.  I will burn the new candle until it is completely used up, then I will go buy a new one.  If the season changes before I've used it all, I store it in a cabinet in the kitchen until the next year.  This also helps me not to be wasteful. 

This has also taught me good stewardship, and I always pray that the Lord would help me to be a good steward of both our money and my time.  I this this way that I am is because He has made me into being this way.  He has taught me so much on the whole stewardship thing and also on being content, no matter the circumstance.  (He is STILL teaching me on these topics, by the way.  I pray He never stops.) 

Moving on, now, so far this year, I have yet to apply makeup.  Our New Year day was glorious.  We watched television, I read a whole book and part of another, we took naps, and the boys were in and out all day.  We never got out of pajamas.  And then yesterday I was going to get out, but Todd offered to run my errand for me, so again, I did not leave the house.  Well, I did actually leave, but it was to pick up Noah from a friend's house.  The boys went to church last night, and Todd, Graham, and Drew worked during the day.  I made an easy dinner and watched a movie on Amazon. 

I have no idea what I'm doing today, but I know it'll include catching up on laundry and running the vacuum. 

Also, the whole time I've been writing, I've had videos from YouTube playing worship music, thanks to my friend Kim on Facebook and a song she shared.  Then after that song was done, my little playlist on YouTube just kept playing the next song, and here is one that is currently on repeat.  When Missy and I went to Jackson for my birthday, we got to hear them sing this song, and it was the best song of the night, in my opinion, because the whole sanctuary ERUPTED in praise.  I could not physically sit down while they were singing this song, and I could not lower my arms.  Have you ever felt the presence of God like that?  He was in that place that night and I know His name was lifted high as we worshiped and that it was an aroma pleasing to Him.

Here's the song, but listen to it all the way through, even if you think you've heard it a million times:



Well, I have gone on long enough.  I need to get started on things I want to do around the house today.  Thanks for reading, friends.  Love to all.