Loved and One Word

In years past, I have focused on various words as a New Years Resolution.  Instead of goals, focus on one thing in all aspects of my life.  It is that one word thing...you can do it, too.

In years past I have focused on Simplify, Grateful, Be Brave.  Every year, the word just seems to find me.  Somehow I have a spiritual epiphany of what exactly I need.

I recently made an order online that included a free gift.  I wanted to give it for Christmas...I had already gotten Ladybug some jewlrey, my mom makes her own jewelry and it seemed a little over the top for Miguel's girlfriend.  I mean she would think I was weird or something.  So, here I have this lovely necklace that just couldn't find it's right owner.  It didn't seem appropriate to give it to myself.  I can't give myself a necklace that says I am loved.  That's presumptuous isn't it?  And sometimes, I don't feel loved.  Trying to deflect all those Satan darts, I sometimes forget that I AM LOVED.  So, I guess what I have decided as my word of the year is LOVED.  I need to focus on feeling loved, realizing that I am loved whether it be from my family or my Savior and accepting that love...feeling worthy of it instead of dismissing it.  I AM worthy of His love.

We all have things we need to work on.  Don't overwhelm yourself with too many goals.  Choose one word that you truly need to learn from.  It has been life changing for me...

 

The Best Of...

Everyone has their "top moment" or "top favorites" or "top something or other".  Since this is my blog, I feel like sharing with you some of my top most visited posts of all time..because I'm cool like that.  I'm sharing 7 because 7 is my husbands favorite number.  Weird...I don't have a favorite number...Do you?

#7 - Counting My Blessings - where I name a few missionary blessings I had been receiving.

#6 - Reaffirmations - An alternate to resolutions from 2009

#5 - I Pressed Submit - That time I pressed submit on my son's mission papers

#4 - Toaster Babies - How my children and teenagers have/had sleep problems...Just popping up ALL the time (wouldn't you love to have a cute little toaster like this?)

#3 - Easter Advent - I know we just finished up with Christmas, but it never hurts to look ahead.

#2 - Camp Crafts - Remember when I was in charge of Camp Crafts?  Lots of visits to this one...

#1 - 24 Days of Christmas and a Gift for you - Top visited of all time post! You can never prepare too early for next Christmas.  Just sayin'

Chaos and then the Calm

Peaceful, the time after Christmas...After all the chaos and frenzy that leads up to Christmas, it is nice to sit and reflect and feel His peace, love and reassurance.  It isn't that I don't find Him in the chaos, He is there, oh, He is there in all the messy moments of our lives...in the Christmas moments of forgotten cameras and family arguments and last minute plan changes.  He is in all those grace filled moments filling up every crevice and corner of it, even if we aren't sure He is there.  At the end of it all, He is waiting for us to turn our hearts and minds to Him.  He is cheering us on, calling to us, knocking and waiting for us to open the door.

The days following Christmas are the most peaceful perfect moments for me to find Him.  For me, it is a time for reflecting on my relationship with Him, evaluating where I am and comparing it to where I want to be.  Progress is not perfection and perfection is a myth.  With perfection we wouldn't need Him and how very lonely that would be...I love this printable I found at the redheaded hostess, Focus on Momentum Not perfection.

Source

I hope as you move ahead into the New Year, that you will focus on your progress not perfection and offer yourself that grace.

She said, "Yes!"

This picture doesn't require too much commentary.  In the time I have been absent from the blogging world, Miguel came home from Mission, Miguel met girl, Miguel fell in love with girl, and SHE SAID YES!  Meet my soon-to-be second daughter...and Ladybug is getting a sister!  She is over the top excited about it.


 

#He is The Gift #ShareTheGift

I know I have had struggles, but I am reminded what this season is all about.  I'm so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ...I'm grateful for a time of new beginnings and resolutions and do overs and start agains and the love of family and friends.

May you have the Merriest of Christmas' and be blessed and ever mindful of Him.  He is The Gift.

 

The Year there were NO Stockings Hung With Care

Life is complicated you know?  Here it is December 23rd, and I still haven't gotten all my decorations out.  I mean getting decorations out would have meant cleaning out a closet in order to access the bulk of my decorations and who has energy for that.  Not me, not lately...My kids just realized that the stockings aren't hung from the chimney with care.  Nope, they are not there.

I'm not being grinchy...just overwhelmed.  We put up the tree because it was in the garage and a small box of red balls that I could reach in that blasted closet.  But that was it...I happened upon a Christmas clearance sale and bought some pinecones and woodsy animals all under $20.  Then in my sacred, few and far between sitting down moments, I made that pom pom garland.  Wallah, Christmas decorations, and a nativity, of course, because I love my Savior.

Here it is December 23rd, the day that has traditionally been set aside as the day of baking and Christmas movies with my daughter, but I made 5 visits today to families trying to spread my Christmas cheer...plus a dentist appointment.  Now I sit on the floor surround by gifts to wrap and there are things to bake, and dinner to make and I feel so completely and utterly overwhelmed and am wondering where is my Christmas cheer.  Did I give it all away?    I know I have lost sight of what this here holiday is all about.  I mean my shoulders are only so broad to carry what I carry and do what I do.

We all struggle with this and that, but this year has been a little more difficult for me.  I suppose I have forgotten my own advice from years past and it feels like sucking on lemons.