One word for the new year

We had a sweet Christmas, full of fun and family, to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

ElizaJane loved her Marcy Monkey!

Kartwright showed us all how it's done with his "flow board", amazing!

Uncle Bill was here to share some laughs.

Uncle Kenneth, tried his feet on one of the boys Indo boards.

You can see all the Christmas loot in the background.

Here's Grandma Susan with the girls.

Spider man even made an appearance!

The boys had special "jammies" too!

Haven had a special delivery of an almost real baby.

Michael's father and his sis Deb and her husband Dave, were there also, to share Christmas dinner. I hate that I didn't get more pictures, but frankly I was in the kitchen most of the time. It was another Christmas to put into the memory books.

Today I was reading THIS, and thinking about THIS, and several other posts on picking a word for 2009 to inspire more purposeful living based on one word choice. I think it is an interesting concept, and caught site of it last year when I picked the word "encourage" for 2008.

We have had a year to remember, with much heartache, and change. The minutes slip away faster then I can even count, and they turn to days, which turn to weeks, that are then months. Months quickly revolve into years, and before you know it it will become a lifetime! Time swept away, never to be retrieved. Each of my living children are another year older now. Haven moves into double digits this year, Dakota will be an official adult at 21 soon, as just days later my baby will move eons passed toddler ville, and solidly into school age at 5, and Kartwright will be 17, just a slim 12 months from the large milestone number 18. I will never see them again at those younger ages, just as I will never see myself again at 43.

It is a bitter sweet reality that none of us can do anything to change, and why would we, as that is the way our sweet Lord has ordained it. What if, however, we could make those minutes, days, weeks, and months count for more this year, then they have in the past? What if by some planning, instead of just slipping away, we could live them perhaps more intentionally? what if?

That is my word for 2009, intentional. I want to live each moment with more intention, and thus each day, and in turn each week, and each month, and that in turn will produce a whole year of intentional living. By intentional living, I mean, something opposite of what my cyber mentor Nancy Leigh Demoss called drifting, which is our natural tendency, the tendency to just let life happen. My 2008 was full of "stuff" happening to me, that was out of my control. No amount of wishing, or trying, or believing, could have changed my circumstances. Life happens, career choices are made, families are up rooted, people take their own lives, precious children die, parents age, markets crash, and jobs are lost.....and in the midst of all that, God is in control, and he is not surprised by anything. Amongst all of that "life" there is the mundane happening of every moment, day, week and month, and there are choices to be made, and when we don't make a choice, then well, we make a choice don't we?

So for me, 2009 will be a year of intention. I don't know exactly how I will continue to cope with the losses that my family has endured this year, Crockett's life is missed, for me that reality looms over head in a way that makes everything else seam like frivolity, but I have confidence that my God will sustain me, as he always has. I don't know where we will be called to go next, or if we will even be called at all, but that does not arrest the need for us to keep on living, and doing, and serving, and blessing, and loving, and growing. And that is exactly what I intend to do, and I will do it intentionally. I plan to make intentional choices in the way I choose to spend my time, care for my family, contribute to my local church body, stimulate my mind, buffet my body, and love my husband.

My word for 2009 is INTENTIONAL.

What will your word be this year?

Merry CHRISTmas

The malls were packed, the streets were lit with colorful displays, vacations were scheduled, presents were sought, bought, wrapped, placed or sent, delivered, presented, and received. Cars were packed, carols were sung, choirs practised, and performed, Santas were visited, trees were cut, picked, lit, and decorated, cards were sent, cookies were baked, and stockings were hung. From Presidents to paupers, people celebrate the birth of Jesus, even if they don't know him. Some don't even know why it is significant that he was born, or know that it is a historical fact, as opposed to a fairy tale, but almost all celebrate.

Jesus, God's son humbled himself, by being born on this earth, for you. He didn't have to, he did it for you. He did it because he knew he had to be born, so he could die, and he did that for you too. He was born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy spirit, so he was a sinless man. He was the only one who had the ability to die in our place. The bible says, that the payment for sin is death, but that the gift God gives is eternal life. We have all sinned. We gossip, steal, lie, cheat, covet, hate.....we all do. That means we have to die, because that is our punishment, but wait.....Jesus came and did it for us. He died so we didn't have to!!! That's why we celebrate his birthday in such a big way, all over the world, because some people know the good news, and they celebrate the birth of a God child that was born to die, so that they could live. It is still true today. That is the reason we give gifts, to symbolize the free gift that God provides for us. That gift is eternal life....you heard right, eternal life, living forever in a wonderful place. God sent his son, and Jesus willingly gave his life, He then rose again on the third day, which we all celebrate on Easter. He rose again, because death could not defeat him. He was the only one that could defeat death for us, so he did. The only thing we have to do to get the free gift, of salvation from death, so we can live forever, is accept it. Yep, just believe God gave it, and accept it. You have to know that you sinned, and if you know it, your sorry for it, and if you sinned, then your fate is death....unless, you accept God's free gift that is brought by that sweet Babe in the manger....the gift of eternal life! The greatest gift ever given, and still available to you today!

Won't you recieve it today?

"For God soooooo loved the world (that's you), that He gave, his only son. So that, whoever believes in Him, should not die, but have eternal life!!!"

The Bible,Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16

My list is done!!!

Today I hit the floor drooping, cuz yesterday I hit the floor skipping, and now I am worn out! not really, actually the season has energized me, and my new personal assistant keeps me motivated!! LOOK, I finished the nightgowns!!!! yeah!!!

and the 12 days of Christmas ornaments we painted are up, yeah!!

The partridge is my personal favorite!

And, here I present to you, Molly and Marcy, the monkey sisters!!!

They were soooooo much fun to make,

and I am so excited to give them to the girls!!!!

Like those felted wool button shoes???



and a secret little heart on their bums.

I feel encouraged that all is done!!!! I hope to encourage my children to clean their rooms today. I know, I know, it's Christmas Eve, but it will be their Christmas present to me!!!!

Encourage someone today, and Merry CHRISTmas Eve!!!

I guess I hit the ground strolling!

So here is the rundown.....one of the two nightgowns is complete, hope to finish number two tomorrow....The monkeys are still hidden in their drawer...the painted ornaments are not hung, but the idea is forming, and will be implemented soon,...dinner is not planned, but we have made last minute plans to include 6 more family members, but that will be great....eye appointment is going to have to wait until after Christmas, (i don't really need to see anyway)...cookies are decorated!

Everyone helped!

Dakota helped by eating the broken ones! tee hee

The girls were very specific about how they wanted them frosted.

Not Martha Stewart, but it's OK because I can't really see, remember?

They are delicious though, I must say!

I didn't want my picture taken, cuz I looked horrible!! Just keepin it real folks!

tomorrow is another day, and I vow to plan Christmas dinner and shop for it (me or my personal assistant)....Finish the second nightgown.....hang the ornaments....find the stockings....and finish the Monkeys. Hey isn't that the same list I had yesterday??????

Off to bed, and again, it is already tomorrow.

I don't think I encouraged anyone today....How about you??

Hittin the floor runnin

Tomorrow these feet are going to hit the floor running! All these last minute Christmas thingies have to get done. There are the 12 days of Christmas ornaments that Haven and I painted together the other night (soooooo fun to have a crafty friend in my own daughter, who woulda known?), that need a home. There is no room on the tree for these cuties, so we were thinkin another banner of sorts. That needs to be figured out soon, or they will miss their time to shine, and then have to wait for next Christmas!

Then there are the Christmas nightgowns that I had planned to make for the girls! This one might have to be scratched of the list, in the interest of time! I really want to do it though. I started that tradition a while back, of new jammies for everyone, love it, but I may have to leave it.....sigh!

Then there are these two monkeys....names to be revealed with their faces. Only the hand sewing left, so there is still quite a bit of hope that they will come to fruition. I believe two little girls I know, will be very pleased to see them under the tree come Christmas morning. can't wait to finish them, they have been so fun to work on.

So there are a few of the things on my to-do list, not to mention the cookies that need to be baked, and decorated, Kartwright's costume for his play that I have barely started, planning Christmas dinner, and that eye appointment that I have been putting off for more then a year......I don't really know why that is on the list, I mean, I've waited this long right, why must it be done during the holiday rush???? Just cuz I CAN'T SEE, that's all!!!!

Gotta get to bed, Oh my, it's already tomorrow, and I haven't gone to bed yet!!!

My new personal assistant is actually waiting up for me! I think having him home, is better then eating, so we may forgo the job hunting for a while, I could get used to this, ut oh, I think I'm already used to it!!!!

Have a wonderful day, and remember to encourage someone!!!

Gingerbread goodness

Encouragement day 19

Yesterday was gingerbread house making day, and the girls were raring to go! Kartwright was sick, so while he dreamt sweet dreams of clear heads, and fever less non aching muscles, we went to work.

I assigned the girls "jobs" on the house this time, as I could easily see that Haven was feeling a bit possessive of the wee cookie home. it is very important to her that things be done "right", (I wonder where she gets that, must be from her father), and these are things that a fun loving carefree four year old like LizaJane doesn't worry her pretty little head about. Liza was assigned the gum drop walkway, which she very painstakingly did her very bestest on!

Haven was given the roof to do after I applied the icing....I mean, it was very important that it be done right....right??? It was fun to watch the girls work together, and I was encouraged to hear them encourage one another in a job well done.

What could be more perfect then a pink and purple bubble gum wreath hanging above the door???

We did this tree also. It was a last minute kit purchase.

It turned out okay, but wasn't nearly as fun to do together.

What do you think? This is a tradition we have been doing for about 4 years now. it gets more fun every year. The only hard part is trying to find a bare space to display it. Oh, and then there are the missing gum drops every day, that no one will confess to stealing.

Do you have a story of encouragement today?

Lady Di, SSAA's, SPAA's, and resistance

Encouragement day 18

Diana Princess of Wales, our resident Welsh Corgi had some bad news recently......she has arthritis! Poor baby. We have noticed she has been a bit gimpy in the morning, and as the day wears on she transforms back to her ol' spry self. The vet prescribed some yummy chewy things twice a day, and Di is ecstatic about that! I suppose we are encouraged that it is not something worse.

I love to capture little spontaneous sibling affectionate acts such as this. ElizaJane has gotten very "into" using the computer lately, and often asks for the kids help with it. It has been fun to see the girls playing the same games on the computer, that the boys played years ago. ....have you noticed that Haven has that sweater on in every picture I post??? I must look into that?!?!

Here we are, she finally changed! Here's another one of those SSAA (spontaneous sibling affection acts). Kartwright was actually helping Haven sing some old Christmas carols....gotta love that!! I put all the Christmas books I could find from all our book stashes, on our coffee table, and we have all enjoyed reading them, and just looking at them together. Funny how such a seemingly simple thing can create so many SSAA's, and SPAA's (spontaneous parental affectionate acts). That is very encouraging!

I had two people wait on me, in two different stores today, that were unusually helpful, and pleasant. It is so easy to complain when people are rude, but today I was struck with how great they did their jobs. I plan to write letters to the two stores, reporting their great service, that should be encouraging! Because I have been on this encouragement kick, I think I have been a bit more conscious of being more friendly myself....eye contact, calling by name tag name, saying Merry Christmas, giving them a heartfelt thank you instead of the obligatory one, smiling more, asking them how they are and really meaning it....It is a good thing. I know so often I just buzz through my day, without a thought to the strangers around me. I really like this new awareness!

My friend Michele shared that she feels resistant to share the ways she has encouraged others because she feels like she is "tooting her own horn". I confess that I have felt some of that same resistance. I do think though that we can encourage one another by sharing, as it may spark some ideas in all of us reading. Most of my encouragement is done to and for my family, and I haven't shared that, because it is generally just basic being a good Mom stuff, that we all hopefully do without much prompting. Doing this exercise though, has made me aware of just how "self and family" focused I have become. I haven't done a whole lot of outward blatantly encouraging acts of service, because.....well, because lets face it, this season is a bit crazy, and there just aren't enough hours in the day. I have however become much more aware, and hopefully more thoughtful. Your stories would also encourage me, just to know someone is playing along!

What is your story of encouragement today?