MIA ... Let's Begin Again!!!

Much has happened since Jan 2017 ... Mike retired; we acquired a rescue pup named Sonja (poor baby has seizure disorder); we bought a retirement home and moved to Killeen, Texas; Melissa married Richard Newcomb, her childhood crush from church camp; Mike reunited with his brother, Jack, whom he hadn't seen for 30 years; we lost our dear friend, Tom Mowers; my daughter, Carmen, found me (her biological mother) via Ancestry.com; we lost our dear Armani (it was a peaceful passing on the rainbow bridge); and I failed once again at retirement.  That pretty much brings us up to date.  My plan is to be more intentional beginning 1 May and keep this blog active!

New Year - New Goals - Livin' Out Loud!!!

Decided it's been way too long since I used this blog so ... today I will begin 2017 with a list of my goals -- reachin' for lofty heights but all very attainable!!! 

Give God at the very least the first 5 minutes of each day (First 5 app from Proverbs 31 Ministries)
Give, put, or throw away 30 things each week (stuff is not important or if it is, it has its place)
Give to myself each day (penny a day savings challenge)
Give to others each month (charity navigator can help locate worthy recipients)
Give at least 5000 steps toward my walking goal each day
Give time and effort to finishing my UFOs 
Give balance to my hectic day (read one book each week) 

Feeling accomplished today -- dogs all bathed, all their bedding washed; made biscuits w/sausage gravy for our New Year's Day breakfast; started my new journal; began reading first book of the year,  THE RELUCTANT BAKER; cleaned out all my email accounts; started three Bible devotionals of varying lengths; and finalized my budget for January! 

Got my book today .... getting ready to pile up in the bed and read a few chapters before sleep!!!!  #SimplyTuesday

Simply Tuesday

OMGosh, I am so excited -- I am one of the lucky ones selected to be on Emily P. Freeman's Simply Tuesday Launch Team.  My book is in the mail and I cannot wait to start reading it!!!!!

Woke up today and realized almost half of this year has flown by .... have I done anything significant to change the world in these months?  I'd like to say the answer is yes; however, I don't really know. 

I can say that I have made progress on several of my goals I set for myself in January:  I am now living in ONEderland for the first time in 20 years.  I have logged 449.8 miles to date. I have participated in several wonderful Bible studies -- I have found waking up early and spending time in prayer and reading the Word has brightened my world and I am loving it.  I am finally 3 payments away from paying off my debt management program and am working on living on the envelope system.  I have also found time to read 11 books and experimented with many of the Pinterest recipes I earmarked to try.  Planning a road trip for the hubby and I which will happen, God willing, in September --- so many places to see and things to do!!!!

It's A New Year --- 2015

Have spent the entire morning thinking about how I will address this year --- SURRENDER is my word!! 

My Bible study today was in Proverbs 11 with the key verse being 11:7 ~ "Hopes placed in mortals die with them; all the promise of their power comes to nothing."  Hopping around blogs and reading my CCM magazine, I found lots of notable quotes that will sustain me throughout this coming year. 

"The way to love someone is to gently run your finger across the surface of their soul and when you find a crack, pour love into it." ~ Keith Miller 

There is nothing in our life to make Christ love us any more than he does!!!

"Bring your doubts, bring your fears | Bring your hurt, bring your tears | There'll be no condemnation here | You are holy, righteous and redeemed." ~ MercyMe song lyrics

"Our joy is to surrender to God." ~ Chad Mattson (Unspoken)

God is present.  God is forever.  God is for You, to give you strength and to make you brave.

Ending with, and carrying this all throughout this year -- John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."

No resolutions for me this year -- just the following list of things I will attempt to accomplish with God's help:

• Saving instead of spending irresponsibly
• Waking up at least 30 minutes earlier every day to spend time in prayer and reading the Word
• To NOT eat the whole box of Oreo cookies, just have one (204.7 ... going down!)
• Forgiveness, letting go of resentment and anger
• Taking the stairs instead of an elevator (walk at least 7,000 steps per day)
• Being accountable 

November -- New Month, New Goals, New Me

Today is my brother, Kenneth's, birthday -- I was the first to call him today and that hardly ever happens as two of my other siblings live in the same city with him! We shared life's details and had a few good laughs! This was the photo from TRUNK OR TREAT at Haunting on the Hill -- so very happy to say that my daughter won First Place for her design -- so very, very happy for her!!! Today I am starting, in earnest, my weight loss journey -- going to post photos once a week as I progress! Have to find a suitable outfit that will allow for the actual changes to show and yet not gross out anyone who might happen upon my blog LOL Will be spending these first few days of the month getting the groceries in the house corrected for me to not be sabotaged! Today I begin my annual Thankful dedications: 1 November, I am thankful I can worship a mighty God without fear of harm. On that same vein, thankful that I can be a servant in his garden! Hoping to create one thing every day this month.