Happy New Year!!!

I am back!!! The last few months of last year (lol) were just a blur. I went on a deep cleaning spree in my home and the results are beyond what I could have imagined. You really don't grasp how the clutter around you effects your mentality until it is gone and you have a clean & organized living space. I walk in my front door everyday now and go "ahhhhh".

With a new year comes a new word to focus on. I have decided on the word {habits}. It seemed as I progressed through the year 2010 my horrible habit of procrastination was becoming more and more evident....in my home, my health, my weight, my spiritual growth and even getting out the door to arrive places 'on time'. That is something I have never had a problem with. Well, it was seriously grating on my nerves. It just seems the right fit to choose the word {habits} for 2011. I want to change the bad/negative habits to good/positive ones.

I sat down and made a list of 11 {habits} I wish to focus on in 2011. Of course, if you know me well you knew I would scrap a layout about my word and list. Here it is.....

























Each photo corresponds to something on my list. My list (in no particular order) is:

1. Keep up with Project: Love, Me layouts each week (more on that project in a bit)
2. Call 1 person a week and check-in - ask for prayer requests
3. Snail mail 1 person/month a "thinking of you" card
4. Set $$ back each week for my Vegas trip (Digiscrap-apalooza)
5. Have quiet time/Bible time each day
6. Clean out car once a week of clutter
7. Keep to a daily house cleaning schedule
8. Blog personally a minimum of once a month
9. Keep up with CT responsibilities each week
10.Have gifts for special events 2 weeks ahead of time
11.End 2011 knowing I did my best change my {habits}


Project: Love, Me - this is a weekly scrapbooking challenge I am participating in that will help me document "me" for the entire year. Life is screaming by at break neck speed anymore. I don't know how it is even possible I turned 40 in 2010. The fact is, I did and the time is not going to slow down. With this project, which you can read more about HERE, I plan to dig deep down and record the things that make me, me! In 10, 20 or 30 years from now I can pick up this scrapbook of 52 layouts and recall what my dreams were....what made me laugh.....what made me cry.......what angered me in the year 2011. It will also give family members coming up behind me a piece of myself for them to remember me by.

Here are the first two layouts I have done for the project. The first is the opening page of the scrapbook..........the "pre-prompt" page.

























This is the page I created for Prompt #1 (there will be 52 prompts all together). Our first prompt was to create a page of what we dream about now....in the present day. I realize the font I used is very hard to read but I truly love it (Saint Andrews Queen is the name of it). My chosen "dream" was to reach a healthy weight and why. It is very hard to put your feelings out there like this but at the same time, so rewarding.
























I will be back with more since once of my new {habits} is to blog more often. For now, I must go get laundry folded and put away.

xoxo

God speaks in parking lots.

Oh yes indeed-y He does.

How do I know this, you ask?

Because He spoke to me in the church parking lot just yesterday. And, here is the rest of the story...

It was a great weekend. Saturday was spent volunteering for a JOY FM radio station "Key To The City Walk" where $42,000+ was raised for their need. Five hours outside in below freezing temps & a slight breeze that just bit into any exposed skin. Five hours of whooping & howlering over seeing the donations come in & knowing every dollar was one dollar closer to seeing JOY FM's chance to reach a larger listening area for Christ.

Sunday I woke up ready to go worship and hear God's word. Our small group Bible study was on the topic of "The Battle Of The Mind". The gist of it was all about having a "mind set" and how that is both a noun & a verb. As a christian I have the mind set (noun) of Christ dwelling in me through the presence of the Holy Spirit. However, everyday I am faced with choices to make that are either right vs. wrong----Godly vs. worldly. It is in those times I have to call upon that "mind set" and put it into action (verb). It was a very good study.

However, something happened (the "who-what-where-why" is not important) and I became frustrated. Frustrated to the point of just wanting to go home and skip worship. The battle of my mind began. I could just picture on one shoulder an angel of the Lord and on the other a demon from the pits of hell and they were battling for my mind. The battle ended when I walked out the doors and entered my car to go home. Or did it? I continued to struggle with knowing my word of the year is REMAIN. I sat there.

Next, as I sat in my car in the parking lot of the church, I checked my phone and saw a text message from my BFF who was home recovering from pneumonia. The message read "Are you going to 10:55 service"? OUCH!!!!!!!!!! The battle was in full swing again.

RUN.....REMAIN.....RUN.....REMAIN.....RUN.....REMAIN.

I shut off my car, grabbed my purse and walked back in through the same doors I had just walked through moments before. I sat down in the pew I usually sit in and I proceeded to reply to my friend: "yes, i am here". Thinking maybe she decided to try to make it for worship I looked around but didn't see her. Oh well. The music began.....time to worship.

Dr. Hufty's message was amazing, as usual. However, I was expecting something in the message to really jump out at me and make me go "yep, that is why I was supposed to remain". That didn't happen. That's okay.....it's never a BAD thing to be in church hearing God's word. As Dr. Hufty closed in prayer before the time of offering he said "God has spoken today....through worship.....through His word.....He has even spoken in the parking lot I imagine" I nearly fell over when he said that. And I again wondered "so why God? why did you have me remain if I don't feel as though I really gleaned any new, amazing concept of you?" At that moment I felt a still, small voice simply say "you were just supposed to REMAIN".

okay.

Service ended and I left for the second time that morning. This time with an entirely different outlook. I entered my car and immediately called my BFF to tell her what had happened. I knew she had probably been listening to the online live-stream of the sermon since she was home sick. When asked if she heard Dr Hufty's remark about God speaking to us in the parking lot she replied, yes. I proceeded to tell her the whole story I just shared above. This is her reply:

Helen....I was home doing what I believe I was supposed to be doing....recouperating. However, I still felt like something was missing after being away from church for 2 weeks now. While I have been in the word daily.....praying continually, there is something missing and I know it is being at church for corporate worship and serving God. She continued....I was telling God how much I want to be better so I can go back to church where I feel like He can use me.

And in that moment, she realized He had used her....even from her sick-bed, He used her. Her text to me.....a text I thought was because she might be coming to church after all and I didn't want her to sit alone. When in fact she just needed me to carry out a task for her (but I didn't know that because she didn't say that in the text).

There was the other reason I was suppose to REMAIN....so Sheila could see how God can still use her.

Isn't God so cool??? I think so :)

xoxoxoxo

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Good Morning Saturday....

Up early today because me and a friend are volunteering at an event being hosted by Joy FM radio station. It is taking place outdoors and it snowed last night. I am prepared with waterproof boots, thermal undies, gloves, hat & scarf! Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Just jumped on to post a few recent layouts. Don't have much time as I need to get in the shower and finish getting ready. Here we go....

REMAIN

I did this one for a challenge/dare over at The Digi Dares. It is another page depicting my 2010 word of the year.

5 W's

This was for a Scrap Orchard challenge where we were challenged to create a layout about the who, what, when, where, why of our scrapbooking addictions. I enjoyed this non-photo layout alot!

Rock Star

My SIL captured a great photo of Caiden wearing his daddy's hat and sunglasses. So, of course, I had to scrap it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This Moment

My brother loved this photo of our dad with Trevor sitting on his lap. This layout was also for a Scrap Orchard challenge where we were told to scrap using B&W photo(s). Okay, so not much of a challenge for me, hahahaha. I LOVE scrapping with black & white photos as it allows me to use ANY color schemed kit I want without fear of clashing!

That is all for now. It is 7:23.....must get clothes into the dryer and me into the shower. No rest for me today..............atleast not until well into the afternoon!!!

x0x0x0x0x0

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1 Peter 3:10

1 Peter 3:10 (The Message)
Suffering for Doing Good

8-12 Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing.

Whoever wants to embrace life
and see the day fill up with good,
Here's what you do:
Say nothing evil or hurtful;
Snub evil and cultivate good;
run after peace for all you're worth.
God looks on all this with approval,
listening and responding well to what he's asked;
But he turns his back
on those who do evil things.

Wow, did I need to read this today. I receive a daily Bible verse in my email inbox everyday. This was todays verse.

I needed this because I have been dealing with some "sharp-tongued sarcasm" lately. I even had a conversation with a friend recently how I am just not going to stand for it anymore. One more 'fiery dart' thrown at me and I am not keeping my mouth shut. I know it is wrong and that my former Pastor would always say "if you want to confront someone then you probably shouldn't". Oh, but it is SO hard for me to turn the other cheek. But when I read the second half of that verse: Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here's what you do: Say nothing evil or hurtful; Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you're worth. God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to what he's asked; But he turns his back on those who do evil things. On January 1st of this new year I made a choice to REMAIN in Christ. A choice to REMAIN attached to the vine. In essence, fill up with good. And to do that I should say nothing evil/hurtful; snub evil, cultivate good; run after peace for all I am worth!!! These are the things God looks upon with approval.

So I ask myself.....from whom am I seeking approval from? Those spewing the sharp-tongued sarcasm? Or God? I choose to seek God.

How about you? Are you being a blessing or are you being disagreeable, sarcastic, uncompassionate?

xoxoxoxo

Steal, Kill, Destroy.....REMAIN

Oy! Satan loves nothing more than to steal, kill and destroy. However, despite his efforts, I remained in Christ today. I am not saying I didn't skirt around the edges of sin. I will admit I crossed over the line a few times. Let's recap this day (as if it would excuse my sin, not)

• Awoke at 6:30 a.m. (ok, 6:55).....after not falling asleep until 3:00 a.m.
• Arrived to work 15 minutes late and discovered I had computer issues to deal with
• Coffee and breakfast were set aside untouched
• On the telelphone by 8:00 a.m. with tech support
• Hung up the phone with tech support at nearly 10:00 a.m. with no resolution to the issue
• Called my local computer guy who informed me the anti-virus program he recommended to me several years ago is now "not catching all the viruses". [gulp]
• Finally was able to eat my breakfast & drink coffee at 10:00 a.m.
• Began to shuffle through papers left over from before the new year holiday to see what I could do that did not require an internet connection
• Worked feverishly without many interruptions until 1:30 at which time I took lunch
• By 2:00 I felt like lunch and I were having WWIII in my stomach
• At 3:00 I begin to feel better and I can see the finish line of this day when suddenly the telephones decide they DO work and it is one call after another. I am talking like 2 calls at a time, several times in a row. Note: I am NOT the multi-tasker I once was [sigh]
• I walk to my car at 3:45 (15 minutes later than usual but considering I was 15 minutes late this morning, I guess I won't complain, lol)
• Pick up Aunt Maggie at 5:00....head to Wal-Mart. Have I ever mentioned I detest this place any other time except at 7 a.m. on Saturdays when the majority of folks are still sleeping?
• While Aunt Maggie returns some items I start getting some items on both our lists on that side of the GIGANTIC WM (not super, gigantic)
• We meet up and she takes her list back from me and we look at blankets before heading over to the other side the the GIGANTIC WM!
• Once on the other side she proclaims "veggie basket" to which I reply "oh crap, Aunt Maggie I could slap you". Oh yes I did say it. Told ya, I crossed the line several times.
• We finish in the food section....men's jeans section and work our way WAY back to the other side towards the kitchen gadget aisle ONLY to discover our "super" WM does not carry the hanging 3 tiered, wire veggie baskets. [insert your choice of expletive here as I probably said it....line crossed again]
• We check out.....we load the back of my vehicle with $125 worth of filled plastic bags between us.....we crank up the heater cause 'baby, it's freezing outside'!!!
• I arrive home at 7:00 p.m......pooped out.

This was not an ordinary day but by NO means was it a tragic day. Yes, work hangs in the balance and for the first time in a very long time we are facing serious hard times. Yes, computers are in need of H1N1 vaccines. Yes, WalMart sucks between 5-6 p.m. on a Monday night.

As I sit here and it nears 8 p.m. I am tired but I am not feeling quite so weighted down. Though I crossed sin lines today (mostly while driving) I also cracked many jokes and tried to see the obstacles as just that....obstacles. Not cancer....not death....not any kind of 'suck-the-breath-out-of-you' tragic.

I remain in Him and Him in me. Did I bear fruit today? Eh, not so sure about that. But, the peace I have in my heart tonight reminds me I am not cut off from the vine.

WOTY Scrapped

I have scrapped my Word Of The Year so now all I need to do is get it printed and then I plan to frame it and hang it up.

Created using a kit called, Love Earth, from Delicious Scraps. The photo is another Flickr photo. Click HERE to be taken to the photographer's album on Flickr.

What Is Your Vision

So, yesterday I chose my word....REMAIN. I chose my verse....John 15:4 "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."

Today, I went to church. The first Sunday of a new year. During Sunday school I found myself feeling defensive during the bible study and comments being made by the group. I could hear satan whispering "this is why you came today?? for this?" I remained in my seat. No, I would not run. I would remain.

Dr. Hufty, our interim Pastor, as always delivered God's message in a way that really brings it home to the heart. Today he spoke of vision or lack thereof. Our scripture reference was Numbers 13:30-31 where it talks about Caleb bringing the report back to Moses saying by all means they should go up and take possession of the land as surely they could overcome it. However, other men objected, stating they were not able to go up against the people, for they were too strong for them. These other men did not have the vision of God's plan for them, therefore, they would never see the promised land.

Three reasons people lack vision according to today's message is

1. Because we do not fully realize who God is. God's love for us is immeasurable. Even as much as we love our own children/family.....it just cannot compare to how much God loves us.

2. Because we do not fully realize who We are. I am a child of God. God has plans for me (and you) and He says so in Jeremiah 29:11.....plans to prosper, not to harm. But, how often do we let this world cloud our vision of the plans God has for us? How many excuses do we make to not follow God's vision for us instead of just obeying? God has wired us each in our own way to bring Him glory. Use how He has wired you to reach others for His glory.

3. Because we do not fully realize who He wants us to be. Spiritual atrophy....the weakening of our spirits due to lack of daily exercise with God. If we do not renew daily....if we do not exercise ourselves in God's word, prayer, obedience daily.....we will grow weak and satan is just sitting on the sidelines waiting for the dark clouds to cover you or the tragedy to strike and then he moves onto the playing field....because he knows you are weak. Oh, how this part spoke to me. I realize I have allowed my spirit to atrophy during this time of depression which has given satan a foothold to keep me down. Wow!

Today, I chose to REMAIN despite hurt feelings, aching heart, depression....I chose to REMAIN. Each day will be a choice. Will I always choose wisely? I know now the answer is no. But, today I did. And I see the sunshine out the window differently because of it.

What will you choose today....tomorrow.....this week that will bring you joy over sadness? My prayer is that you make that choice....despite it all.

xoxo,
Helen

R.E.M.A.I.N.

My cousin has done this for a few years now and I see it becoming more and more popular. Choosing a "word" for the year. It is a choice that is personal to each individual based upon things such as family, goals, religion, etc.

I have never done this and truth be told, I had no intentions of choosing a word for this year. And if I am going to be honest I might as well 'fess up completely....I still don't "want" to.

However, I believe God wants me to. See, I pretty much ignored Him all morning as the thought of "a word of the year" would pop into my head. How God? How can I do this? You know where I am....you know my heart....you know ME. The. Real. Me.

Then, at 12:47 p.m. this afternoon my phone rings. I fully expected to see a certain name appear on the caller ID screen but to my delightful surprise it was a dear friend from Colorado. A dear friend I so rarely get a chance to really "talk" to because she doubles as Super Woman while raising 7 year old quadruplet boys & working full-time as a Project Engineer. You think you're busy? Ha! I usually call her during our early morning commutes to work and we are lucky to get in 10 minutes. So, to see her name on my phone was pure joy. We didn't talk about anything deep or spiritual....just 33 min 40 sec of chit-chat about the holidays, kids, ripped jeans, weight loss. You get the picture. I hung up and was refreshed. I smiled. God knew what I needed today and He provided. My dear friend has no idea how God used her today.

Again, word-of-the-year, thought pops into my head. Okay God. Okay. I get it. I can do this but only if I REMAIN in you. Remain is not the word I initially thought of. Words such as focus, joy, provision all came to me first. It wasn't until I went to ChristianityToday.com that the words "Remain in Me" jumped off the page at me. I read the article and the John 15:4 verse that accompanied it and I just knew.....this was the word.

It is terrifying to post something like this for God, family, friends, blog followers to read because it now becomes "in writing" and if I fail....I feel guilty. Everything within me wants to pull the covers over my head and fade into non-existance. The thought of getting out of bed tomorrow morning to go to church overwhelms me. There are SO many things I want to accomplish but the thought of failing stops me. Why? I would have to say it is because I see myself doing these things in my own strength. In my own time. In my own way. Until I bring God back into the formula of how to reach my goals....I labor in vain. Only God knows the hold depression has upon my life. Only God can break that hold and give me back the desire, energy, & focus needed to receive the abundant blessings He has waiting for me.

So, here we go 2010......this is the year to REMAIN in Him!!!

ps- if you hadn't noticed...I changed my blog design and incorporated my WOTY in my banner. Great idea Angela....hope you don't mind I lifted that idea from your blog :)