Five Minute Friday: Grateful

It's not Friday anymore, but I wrote based on the Five Minute Friday prompt, so be sure to stop by Lisa-Jo's place and see what others are writing in five minutes on the word:

Grateful

I tried so hard to go into Mother's Day Weekend with low expectations because even though I'm a mom, it is NOT all about me. Thankfully, I did pretty well --not perfect, mind you, there was one little hissy fit Saturday night... but I regrouped and went to bed before 9 o'clock because I was achy, tired, and cranky, and not feeling very grateful; even though it had been an amazing day, including a new flower garden space, prepping for the veggie garden, a late lunch at Texas Roadhouse and the afternoon/evening spent out on the porch swing ... (how is that for an awful run-on sentence?)

Sunday morning began with whispers and rustling in the hallway well before 7 AM. {smile} But Wes restrained them and gave some guidance. At 7 AM, I was greeted with hot coffee, a poptart, and four eager children with PILES of Mother's Day creations!

They had been busy!

Each one was adorable and amazing and created with an unconditional love that I can be so underserving of. My heart just exploded a little bit more with each one I got to look at and read.


There was kid writing from my kindergartner that could have used an interpreter,

the masterpieces from my one and only son including a pop up handmade card,

and the handprint in cement because my Ella has a fantatstic first grade teacher...

But then there was the work of art from my 9 year old --- her creation, combined with her words (she's gonna be my writer) just summed up my life, my relationship with my kids, and our unconditional love for each other in the middle of all the messes and all the mistakes!

I am so grateful!



What are you grateful for ?
 Grateful...

grateful for

new flower gardens
steak for lunch
sunshine
the porch swing
coffee and a poptart in bed
kids creative painting and cards
artwork
marinated veggies on the grill
unconditional love
messes and mistakes
seeing Jesus in my kids

 

My cup runneth over

When you have a day that you think you don't need Grace and God shows you otherwise, you start thinking about the grace and the gifts that keep coming, even when you aren't counting them. And when you get all negative and pessimistic and your friend tells you, "You really are doing a good job, you are improving, you just need to start taking note." And when it's November, the month of giving thanks and you know that there are NO coincidences in God's writing of your story, then you STOP and take note...

Here's what I wrote in my journal on Friday... "November seems as good a time as any to start counting again, to notice the gifts, to celebrate the little successes. Focusing on the positives and keeping the glass, not just half-full, but FULL and overflowing because in Christ, my cup runneth over."

So I opened my gratitude journal (started over a year ago, but laying stagnant for some time) and I began to count again.

It's funny when I look at my list and think that some of these things are "shallow" thanks... because how many times can you be thankful for homemade pizza and hot tea (or coffee) and sunshine and jewelry that makes me smile and pancakes...

But the truth of the matter is, just like we can never have too much grace, we can never have too much thanks. Because when you stop being thankful for the everyday things, the discontent begins to grow and the negativity settles in and the joy disappears and your cup is half empty... or bone dry.

~A new recipe... Chocolate Brownies from Bread and Wine
~making homemade pizza for dinner
~drinking pumpkin spice tea
~Saturday morning traditions of pancakes
~Freeset bangles
~mild temperatures and bright sunshine
~the colors of autumn
~playing Scattegories with friends
~a clean kitchen
~being my 5YO's "favorite mommy"
~clean laundry
~reading time with the little ones
~endless supply of hugs and kisses from my kids

and I'm counting again! And I'm thankful that my cup runneth over!

Is your cup running over? What are you thankful for today?

Five Minute Friday: Grace

It's Friday... the first Friday of November and I'm a little wore out by my attempt at #31Days, my trip to Allume, the busyness of the season, and the dailyness of life. So we are going to see what comes out in five minutes (or so).

GRACE:

Can I ask a little grace from you all? I did not want to write today. I confess that when I read the Five Minute Friday prompt of "Grace," I rolled my eyes... HONEST!! I am just feeling like the word is so over done and we throw it around here and we throw it around there and we say "Give Grace" and we say "Receive Grace" but in reality we live like it's just a word... and sometimes I get tired of the Christianese.

So I went and looked it up, because I knew I needed a refresher (after all, there is no such thing as coincidences). Well, even the list of definitions overwhelmed me. I just wanted one simple definition that I could run with for five minutes... and now I'm faced with a choice (I hate making decisions... I'm always afraid it will be the wrong one).

2012 was my year to Live Grace. So I had a few blog posts related to grace, even had a list of books that emphasized grace (not sure how many of them I actually read)

Definition 1: a way of moving that is smooth and attractive and that is not stiff or awkward
even this blog post shows that I haven't figured that one out yet... cause this is not a bit smooth and just a little bit awkward.

Definition 2: unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification 
this is what normally comes to mind when I hear the word grace. And while I know what grace is, too often I don't think I truly understand it.

The truth I come back to is: there is no such thing as too much grace. We talk about it over and over, and God's Word talks about it over and over, because God's Grace is never ending, never gets used up. There is always grace for today, for this moment, for this need.

And I had to do Kindergarten pickup before I had a chance to post this and the first song that came on was "Amazing Grace" and like a flood, grace poured over this poor sinner who thought she had had enough of grace.



I will never out grow my need for grace and the gospel every single day!!

Five Minute Friday: Broken

So, it's Friday and Lisa-Jo's blog broke this week, so she's hosting Five Minute Friday over on her facebook page today! and the word broken just leaves me feeling broken... here is my 5 minutes.

Broken:

Sometimes I don't want to write because I feel like there is not a happy ending to my story yet. I've written on broken before and it's still fresh, because I still feel it.

But the truth is I don't need a happy ending, I need to be happy in the in-between. Not necessarily happy--but trusting in Jesus, content in my circumstances and experiencing the joy of the Lord.

I'm broken because I'm a human struggling with sin. For me, it's selfishness and pride that are the roots that grow into discontent, short temper, laziness.

And every day I expect my children to be perfect, forgetting that they are broken humans, too. And I can't figure out how to "fix them" when I'm still trying to fix myself and I wonder why I can't remember that I'm not really broken any more, that I don't have to live in pieces.

I don't have to live Broken.

Because my Jesus was Broken for me, to pay the penalty for my sin, to make me whole again. And while I know all the right words to say and I believe with all my heart that I can be free from sin, the daily struggle is still here.

So, when I'm feeling like this, I focus on truth as the Psalmist did...

Psalm 34:18  The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Psalm 147:3  He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

Luke 8:48  And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

Psalm 119:10  With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Psalm 9:1  I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.


God heals my broken heart, He is near to me. Faith makes me whole, gives me peace. Wholeness comes from His Word. I will continually praise Him and share what great things He has done.

Community Conversation: Do you ever get discouraged with a "thorn in your side"? A sin you just can't seem to conquer? What truth do you focus on?

Be sure to join Lisa-Jo on facebook and share your five minutes!

Hot, hot, hot!

I told myself (and you) that I was going to give myself grace this week... so here's to grace and the fact that I didn't blog yesterday. and here's hoping that I can get this short little post written and posted before bedtime.

If you are in my neck of the woods (or basically anywhere in the Eastern United States--and maybe Canada, too) then you are doing a little bit of sweating this week... or probably a lot!

My air conditioning units can hardly keep up with this heat. But I'm trying not to complain, because we are managing to keep the humidity out. I'm just not a fan of sitting and sweating. Also, I'm just not motivated to do anything.

Especially, I don't feel like cooking. Every time I use my kitchen I feel like the house temperature goes up five degrees.. and I'm not even using the oven. But I can only eat so much salad... and we are going through cheese like mad.

It's even too hot to think, which is why nothing is getting done and I'm falling behind on the whole blog every day thing for the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

We've been super lazy and the girls even had a pajama day today. It was nice, but it didn't stop me from letting "circumstances rob me of the joy of my salvation." I have been just a little bit on edge, and unfortunately my kids (and my husband) have suffered.

I read truth in God's Word and truth on Ann Voskamp's blog... and then I am in the heat of the moment and *kaboom* I fly off the handle.... just a little frustrating!

Just this morning in my hellomornings study, I was reviewing John 17 and 18...
So I wrote down a few things as a reminder for myself.

John 17:20 "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word"  ... That's ME!! Jesus prayed for me!!
vs. 21 "That they all may be one" --When we live in unity, the world will believe that God sent Jesus into this world... so why don't we live in unity?!??!

John 18:20-21 "I spake openly to the world: I taught in the synagogue, and in the temple... Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said."  Do I know what Jesus has said? Do I know His words? Do I live accordingly? so that others see truth in me?

More often than not, I'm like Peter --maybe not denying with my words, but with my chocies and actions.  "Art not thou also one of his disciples?"  If I follow Jesus and His Truth, my life should reflect that. The Fruit of the Spirit should be harvested in my thoughts, words, actions!

Can Others See Jesus in me?!?

A friend of Julia's sang this song at her funeral and I wonder if anyone (my kids especially) could say the same of me?

I saw Jesus in you,

I saw Jesus in you,

I could hear His voice in the words you said-

I saw Jesus in you,

In your eyes I saw His care,

I could see His love was there,

You were faithful,

And I saw Jesus in you,

I write this as a reminder for myself, but maybe you can learn something, too

Community conversation: How are you staying cool in this heat?  Do you have a truth in Scripture that you have a hard time remembering... in the moment?  Can others see Jesus in You?

Quiet Time/ Organization Dayspring Giveaway!

Quiet Time, Bible Study, prayer and reading, devotions ... whatever you want to call it. For me this week, it was non-existent. Just didn't make it a priority. The urgent took over, even the un-urgent.

Distractions here, not enough time there and before I knew it I had gone a whole week without "cracking open my Bible." I put that in quotes because (sshh, don't tell my pastor father) I've been reading my Bible on my iPad through YouVersion. I opened the app once or twice and then got distracted and never actually read it.

You can feel it when you do this. I know I did! Frustrations came easier, outbursts happened a lot, guilt shoved itself in my face occasionally. But the Holy Spirit didn't leave, He just kept prompting me.

And today, I started right. I caught up on my reading plan, Fearless Journey through YouVersion. I took notes... two pages worth and I remembered that grace is always present.

What's working for me these days? What tools do I use?  Well, there is the reading plans from YouVersion, a journal, and pretty colored pens... lots of pretty colored pens! I do a lot of writing out Scripture. I find that helps cement it in my mind and I love coming back and reading over the Scripture, knowing that God's Word does not return void.

Some of my problem this week was too many opportunities, too many things to do... I didn't say "no" when I should have! I'm so thankful for all of it ... a side job, a special card order, my family, my writing class, prep for Allume, baking for church functions... and that's just what I can think of off the top of my head ... there was also dentist/doctor's appointments and family activities and church activities ... and I'm stressing myself out just listing it all.  Problem is I didn't say no and now I'm drowning.

Enter a family planner... will it help? I don't know, but I hope so!!  I had the opportunity to review some product from Dayspring... maybe you've heard of them? I've mentioned them once or twice. :)  This month, I received a fun Peanuts theme Family Planner and a perpetual calendar

Peanuts - Smiles and Blessings - Perpetual Calendar

don't look too close, I think my spider plant needs watered

My kids are loving this calendar, always trying to get there first to change the calendar to the next day, and anxious to check out the cartoon on their birthdays, etc. so it's definitely adding some smiles and blessings to our day... just as promised!

Peanuts - 16 Month 2013 Family Planner Wall Calendar

I had so much fun using my pretty pens to write in our names on the side to keep us all organized and filled in the month of October... it filled up FAST!  I love the pocket in the back holding cute little calendar stickers... and my meal planning info (when I use it). And it's BIG! I had to clear the side of my fridge for it, but I love that I can read it... and fit a lot in one day (maybe that's not a good thing). Anyway, I am thoroughly going to enjoy using it for the next 15 months (it started in September) You should totally go get one. (did I just say, totally?)

Or you could just try to win one here, on my blog! Yep, that's right, I am one of the lucky ones chosen to do a giveaway of this fine Dayspring product.

To win this helpful family planner and festive perpetual calendar, just leave me a comment on the blog telling me...

What tools do you use to spend time with the Lord?
What are your favorite organization tools or Christian studies?

Giveaway ends on Wednesday, October 24 at 10:00 pm EDT (right before I head off to Allume!!)
Giveaway open to US residents only.
Please leave a way for me to contact you in the comments (email, twitter, blog... something!)

disclosure: The Dayspring links in this blog are affiliate links, but I don't know if they work, because no one has ever clicked a link from my blog and ordered anything... so feel free to click one of these links and buy something (Dayspring products make great Christmas gifts), so that I can see if they work!

Five Minute Friday --Grasp

It's Friday, It's Friday, It's Friday!! We made it! My blog is quiet, although I pushed through yesterday to share some of my fears as Allume looms closer.  I have a little side job right now which is at least 30 hours of work, which I really need to focus on and get 'er done... but it's data entry and I'm struggling.  It needs to take priority over blog writing right now, but I just can't miss out on Five Minute Friday.  So here I am in all my 5 minutes of glory.

If you are new here, here's the scoop on Five Minute Friday, straight from Lisa-Jo.

So, here’s the skinny: every Friday for over a year hundreds of people join a kind of writing flash mob over here.
We write for five minutes flat. All on the same prompt that I post (on her blog) at 1 minute past midnight EST ever Friday. And we connect on Twitter with the hashtag #FiveMinuteFriday
No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation.
Unscripted. Unedited. Real.
It started because I’d been thinking about writing and how often our perfectionism gets in the way of our words. And I figured, why not take 5 minutes and see what comes out: not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing.
So now on Fridays a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind and just write without worrying if it’s just right gather to share what five minutes buys them. Just five minutes.
Your words. This shared feast.

Go here, for how to join! 

My Five Minutes on ... GRASP

John 10:29
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Nothing can snatch me from my Father's hand! 

Nothing

Not my sin of anger
Not your pointing fingers
Not my lack of patience
Not sickness, not death
Not when I waste time
Not when I'm tempted
Not when your words hurt me
Not when my kids won't listen

Nothing

I am my Father's child and He remembers I'm made of dust ... and He loves me anyway.

He diligently seeks me when I wander, when I stumble, when I fall. And when all I can see are my mistakes, He is covering me in grace. (<-- a="a" that="that" tweet="tweet">) Reminding me, encouraging me, never letting me go.
I fall into His arms of grace. I pray.
I try, try again. I see the little successes and I celebrate them.
And I remember that I'm secure. That the grace that saved me is the grace that keeps me.


Are you safe in His grasp today?

Five Minute Friday --Graceful

It's Friday... Five Minute Friday write time! This great idea started by Lisa-Jo which has just grown into quite a community! You should really check it out!! :)

 

Today's Prompt --Graceful

Two little blond haired girls in pink tights and black leotards, dancing around my bedroom.

Tendue, Passe, Tendue, Passe, Releve

They are practicing the moves they learned last year, in high anticipation for a new year of ballet classes.

Graceful --it's necessary for ballet, but also necessary for life in an inner graceful ... How do I teach my girls that? .. when I'm still learning myself.

Graceful -- characterized by elegance or beauty of form. To have such a word define me, define my girls. And not just an outward elegance, but the inner beauty that comes from accepting God's grace and living out accordingly.

I fail, a million times I fail! 

We get to the Discount Ballet Supply at 6:20, only to discover they close at six and I get MAD and she starts crying and I get mad at her for crying, And God's grace, His Holy Spirit checks me and says "Are you responding right?" and I am filled with His unending supply of grace.

And we head to Target, make a return, find a few things and head to the coffee aisle ... and the Archer Farms Pumpkin Spice shelf is empty, EMPTY and I respond wrong again. (This time just an inner pout, but still not pretty)

So we head home and right there, before our driveway, at the neighboring farm ... a brand new calf, stark white and black, Oreo cows we call them, skipping and running in and around the older cows; and we stop, we smile, I take pictures and I'm reminded that God's grace is full, overflowing and He showers me with grace, He showers me with gifts. (tweet it!) 


And I say Thank you, Jesus.

In full disclosure: this took me more than 5 minutes, but it was on my heart and I wanted to get it out! Thanks for grace! :)

To slow down

I've been counting the gifts, the 1000, the infinite gifts, graces from God for a while now. I've lost count, I've stopped and started again, I've reached 1000, I've joined the JoyDare. But still, I struggle! Some days I don't see a single gift, I'm grasping for straws, I complain (and whine). And I wonder, why can't I get it, why do I feel like I am right back where I started? Where is my "easy button"?

And then I realize, I rush though my day, I hurry and rush, and hurry those around me. I run from one thing to the next with no transition time. I don't take time to see. I forget how to WAIT!

My impatience leads to frustration and anger and even a little road rage and I crush the hearts and spirits of those who should matter most to me! And I think and pray and wonder? How can I slow down? How can I enjoy the moment? How can I teach my little ones things I haven't figured out yet?

To live balanced, or unbalanced? It shouldn't be equal time for God, for my kids, for my husband, for my house, for my craft, for my blog, for my friends. All things that are important, valuable. But must be lived out of balance. It's about priorities. What do I value? What do others think I value based on how I live my life?

HOW do I make the necessary changes? Where do I start? It brings me back to grace... Receiving grace, giving grace. Hugging more, touching more. Taking time. Making time. Wasting less time.

Swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath!

Family Matters had a giveaway on their blog this month ...for a ticket to Allume!!!  I would LOVE to go to Allume! I think it would be such an adventure. All I had to do was write a post on how I was helping my family to REST in this hurried life. I hemmed and hawed and thought about it, and procrastinated some more... and then I convinced myself that I had nothing to offer in this matter because I am NOT maintaining a sense of calm in my house ... quite the opposite, in fact!

I think I could probably benefit from this resource that Family Matters has on their site...  Little House on the Freeway ...help for the hurried home. Believe me, I could use some help!!  :)

It's not that I don't try... We limit our kids to ONE outside (of church/school) activity. It's not ballet and swim and karate, and soccer and baseball....  We usually eat dinner together, as a family, at the table, without the TV.  We pray together most nights before bed, but sometimes that's hurried, too because I am just plain exhausted by that point.

A few months ago, at the suggestion of a friend, I added a step to the bedtime routine. Individually, while in their beds, I ask each kid, "What was your favorite thing today?"  Sometimes between the 4 kids, it takes 15 minutes to get through... some times it's rushed and completed in less than 60 seconds.  But it gives me a moment to connect one on one... To make eye contact with them and let them know they matter.  It's not easy, and on the nights I can't get off the couch, one or more of them will call out, or come back down the hall and say... "Mommy, you forgot to do our favorite things!"

I am also trying to work our way through The Jesus Storybook Bible with them, one story before bed and although we've been hit and miss on this task, too, I can see the fruit of my labor. We had an amazing conversation about heaven in the van on a recent trip into town (about 20 minutes). And God totally gave me the words to say, when I felt so ill-equipped and unprepared!  Even my 4 YO is getting it!!

And each morning (or most mornings) my kids will ask me to look at the JoyDare list hanging in our kitchen and ask, "mommy, what are we supposed to look for today." and I am reminded that the greatest gift of all is Jesus, and that He loves my kids way more than I do. And when I fail them, He fills in the cracks. And when I let go of trying and striving, He gives me the strength I need. And when I put blogging ahead of my kids, He gives grace and second chances.

Thanks for joining me in this journey of mine. I haven't figured it out yet...have you? What works for you? How do you add rest to your home?

Grace in 2012

Last year, my word for focus was Joy... I was going to choose Joy in any and every situation... when I look back on 2011, I realized that I missed out on so many occasions. I failed, I forgot, I got grumpy, I let my feelings and circumstances control my response instead of living out the Abundant Life God has given me! So I was a little nervous about choosing another word for the year... and then it came to me...
GRACE!

I know and believe that I have been SAVED by Grace, but sometimes (more often than not) I forget that I LIVE by Grace, God's Grace!  so in honor of Top Ten Tuesday, here's 10 things on Grace!

1. GRACE, according to Dictionary.com:  favor or goodwill. a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior. mercy; clemency; pardon.

2. "Grace is receiving something we don't deserve but desperately need."  Grace Based Parenting... oh isn't that the truth!! 

3. Isaiah 12 is a chapter I am working to memorize this year. The word Grace does not appear, but the first verse shouts grace from every line... "And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me."

4. The same Grace that saved me from eternal life in hell is the same Grace that gets me through each and every day.  It's the same Grace that God gives to me in every situation. God's grace is what allows me to bring glory to him...

5. Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.

6. Ephesians 2:4-9  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

7. Three of the books on my 2012 read list contain the word GRACE. I am really hoping to learn more about Grace, to experience grace, and to SHOW grace to those around me this year!!

8. my wonderful ONE WORD button is brought to you by Melanie... go get yours, here!

9. and a paragraph from The Grace Walk Experience "You can't even disappoint God.  Disappointment is the result of an unfulfilled expectation. you expect one thing, but you get something else. You cannot disappoint God because God doesn't expect anything. He already knows everything. He will never say to you, 'I expected something different from you.' He knew. You didn't know, but He knew.

When I say you can't disappoint God, don't think I'm saying it doesn't grieve the heart of your Father when you sin. Of course it does, He hates to see you do things He knows will hurt you. But it didn't surprise Him that you did it. p. 199    See what I learned from this one here!


10. This year I want to...
Live Grace
Give Grace
Experience a life of Grace
Receive Grace
Be Grace

Book list 2012

Well, isn't that an eye-catching title... doesn't it just make you wanna keep reading?  Well,  maybe when I'm done with this post I will come up with something more exciting!  But stick with me anyway, here is a list of books I want to read this year... some I have started and never finished, some I have read and need to re-read, and some I haven't even picked up. But all are books that I want to read THIS year! and because it is Tuesday, this list will be a "Top Ten"



1. Grace-Based Parenting  I have a hard copy of this book and a kindle edition. I am mostly reading in the kindle edition right now because it's convenient! I really want to live out God's Grace in my life, so that my kids can see and understand God's Grace in their lives!


2. One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are I have already read through this book once and am starting it for the second time. I am also counting my 1000 gifts again this year, because really they are INFINITE!!


3. 31 Days to Build a Better Spouse This is my main January book. One chapter a day to pray for my husband. check it out on twitter at #31DBBS



4. Calm My Anxious Heart: A Woman's Guide to Finding Contentment  Oh, how I struggle with an anxious heart. I have been so convicted and encouraged by what I have read so far and am looking forward to finishing this book and living calm and contented!



5. Blogger Behave: Make your blog benefit your life, so you can love both!  Bought this ebook on a whim with the hopes of bettering my blog and my life! :)  I got as far as the blog mission statement section and got stuck! I really need to work on the mission statement of my blog!



6. Grace for the Good Girl: Letting Go of the Try-Hard Life This year my One Word is GRACE. I don't own this book yet, but I really, really, really want it! and I so want to live grace this year!


7. Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living  I want to live organized, I want to live simple... I want to live intentional!  The funny thing is, I THINK I own this book, but I can't find it anywhere...


8. Make It Fast, Cook It Slow  I love my crockpot and I love her blog! It's my go to when I am searching for a crockpot recipe!  I would love to own her book... both of them!! :)


More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: 200 Brand-New, Budget-Friendly, Slow-Cooker Recipes


9. Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus Once again, this year is all about grace for me. I don't own this book either, but I am hoping to own it by the end of the year... maybe after I finish the other books on grace!


10. The Reluctant Entertainer: Every Woman's Guide to Simple and Gracious Hospitality I have this book, and I've skimmed it some, but this year I want to really read it and start applying what I read!



So there you have it, my list!  What's on your reading list that I should consider??!?!

ps. I played around with Amazon Affiliates, so this post contains affiliate links. If you wanna help feed and clothe my kids, feel free to purchase these books through these links!

Resolutions

Last year, I committed myself to Project 365... take one photo a day all year! I succeeded mostly, and created some facebook albums with my photos. This year I didn't touch my camera for the first 2 days of 2012. I was kinda tired of it! But then I found this challenge... Project 52 and I thought I could handle that. I would still be playing around with my camera some, but hopefully wouldn't be overwhelmed. The difference with this project is that I have to stick to the theme of the week. This week is Resolutions!



Well, I was going to try to combine a One Word and Project 52 post together, but I haven't finished my One Word post, so here are my pictures on Resolutions... come back next week for the details on my resolution to Live Grace this year!

I started playing around with my fun message blocks from Dayspring...  and then I played around in Picasa... because it's free :)

 then I tried to find the right words with the kids fridge magnets...

and then I went back to my blocks and the words just came to me.  I want to Be Grace this year!!
Do you have any resolutions?