gOoDbYe 2011

dontcha just love new beginnings???

i do...

tonight is the last night of 2011

we have been through so much this year...

we have moved to a new community

our children have started public school for the first time in four years

we bought a golf cart

we have truly slowed down

we are beginning to savor life a bit

god is so good

he is...

forever faithful

always soooo patient

here

present

with us

i am so grateful that he is all of those things

where would I be without him

he is the creator of new beginnings

how lucky we are

he created 

a new minute

a new hour

a new day

none of us is promised anything

we only have this moment

embrace it

cherish it

live it

but this evening, i am looking forward to a new year

i want to take some of the good things from 2011

i want to leave some of the not so good things in 2011

i want to make some improvements in 2012

thank you god for new beginnings

may he bless and keep you thoughout 2012

Isaiah 43:18-19

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. 

oH hApPy DaY!!!

Just received the iPad2 for Christmas from the Company I have with my brothers. 

It is a really cool device!!!  

So, I'm trying to learn the ways of my new toy.  

I will be back shortly.  

I have a lot to say.

xoxo

cHaNgEs...

we moved in september...

we moved

from a house we own

that was built in 1927

to a rental

that was built in 1800 and something...

we moved from a small town

to a speck in the road

my kids went from

being homeschooled

to public school

for the first time in four years

we still own our house on Getty

we just painted it

for the special person who will buy it

its beautiful

it has a new kitchen

new bathrooms

a new roof

new siding

it will go for sale in January

the rental is awesome

it is on an old fort

it has tons of history

it is big enough for all our stuff

it has a screened in front porch

it has walls two feet thick made from solid stone

it has a really ugly kitchen and

bathrooms that aren't necessarily convenient

and I.LOVE.IT!!!!

what i'm saying is that we have made some big changes....

and guess what...

i have NEVER felt god's presence more

he is good

all.the.time...

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

-Romans 8:28



gRaTeFuLnEsS...

i want to thank my emily

she has worked hard...

very hard...

to bring my blog to today's look

she is awesome...

she is cleaver...

she is busy...

she loves me...

she wants me to have a special place...

just for me

so...

today i am thankful for my beautiful talented girl

God really knew what he was doing when he blessed me with her

the creator of the universe KNEW he would be able to love me perfectly through her

i love you beautiful girl!!!!

thank you

tHiS bOy...

i am forever proud of this boy...

this boy received this lego set for Christmas 2009

this boy was too young and inexperienced to finish this project in 2009

so...

for a whole year it sat...

in a box...

in our schoolroom...

waiting...

for just the right time...

for this boy

to decide

he was old enough

and

brave enough

to tackle the project

a few days ago

he did it!!!!

he finished it!!!!

he is proud of himself

and his mama is oh, so proud of him!!!!

l.O.v.E.

i have never heard of naming years.  it makes sense, though.  instead of a "new year's resolution" that is broken before january 2nd... 

recently, i read this and this and it just seemed to come to me.  as i prayed about what 2011 might look like for me and my family, the words hardly out of my mouth, my word was there...in my mind.  it made perfect sense to me.  i understood EXACTLY what He meant and why this should be my word for 2011.

my word...love...

as a NOUN it means...

• strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties  
• affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests
• an assurance of affection
• warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion
• the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration
• a beloved person : darling —often used as a term of endearment
• unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another 

as a VERB it means...

• to hold dear : cherish 
• to like or desire actively : take pleasure in  
• to thrive in

as an INTRANSITIVE VERB it means

• to feel affection or experience desire

i need to learn so much about this little four letter word...  i say that i love my family; but, what does that look like?  how does it feel to them?  when i fail, which i do often, do i pray that GOD HIMSELF fills the gap?  i say that i love GOD; but, what does that look like?  am i HIS hands and feet?  do i give the part of me that maybe i want to be selfish with and just let someone else do what HE is asking?

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.

Love doesn't strut,

Doesn't have a swelled head,

Doesn't force itself on others,

Isn't always "me first,"

Doesn't fly off the handle,

Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn't revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end. 

BUT....the BIGGEST HARDEST part for me is to apply all this to myself.  loving myself and letting GOD love me.  accepting HIS love.  accepting the fact that even at my worst, GOD loves me and wants me.  HIS grace is sufficient.  if i don't accept HIS love, i can not accept the love of anyone else; because any persons love will never ever be enough for me.  so....this year, the year of 2011...i will work and pray to remove my walls and just let GOD love me and love others through me.  i have a sneeky suspicion HE's up to something good!!!!

This is what God says..."Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history.  Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new.  It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.