18 things i want to make in 2012

January 19, 2012 in creative,goals,pinterest with 1 Comment

You might have read my post about books I want to read in 2012, which, don’t be too surprised, but I’m almost done with my first book! Not to be too, totally cheesy, but I really love having goals!

If you’re jaded on the whole goal thing, here is a quick pick-me-up on the subject from one of my favorite leaders, Dave Ramsey!

Dave Ramsey’s suggestions in a quick nut-shell quoted from this article.

If you want to actually achieve your goals this year, then consider the following:

Be specific.
When setting goals, be specific in what you want to achieve. Vagueness will only cause you to feel overwhelmed, and you will just give up.
Make your goals measureable.
In order to know if you achieved the goal, it must be measurable. For example, if you want to lose weight, don’t simply write down “lose weight” as a goal. How much weight do you want to lose? Or don’t just write “spend more time with family.” How much time do you want to spend with your family every night?
Are they your goals?
Only you can set your own goals. If your spouse, co-worker or friend sets a goal for you, you’re not going to achieve it. Taking ownership will give you more incentive to meet your goal.
Set a time limit.
Setting a time frame will help you set realistic goals. For example, if you want to save more money, list how much money a month you want to put into your savings account.
Put them in writing.
Putting your goals in writing will make you much more likely to achieve them. Write down your goals and review them often. This will give you motivation to make them a reality.

This is the process to succeed. Successful people reassess their lives and then start living intentionally, in writing, on paper, on purpose. Make your resolutions a reality in this year!

so here they are, 18 things I want to make in 2012! also, pinned here. (on paper, on purpose!)

~~1. make homemade face wash~~

2. make homemade myers soap

3. make homemade bagels

4. make a winter wreath

5. make a spring & summer wreath (still looking for inspiration on this one)

6. make a fall wreath (this one too)

7. make homemade chicken stock

8. make homemade apple butter

9. make a headboard for the king or art for above (still looking for inspiration!)

10. have friends over for a meal at least once a month

11. make babyfood for baby L

12. make a bunting for the house

13. make homemade laundry detergent

14. make custom onesies (as baby shower gifts!)

15. start making homemade gifts (this has begun, but will be a year long attempt!)

16. make homemade bread (my momma’s recipe is simply the best!)

17. make cloth envelopes

18. make a whiteboard and/or bulletin board for office (supplies are purchased, more forthcoming!)

the word that chose me!

January 18, 2012 in myoneword,walk with 4 Comments

I posted, a bit prematurely about my one word here. I was so taken with One Thousand Gifts, but I knew, ultimately that the greek word Eucharisteo just wouldn’t do. It’s just not practical, I mean, does that ever come up in conversation, Eucharisteo? well no. I’m not in seminary and I’m not really friends with that many seminary students anymore.

So, after a conversation, or two, and influence from my pastor (it’s not about a fancy word, it’s about life-change and what God wants to do in you) that I needed to rethink things…

I knew that Eucharisteo is the exact idea of what I wanted to go for, and what God wants to do in me but, it just wasn’t the right fit.

Then a word chose me, for the first time. I’ll attempt to explain.

Have you ever had those moments where God chases after you with a truth? And it’s everywhere you look? That’s pretty much what happened here.

I know this because for a few months I’ve been thinking about the person I was becoming. I thought about my critical nature (ugh!), my propensity to compare myself to others, my playing over a bad scenario in my head.

I thought, “what if this isn’t how I’m meant to live?” What if my friendships could be deeper & more meaningful. What if I was able to capture my thoughts, and find thankfulness in the small things, the transforming power of a heart enlarged to the simple, gratitude, thankfulness, yes, all those things. But how is it captured in just ONE word.

I started praying it over. The type of person I want to become is thankful, is joyful, pays attention, doesn’t get swept away with negative emotion, is quick to listen and slow to speak. Who is that person? How do I become her?

That’s when God started chasing after me with one three letter word….

I started reading One Thousand Gifts. Which, is amazing. I truly love the book. I love Ann’s writing style. I love her candidness and her struggle at finding joy. Her quest is so real that it invaded me. I marveled at how her thankfulness found it’s way to more. She found joy in the smallness, the mundane, the difficult.

Then, I went to church, and Jeff Winchester, Leland campus pastor of Port City Community Church said his one word is Enjoy! I loved that and it reminded me of a similarity of what my word might be..

Then, I went to my mom’s group and we exchanged our thoughts about our words, several of the words that stand out a few days later are adore, joy, fullness. Yes, all of these things.

Then, we started a study on James in my couples small group. Week 2, day 1 is all about JOY and verse 2 of James 1. Which, clearly, I’ve been mulling over anyway. And as Beth Moore says in this study,

The word consider calls us to a mental exercise. Not an emotion. James isn’t telling us to have a knee-slapper over all we’re going through. He’s telling us to think, to reflect, and to esteem the unalloyed joys available to us, “whenever [we] experience various trials.”

And wow, oh wow, JOY as James talked about it. To consider it joy, not just feel joy. That if not, trials will steal our joy.

Then, I went over to one of my favorite blogs, and no lie, this was the current post: Comparison is the thief of Joy.

Talk about repetition. I think I get it.

How much I need JOY in my life.

JOY chose me. I’m so glad. One sweet three letter word.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything

Oh, 2012, you are my ode to

Have you picked your one word yet? What is it? I would love to know! If you’re not familiar with it, check out this page on how to choose your word!

baby L. i’m so in love.

January 17, 2012 in family,sweet baby with 0 Comments

although somedays are really, really hard, most days are beautiful. and amazing. and you, are 1000 gifts, all in one.

my list, my word

January 6, 2012 in books,life,myoneword with 2 Comments

Update: I’ve decided to change my word since this post was written, read more about it here.

This year has been a year of lists. So far. And we’re 6 days in.

These lists consist of what to read, what to make, goals to strive for, personal, financial, and beyond.

But the most compelling of lists is this one that was inspired by a book I just got for Christmas. The book, One Thousand Gifts, has captured my heart in every possible way. It was exactly what I needed to read at exactly this point in time. Isn’t it funny that the One who knows us so intimately, who created our every fiber, knows the exact number of hairs on my head, cares what I read, cares what I let my mind rest on during the day and in the night.

Before I’ve shut my eyes into slumber in these first few days of twenty twelve, my mind has pondered eucharistio, a greek word that Ann Voskamp, the author, locks into early into the book’s pages. And, I, too have wondered, have pondered, what does it take to live a full life as Christ intended? Scripture makes it clear that it’s possible and attainable… but what must we do to seize this life? To take it all in and not get caught into the things that matter least, but rather be captivated by things that matter most.

I’ve decided, based on my own experiences, that it does take intentionality, that it takes DOING something. Not saying you are going to do it, and certainly not making a list declaring you will do it, you must actually DO it.

In fact, Ann cites a fantastic quote on the matter by Pierre de Caussade,

When one is thirsty one quenches one’s thirst by drinking, not be reading books which treat of this condition.

Ann goes on,

If we are dying of thirst, passively reading books about water quenches little; the only way to quench the parched mouth is to close the book and dip the hand into water and bring it to the lips. If we thirst, we’ll have to drink. I would have to do something.

Ann started this wonderful journey of writing down gifts, not to buy, not for someone else, but the gifts of God, a love list of sorts. She begins this list, of gifts, of one thousand of them, and realizes that she is changing. That she starts to see things differently.

I’m not so great at writing, no, not like Ann, but in reading this book, it was somehow my words, my thoughts, said 20 times more eloquently than I could ever dare.

So because of this, my one word this year, is also my list of one thousand. Eucharestio. Thanksgiving. Gratitude. Grace. Joy. Yes, in one profound greek word, that Ann explains, always precedes the miracle. Jesus gave thanks (even in not -enough), Daniel gave thanks, Paul gave thanks, yes… thanksgiving. So, for non-greek scholars, my word is Thank-full (yes with two l’s, to be FULL of thanks). For greek scholars, and readers of One Thousand Gifts, my one word is Eucharisteo.

It is also my challenge, to list 1000 things over the course of this year that I am thankful for. I believe that it will be a stretching experience, a lesson on gratitude, that I intend to fully inhale. I am up to twenty nine in my list currently. It is an exercise in gratitude.

I am only on chapter 5, of 1000 gifts and already feel my heart expanding. I am so thank-full!

dear liam, (month four)

January 6, 2012 in dear baby,life,sweet baby with 0 Comments

Is time flying? Or is it just me? Regardless, you, little bean (which I affectionately call you, along with a myriad of other names) are growing up at a rapid speed, faster than the speed of light, it does seem. You are causing my heart to grow, and the capacity by which I knew what love was. You are redefining a lot of things in life for me, which is causing some growing pains (for me & you) both. I am thankful that you have learned to stretch your sleep out at nighttime, and even naptimes.

Many things are getting better, including me as your momma getting used to you being in my life. For the longest time I would wake up in the night and remember, “oh yeah, we have a baby!” but I don’t seem to really do that anymore. I remember that it’s you, and you in all of who you are. I know you now. That’s the biggest difference of this month from the prior 3 months. I know your cries and what they mean, I know your smiles, your laughs, your snuggles. I view the hardest times as gateways into the best of times with you. I know that these little mental leaps and learning that you are doing, are leading into the next thing. Which for you this month has been pulling yourself up, supporting your head, and the biggest one, rolling over! Your rolling over had caused the most difficulty. Your daddy says it’s like a super hero with a brand new power, that he does not yet know how to control. It’s exactly that, your superpower.

I love you sweet Liam. I love all of you. I love being your momma.

love,

your momma

18 books i want to read in 2012!

January 2, 2012 in books,goals with 6 Comments

24 just seemed too ambitious and would make me feel like I would have to read 2 a month, 18 seems a bit more of a fluid goal. One a month, plus 6.

So, here ya go, 18 books to read/listen to in the coming year…

1. the happiness project

2. one thousand gifts

3. the 10 habits of happy mothers

4. when i don’t desire God

5. erasing hell

6. the grace & truth paradox

7. tribes

8. entreleadership

9. linchpin

10. the go getter

11. rhinocerous success

12. poke the box

13. purple cow

14. blogger behave

15. rework

16. good to great

17. today we are rich

18. steve jobs

what are you reading in 2012? share your list! i found moneysavingmom’s list to be so inspiring, and you’ll see a lot of the books she’s reading on my list as well… i think that is the type of thing that encourages interaction and inspiration.

i started reading one thousand gifts last night and love it so much!

life is good in 2012!

January 2, 2012 in sweet baby with 0 Comments

2011, you’ve been amazing

December 31, 2011 in goals,myoneword with 0 Comments

I’m so far behind in blogging. But this week has been one to unplug from the blog, email, etc, and spend time with the family.

Reflecting on 2011 has just happened naturally as this week has flown by. We’ve cleaned, and going through our things, reminded me of being here for a year, of this past year, finding out I was pregnant, the entire pregnancy (with it’s ups and downs) and that sweet baby that arrived August 24th.

This year has been full of joy. I am so thankful for so much. And am so excited about this coming year! I’ve got some good goals on paper that I’ve been working on for this next year including things to make, books to read, business goals, blog goals, personal goals and overall goals. I will be sharing those soon (I’m currently working on my pinterest boards to go along with each goal category!)

Heres to twenty twelve, deeper friendships, sweet moments with my family, lots of photos, lots of creativity, success and inspiration.

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old days long gone ?

For old days long gone, my dear,
for old days long gone,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for old days long gone.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
and surely I’ll buy mine !
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for old days long gone.