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Every year since 2014 I have been selecting a “Word of the Year” to focus on. Each year I give careful thought about what my year has been like, how it has affected me, and what I want myself and my life to be like in the coming year. I use that as a guide when selecting my word.

Here is the list so far:

2014- Evolve (That was the year I turned 50 and I wanted to embrace the changes.)

2015- Rediscover (I wanted to rediscover my talents and myself.)

2016- Balance (Something I am STILL working on!)

2017- Conscious (I wanted to put more thought into choices and decisions)

2018- Perspective (I have focused on being a more positive person and seeking for God’s guidance and perspective in my life.)

 

With November drawing to a close I have begun thinking about my word for the coming year and I am feeling a bit torn.

The first word I thought would apply was STRIVE. I have made a lot of progress with changing my perspective this year and I want to continue in that direction. I want to try to be happier, healthier, and closer to God and family. I thought that STRIVE was a good word for that intention of working toward those goals, but I also feel that STRIVE sometimes has a negative connotation to me  because it seems to involve a lot of effort and work.

Someone else mentioned the word FORWARD. I like that word too as it indicates the direction in which I want to move. I do not want to go back to the world of negativity and depression. I want to continue to move FORWARD in changing my life and my focus. FORWARD seems more open to lots of situations as well.

I even went to the bible to seek some guidance and here is what I found. `

Phillipians 3: 13-14

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 43: 18-19

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 wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Proverbs 4:25

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.

Even after reading the verses I was still unsure about which word to use. I would love to get some feedback from some of you. Which of the two words do you think would be better as a “guide” for the upcoming 12 months? Is there a different word that you think might work for me? I would LOVE to have some input!

 

 

 

 

 

This past week I started on a new Bible study based on the book Breathe by Priscilla Shirer. This Bible study is meant for those of us who get so tied up in family, work, school, or whatever that we forget to take just a little time to Breathe and focus on God’s goodness.

About midweek we were challenged to take a 10 minute Breathe session. Wednesday and Thursday I was just too busy to really do that. Then came Friday.

Here in Kentucky we were surprised with a rare November snowfall- enough to actually cover the rooftops, raised surfaces, and grass, but leaving the roads fairly clear. That was a good thing because I had plans to travel to Lexington to pick up things that I needed for our upcoming Thanksgiving meal.

Now, normally I make a list, jump in the car, rush to the stores, scurry up and down the aisles to gather what I need and then hurry home. This time it was different.

Pulling out of the driveway, I decided that I was going to take my time and just enjoy the day. The road that leads from our house to the interstate winds through the Daniel Boone Forest and Natural Bridge State Park. I could not help but notice the beauty of the freshly fallen snow sparkling in the sunlight. As my car rounded one curve in particular, the sun beamed down at just the right angle to create a Christmas card perfect image. Having no car behind me, I allowed myself to stop just long enough to snap this photo.

I was in awe of God’s wonder! As I continued on my way, listening to the gospel music streaming from my Sirius XM radio, I took in the beauty of the morning. I drove leisurely and even allowed the cool, crisp air to bring some pink to my cheeks through the open window. Over and over again, I whispered a, “Thank you Lord for your creation.”

Eventually I reached the interstate and I sped my car up to the typical interstate rate, but the glorious energy I had received from that short “Breath of Nature” was enough to help me stay on track and truly enjoy the day. I found myself smiling more, chatting in friendly conversations with total strangers, and taking an extra second to open doors, wish people a nice weekend, and extend the hand of God’s goodness to others.

If you are like me and you typically hurry and scurry through life, getting every job done just right, stop this Thanksgiving season- take a simple 10 minute “Breath” to enjoy all of God’s goodness. Take a walk and breathe in the cool air, listen to the laughter of children as they play, sit and talk with someone older and wiser than you who needs to feel they belong. Do something that helps you connect with the Lord and truly Count the Blessings that he has provided for you. It will be the BEST breath of your week! I promise!

Last Saturday was one of those unexpected blessings that God just drops into my lap.

A few weeks ago, Kari asked me if I would like to go to Clinton, Tennessee with her for the day. They were having a Christmas event in their many antique stores. Wanting to spend time with her I jumped at the chance. Then it slipped my mind. I went to Pet Smart in Richmond and signed Truffles up for some obedience classes, totally forgetting the plans for November 4. When I realized that there was a conflict, Kari was quite understanding and was ready to settle for just lunch together.

Flash forward to Friday night. I come home at 8 PM after having moderated 3 academic matches for the middle school. I sit down to relax and start hearing an annoying beep. Realizing that it was our answering machine alerting me to a new message I jumped up to play it. It was the dog trainer. Apparently Truffles and I were the only ones signed up for the class so it was postponed. It only took a quick phone call to Kari to change plans and decide that we were back on for a day in Tennessee.

We left London bright and early on Saturday morning. Arriving in Clinton we spent the day roaming the many antique stores up and down the street, stopping at one to enjoy sandwiches at a lunch counter much like the “old days”.

We laughed and talked, debating which items we could afford and which ones would make good Christmas presents for those important people in our lives.

Leaving Clinton we debated what to do and soon decided that we would like to detour to Middlesboro to visit the mall. Unfortunately we had just missed the exit that would take us straight off the interstate along the “bigger” roads. Kari quickly checked her phone and found us a detour along the “back roads”.

More good conversation ensued as we drove through the twisting, turning narrow roads, sometimes filled with potholes. Rather than worrying about getting lost or debating whether to turn back, I found myself remarkably relaxed, taking in the beautiful scenery along the way.

Reflecting back on the experience now I realize that I was doing what I should be doing more often, enjoying myself and the many blessings that God had provided for me that day.

Sometimes I allow myself to get too caught up in life and its struggles. I need to take those back roads more often and just enjoy being with the people I love. I may not be “young” anymore, but I still think this verse applies:

You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the words of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgement. Ecclesiastes 11:9

Do not make the mistake that I have been making. Take the time to stop and smell the roses or hike through the crisp autumn leaves. Stroll through antique stores or malls with someone you love and allow yourself to splurge on a special little something to help you remember the day. Enjoy a meal at an out of the way slow-paced restaurant rather than cruising through a drive through. Experience the joys of life that God has provided and take the time to Count your Daily Blessings!

POSTSCRIPT: When I was telling Kari how much I had enjoyed myself I said, “I was having so much fun that I forgot to take any photos.” She answered, “Sometimes that is a good thing!” That is one smart girl I have raised!

 

 

 

I always heard that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but I have recently learned that you CAN. Not that I consider myself OLD….. but I definitely would consider myself rather set in my ways. My Bible study consisted of Sunday at church, prayer and Bible reading through the week, and an occasional special service here and there. This routine just wasn’t cutting it anymore. I did not feel that I was growing as much spiritually as I wanted to, so I began searching for new things to add to my daily and weekly practice. I came up with 3 things.

Bible studies- I have participated in a few online Bible studies before and I really enjoyed them, so I went online and tried to find one that I felt was manageable and beneficial for me. The answer was Proverbs 31. I knew this was the place for me when I saw their tagline, “Your life is crazy. Your Bible study doesn’t have to be.” Their lessons are convenient, well designed, and provide lots of options for busy people like me. I just finished up their study of Love Life Again and I signed up for the next one, Breathe.

Morning Music- For this one, I have to give credit to my daughter, Kari. For years I   have watched as Kari headed into the bathroom for her shower: pajamas, towel,     and cell phone in hand. The door would close and within seconds the sounds of   music would fill our home, often with Kari singing right along.I had never really been one to sing in the shower, though I have been known to hum an occasional tune.  I have my car radio tuned to The Message, so I listen to Christian music anytime I am in my car, but I decided that maybe starting off each morning  with it would put me in a better mood right off the bat. Taking another page from   Kari’s book, I downloaded Spotify on my iPhone and set up my first playlist.

The first morning I tried it, I was skeptical. It did not take very long for that skepticism to dwindle away. I found myself listening to the music, smiling, and even doing a little bit of “shower dancing”. (I will spare you the details.) The effects did not fade away quickly either. I stayed in a much better mood as the day went on, even bringing some of those morning lyrics back in my mind. Some morning I do not take the time to follow through with my morning concerts and, on those days, I can definitely tell how beneficial the music is to me. I feel more lost and alone on those days, possibly because I did not start them with God’s welcoming spirit.

Faith Planner- I recently discovered a wonderful woman named Karen Hunter . I have been dabbling in Bible journaling for a while now, but it just was not doing it for me. I worried too much about my lack of artistic talent, and I just wasn’t allowing myself the freedom to document my faith as I saw fit. Karen’s faith planner was the answer for me.

Karen uses a regular planner to document her prayers, blessings, sermon notes, and notes from her Bible readings and studies throughout the week. My description cannot do it justice so click on this LINK to see her actual planner and a description in her own words.

When I saw what Karen was doing I was definitely intrigued. I loved the fact that she worked on just those two pages throughout the entire week. I could do that! Just a few minutes each day to document a verse, a prayer reminder, and my daily blessings. Surely I could manage that. As for supplies, I already had a lot of things I needed. Still I was a bit leary. I messaged Karen with a couple of questions I had, not really expecting a quick response, but I got one. Maybe this was for me.

I bought a planner, replenished my marker supply, since many of mine had dried up from lack of use, and set about doing my first attempt at a faith planner. I have now finished two weeks and, while my results are not nearly as stunning as Karen’s, they have definitely worked for me! I find myself focusing more on my blessings each day because I want to document those. I hear little phrases in a song or in a conversation and think, “I need to write that down! I want to remember it!” I find myself going back and flipping through past pages to remind myself of where I came from and where I am going.

I truly believe that my faith planner will be a part of my routine for a very long time!

So, this “old dog” has learned 3 new tricks in recent weeks. Who knows how many more there are out there for me to learn? With God’s guidance, I am open to all of the new experiences he has in store!

I know that I really shouldn’t be surprised, but it always amazes me how God seems to use all of the big AND little things in my life to create the perfect “quilt” in my life.

Romans 8:28 says “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Lately, God has used circumstances in my own life to remind me of that simple fact. 

My husband and I put our house on the market in February and he took an apartment an hour and a half away in order to begin a new job. I stayed behind to wait for the house to sell. Everyone kept telling us, “It will sell in no time! You have updated it and the location is great!” Nevertheless, here I sit in September with not a single person having come to do a walk through, much less purchase it.

In April, out of the blue, my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Though he is in his mid-70’s his health has been relatively good for a man of his age. Therefore, it surprised us when he faced 7 weeks of daily radiation treatments and I found myself transporting him back and forth to the treatments 3 days each week.

It was during this time that I had the realization that if our house had sold as quickly as everyone expected, it would have been much more difficult for me to help my parents in their time of need. Though I was disappointed and a bit depressed to be separated from my husband for so long, I also knew that this was just God’s way of making sure my parents had the help and support they needed.

God has been involved in even something so small as a new pup.

My daughter was married in mid-August. I had become very attached to her Maltese pup, having taken care of it for the four years my daughter was away at college. With both my daughter and son leaving home and my husband going away to his new job I knew that I would be facing a VERY empty home since the pup would now be moving with my daughter and son-in-law.

It was just at this time that I mentioned to a fellow teacher that I really liked Yorkies and would love to have one. Within a week or so, I received a message from her saying that her own Yorkie dog has unexpectedly become pregnant and would likely be having pups in late summer or early fall. Did I want one? YES! Absolutely!

My daughter and son-in-law returned from their honeymoon on August 24 and I took her Maltese to her on August 31. On September 5, I picked up my brand new puppy. Having that companionship this week has been a wonderful experience, in contrast to what a silent house might have been like. I have no doubt in my mind that God’s hand was involved in all of this. I can just picture him there weaving all of the little details together to create the perfect tapestry to help me tolerate this time alone.

I do not always understand God’s plan. Sometimes I do not even recognize it until I pause for just a bit to actually focus on things. Yet I have come to realize that I should never forget that he IS there- working in the background of my life to create exactly what HE has planned for me!

I am SO EXCITED!!

About a month ago I saw the title of the upcoming book for the Proverbs 31 online Bible Study and I knew that it was a message from God!

My life for the past several months has been a tumultuous roller coaster ride of ups and downs (with more downs than ups). My mother’s dementia, my father’s prostate cancer, the attempted sale of our house, my daughter’s wedding- you name it, I was experiencing it and the stress has really been taking a toll on me.

When I saw the title of Tracie Miles’s newest book I was hooked! I definitely am at the point where I need to love my life again!

If you, like me, have been feeling discouraged, disillusioned, lonely, or depressed and you need to rediscover the happiness within your life then this Bible study is for you! We begin tomorrow, but it is not too late to take part. I ordered my book online and received it a couple of weeks ago, but after reading just the first two chapters I had to get a copy for a dear friend of mine. I found her copy at Lifeway Christian bookstore.

Even if you do not have a copy of the book you can still join in the exciting journey with us. I will be documenting my own thoughts and revelations in the coming weeks as we read the book and fellowship together. Join me here on this blog and also on the Proverbs 31 study blog!

Drop me a comment if you join in so I will know!

 

For a while now, my life has been full of bumps and bruises, stumbling blocks, and sometimes even full-out roadblocks. Like a frightened swimmer I found myself fighting the ever-raging current, pushing back against the tides of stress that roared my way. It is only within the last few weeks that I have come to realize that if I allow myself to relax and rest in the safe and loving arms of my Lord my life will be so much better!

Matthew 11: 28-30 says “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

God does not want me to be exhausted from fighting back against the things that life is throwing at me. He wants me to give the burdens of work, family problems, poor health, and everything else to HIM. HE will carry that burden for me and allow me to rest and restore my energy. Don’t get me wrong- the problems will still be there, waiting to be resolved; but God will be shouldering the weight of all the stress and worry.

Instead of feeling the pain of the bruises that life is causing me, I can rest safe in God’s arms and allow him to help carry me over the storm tossed waters. He is my lifeguard and what a blessing that is!

This blog is meant to be an opportunity for me to share my personal journey to renewal- a renewed sense of purpose, a renewed sense of happiness, and a renewed sense of satisfaction, with all of that being found safe in the refuge of God’s loving embrace. I am hoping that this will be a way for me to communicate with others who are having similar experiences so that we can help one another learn to live our lives more fully. Along the way I will share my bumps and bruises, blessings and bounty, burdens and baggage. I hope that some of you can relate to my experiences and we can lean on one another for that comforting, “I know what you mean” kind of feeling. Please leave comments along the way that will help us all relate to one another. Join me on my journey of renewal. This rest area is infinite in size and has room for all who believe!