Happy New Year! {Grace Goals}

I just took down my Christmas Tree and decorations and I'm making plans to do some serious cleaning out and cleaning up during the month of January.  Trust me when I say that it will take me a month to get everything clean, neat and organized.  

Ask me if I get everything done before I get creative and procrastinate on other projects and fail to finish what I start on them too. It happens! 

AHHH… it’ that time of year. Time to reflect on what is not working and what needs to change. 

I am not making a New Years Resolution this year.  I haven’t made one for many years since I tend to set unrealistic goals or make plans to achieve lofty ambitions, but fail to follow through with the discipline required to accomplish them.

That is why I will be using a resource by a blogger that I follow, Arabah Joy.

Arabah is a missionary serving incognito somewhere in Asia who is a beautifully gifted encourager, writer, and inspiration.  If you do not follow her, you should!

She has written a resource called GRACE GOALS and I am super excited to get started!!!  

You see, I am very good at setting goals and making plans of great things to achieve… but I lack discipline.

I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow.~Scarlett O’Hara

I’ve never been good at sticking to a rules oriented approach of discipline.  There is always something better that comes along to distract me from self-sacrifice in order to reach the finish line of success. I need some boundaries.

 I need structure that is grace filled and fulfilling. 

I am inviting you to join me on a journey of Grace Goals.  

I just purchased my copy and you can follow my affiliate link here* to get yours too. The cost is $15. 

Arabah Joy has created a simple, realistic approach to goal setting with workshops and social media groups to help along the way.  

I am excited to get started on this journey of 2016 and all that God has in store… He has been faithful to me and I plan to show up and be counted for the plans He has for me.

You too?  Will you join me?

 "to bring to fruition your every desire for goodness… according to the grace of our Godand the Lord Jesus Christ.” II Thess. 1:11-12 NIV

If you are like Me and the Apostle Paul, we desire to do good, but don’t often do what we plan. 

Somewhere in the middle of our desire for godliness and holiness and our messy lives is a place of grace.  His Name is Jesus. 

  

You can purchase your copy of Grace Goals here through my affiliate link*.  

**I will receive a small compensation for endorsing this product, if purchased via my affiliate link. I do not endorse products or service that I do not fully believe in.

Happy New Year!!! And May His Grace be With you!!!

Arabah Joy_Grace Goals_Affiliate LinkGrace Goal_Arabah Joy_Affiliate Link

Abiding In Peace

Mike and I are preparing to sell our house and move to something smaller.  I THINK we are on the same page of what we are looking for, but this will unfold as the process of downsizing, selling our house and moving to another house continues.  

For now, we are not moving to another area or state. We will simply be shifting our focus toward having just enough space for the grand children one day and for holiday gatherings.  We plan to spend time together and cultivate a new home together where friends and family can gather and know they are loved.

Life has been an adventure together! There have been many seasons of growing, learning, and caring for each other and our family.  One thing has remained constant and that is God's steadfast love.  He never changes and will not lead us where His Peace does not abide.  With that in mind, I am learning, day by day, to Trust Him a little more.  

{Wedding Week} Monday

Journal Entry  July 27, 2015

This morning Kyle went off to work as usual.  Blueberry syrup and waffles still linger in the air an hour or more after he pulled away from the house.  This is the last week of moments like these.

Since I didn’t sleep well last night and I was still groggy, we didn’t talk much, which is nothing about of the ordinary “how did you sleep?” and “do you think you’ll be busy today?”  as we watched the morning news.

So many changes coming this week…  So many moments to embrace, the little things that make up the larger things in life… 

Sweet tea dribbles, sugar laden cereal, clothes lying on the floor all over the house-evidence of where he has been. 

I sure will miss him. 

Kyle is getting married on Saturday August 1, 2015 to a beautiful girl, his best friend, Olivia.   She is precious to him and to us and we are very excited for this step in their young lives of twenty-one years.  He’s loved her since the seventh grade and that is something to say! 

This Saturday he will say “I Do” and with a grace-filled and loyal heart he will mean it with everything he has in him.  He is like his daddy and His Father like that.  It makes me cry to think about how he has determined to live his life, individual and unique, yet demonstrating friendship to everyone.  He is a man of integrity and solid character.  Perfect? No. But one who seeks to live in the Light and to walk by Faith.  This is what I admire most about his purpose toward Olivia and their new life together. 

I couldn’t be more proud of him and I will miss him so!  But I will be thankful and hold fast to the moments and memories that he has helped to make in our family.  The youngest of three brothers has been a challenging position at times… not sure for whom!

Kyle is a joy, a blessing and one of my favorite gifts the Lord has ever blessed me with. Gifts that include a Godly husband, and three handsome smart and strong sons who have all been “Mama’s Boys” since the day I held them in my arms. 

Boys, you are every good and perfect Gift that God could have ever thought to grant me the privilege to hold in trust on His behalf.   I apologize again for all those times I got it wrong… like making you go to Tiny Tunes and Awana and Vacation Bible School…The important thing is that you’ve lived to tell about it!!

I tease the Boys all the time.  I tell them I am moving out with them and going where they go when they grow up and move out an on with the lives that God directs them toward.  They laugh and humor me.  That would just be odd, I know!  And so far, while the temptation has been high, I have not left Mike’s side to go with them.  Cameron moved out almost a year ago and Matthew is making plans now to move.  They are twenty-four and twenty-three.  It is the way of life for men to make their way out and away from Mama, but I HAVE LOVED being their mother. I LOVE being their mother.

As they are each making these transitions, I pray I will make the transition well.  Mike and I will navigate our new normal, hopefully well,  and find ourselves enjoying the next twenty-five or more years together with new adventures.  

People tell us grandchildren are the BEST in the world!  Wait!  Are we old enough?

Our family has been in a perpetual process of Growing in Grace over the years.  The Lord has been faithful and He will not prove unfaithful. Of this I am certain.  But at the same time, I find myself wondering what His faithfulness will look like.  

While raising children, there are certain things you can anticipate and look forward to… all those seasons of pre-school, grade school… middle school!! and then graduation into adulthood. 

Looking back on all those seasons of grace, I am reminded just how this, too, is a season of faith and hope and joy and more grace.  Gifts of God found even in the small treasure He provides along life’s journey. I pray to keep my eyes open and my heart ready to appreciate and applaud God for what He does. 

Until then, at least this week, I am planning to embrace the moments, cherish the treasures and spend extra time in prayers of thanksgiving and gratitude.  I am going to hug our boys a little more and speak into them words of Life and Love and Grace and Truth.  I will continue to believe God for what He has promised me and that He will allow me to see the evidence of my faith in His Word over these men of God he gave us to invest in. 

So, if you see me this week and I seem a little distracted, just know… this mother’s heart is full and thoughtful and thankful.  If you see a tear in my eye, it will be tears of gratitude over what the Lord has done and what I know He will continue to do. Will you please just give me a hug if you see me?