Just a glimpse of me...

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Do you ever feel STUCK? In 2000, I began looking for answers to some tough questions in my life. I'd searched high & low and finally conceded to search the promises found in the Bible. Those promises have sustained & guided me through the loss of a parent, the struggle with anxiety & depression, the loss of a valued relationship and so much more! I've found joy amid the pain. And, I want to share it with you!
Showing posts with label Snow Bear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Snow Bear. Show all posts

01 March 2014

2014 February ONE THOUSAND GIFTS #JoyDare

FEBRUARY 2014 
One Thousand Gifts (by Ann Voskamp)
#1000Gifts #JoyDare


Buy book here...      

I took the 1,000 Gifts Dare for the year of 2012...
I continued in 2013...
I'm now into 2014! 
GOD IS FULL OF BLESSINGS!

Today I find JOY in...

2/1/14 Sat
2265. 3am - waking up drenched in sweat
fever broke; then after 4 hours of sleep, I was feeling so much better than before
2266. an unexpected text showing me her works in progress...


You REALLY need to look at my #2252 to get the AWESOMENESS of this JoyDare!
2267. freshly laundered sheets & jammies tonight

2/2/14 Sun
2268. the LOML bringing me breakfast in bed
2269. writing my feelings
2270. loosing myself in a mystery

2/3/14 Mon
2271. burnt toast and laughing w/my daughter about how a certain grandma does that w/regularity
2272. singing songs
Singing to the Sesame Street theme song
2273. 21 degrees sounded warm
The jammies were exchanged for Cuddle Duds, sweats, etc...
and I was out the back door to take a look at "My Father's World"

2/4/14 Tues
2274. a morning of reading & writing & feeling God
2275. snow falling & a tree full of junkos
2276. family safely home in the storm

2/5/14 Wed
2277. a snow day with all of us home
2278. a little me time - WOAH, DO I NEED SOME
2279. the things you do when a baby takes over your heart
books gone 
books here
2/6/14 Thurs
2280. baby swirl-head hair

2281. a hurting heart -
only happens if we've allowed ourselves to love deeply
2282. ham, peas, corn & rice - family tradition/long story :)

2/7/14 Fri
2283. getting back on track

2284. a Snow Bear breakfast

2285. preparing for a weekend experiment
how long will it stay clean?
meanwhile on another counter
 2/8/14 Sat
2286. perhaps a selfishly lazy morning
2287. turning my family into guinea pigs
Someone other than ME actually washed a few dishes!
2288. leftovers in the 'fridge so I don't have to cook!

2/9/14 Sun
MY MOM'S BIRTHDAY 2-9-29 - You do the math
2289. open spaces

2290. messy rooms

2291. old people


2/10/14 Mon
2292. dressed before noon :)
2293. following the sun & following the Son
2294. delicious tuna casserole!
TOTALLY FORGOT TO PUT TUNA IN IT!

2/11/14 Tues
2295. sitting by the fire w/A at 6am
(propane tank got filled yesterday, PTL!)
2296. lunch in the sun
Stinking cat stole my chair where I'd STARTED
to eat my lunch. 
#FellowSunWorshiper
2297. thanking God that J was okay after falling hard on the ice

2/12/14 Wed
2298. Bryan Duncan - wake up to an older recording he did (O Love That Will Not Let Me Go) & see his posts on Twitter daily - years of loving God 
2299. Christmas presents

2300. an artistic eye?
I curled up in a small ball at the foot
of the un-made bed to talk on the phone.
God's art in the sunset just outside my
window took my breath away!
2/13/14 Thurs
2301. waking up with a reminder of a great loss
& then an immediate reminder of promises KEPT by God!
Mourn Shall Tearless Be
2302. a clean great room - even if only for hours :)
2303. a smoked filled house
Dinner prep (don't ask) mandated
opening the front door & sun room door.
Big bunny tracks showed that
we'd missed a visitor
at some point today :/
2/14/14 Fri
2304. coffee, dark chocolate truffles & the perfect card
2305. sister-friends
2306. my "Go To" dish

2/15/14 Sat
2307. up early but... staying in the master bedroom until 1pm
2308. 40 minute phone conversations with my big sister - while sitting in my bathtub without water in it :)
2309. Christmas decorations which hang out around the house all year
Home Decor Tip: If you use gold tones, burgundy & sage green
in your home, some of your Christmas decorations can
hang out in plain sight all year long :)
OH, THIS PIC WAS TAKEN WHILE I WAS TALKING ON THE PHONE
IN MY BATHTUB - THAT WAS EMPTY OF WATER!
2/16/14 Sun
2310. praying for people who I see from a distance during church - wondering who might be praying for me in the same service :) God's FAMILY!!
2311. an afternoon writing, reading & resting... in bed :)
2312. fences being mended between two I love

2/17/14 Mon
2313. lavender lotion - love that smell
2314. experiment continuing
2315. fleece jammies -- brrrrrr, cold nights!

2/18/14 Tues
2316. pairing photos I've taken w/quotes & scriptures
"How beautiful it is to do nothing,
and then to rest afterwards."
~ Spanish Proverb
2317. surprise lunch with a dear, dear friend
2318. the LOML deciding to cook dinner for us

2/19/14 Wed
2319. a brilliant, sunny day with temps above freezing!
2320. laundry - lots of laundry
2321. hand-me-down clothes for A.

2/20/14 Thurs
2322. joy in SO MANY things

2323. rolling fog

2324. cheap chicken tetrazzini & the nieces over for the evening

2/21/14 Fri
2325. quiet morning of reading, writing & talking to God
and a warm cat :)
2326. loving one's self

2327. having my face rubbed by a palm the size of a walnut & with the feel of velvet

2/22/14 Sat
2328. hiding under the covers until my devotions are done :) 
2329. party & gallery opening for A & her Mommy
2330. a chaise from North Carolina for J & a squeaky rocking chair for the baby and me

2/23/14 Sun
2331. great sermon!!!
2332. a friend living in sobriety :)
2333. PapaBear's love for our little one

2/24/14 Mon
2334. safe flight for the LOML
2335. lunch with my girls
2337. adding truth to pics I've taken

2/25/14 Tues
(today began with me being violently sick in the night - flu or food poisoning, I don't know... but, it was not good!)
2338. ginger ale & oyster crackers
2339. ginger ale & oyster crackers
2340. ginger ale & oyster crackers

OKAY... let's try for something better
2338. prayers of friends
2339. a constant companion

2340. ginger ale & oyster crackers :)

2/26/14 Wed
2341. Cheerwine - instead of coffee - to kill the caffeine headache
2342. an unusually CONTENT baby this morning while DeeDee was feeling very puny!
2343. nieces who love on my girls :)

2/27/14 Thurs
I am IN IT to END IT - Are you?
2344. Clorox wipes; a washer and dryer
2345. documenting something important with a future generation girl
2346. clean sheets, clean towels, clean... almost everything
just in time for the LOML to return from 3-day business trip!

2/28/14 Fri
2347. first cup of coffee since Monday morning :)
2348. a present for A from PapaBear's business trip

2349. farm fresh eggs :)


FEBRUARY 2014 #1000Gifts #JoyDare


06 January 2014

2013 December ONE THOUSAND GIFTS #JoyDare

DECEMBER 2013 
One Thousand Gifts (by Ann Voskamp)
#1000Gifts #JoyDare


Buy book here...      

I took the 1,000 Gifts Dare for 2012...
and I'm almost done with 2013... 
GOD IS FULL OF BLESSINGS!

Today I find JOY in...
12/1/13 Sun
2081. my church family
2082. celebrating the birthday girl
21 tomorrow - seriously!!
2083. safe travels for the LOML to/from Cinci

12/2/13 Mon - K is 21!?!?!?! WOW
2084. getting to see a very LOVEY baby to start out an early day!
2085. my eye sight - what a gift
Thankful to enjoy my mom's art work!
2086. Thanksgiving left-overs = YUMMY!
12/3/13 Tues
2087. foggy walk-about

2088. help cleaning the stainless steel refrigerator
2089. it's beginning to look (a little bit) like Christmas around here

12/4/13 Wed
2090. feeling encouraged about the pending WINTER
2091. 30 minutes of shopping :)
(I hate shopping... so, I go in, get what I want... and then LEAVE!)
2092. glimmers of hope in an area which was total darkness for a long time

12/5/13 Thurs
2093. Santa's elf shopping then a late nap which lasted until about 5pm!

2094. walking away the pounds & winter blues :)
2095. live theatre!

12/6/13 Fri
2096. successfully completed Day 3 of the 7-Day Challenge! 
2097. Panera w/my long-time accountability partner & A who chatted with EVERYONE while we were there!
2098. first big snow tradition... Bonge's

12/7/13 Sat
2099. thankful for changes in the past year
2100. celebrating a WONDERFUL sister-friend

2101. less autumn & more Christmas
(working around the house)

12/8/13 Sun
2102. watching a baby wake up
2103. pre-lit Christmas trees - grrrrrr!
2104. OH MY WORD... first school program for our little GRAND, A


12/9/13 Mon
2105. back to my 7-day exercise challenge after missing Sat & Sun
2106. BFF Club - relaxed & quiet tonight - very unusual
2107. Bugles for dinner - 'tis the season where schedules get in the way from time to time!

12/10/13 Tues
2108. Cheerio's

2109. fresh evergreen from the property to decorate

2110. shadows - proof that there IS light!!

12/11/13 Wed
2111. restful night despite limited hours of sleep - I have a theory on that
2112. singing Christmas songs for the 2+ hour drive to Cinci
while this one slept peacefully

2113. new "DeeDee" in the world - my friend's daughter (a former show choir girl with my daughter) had a baby girl!!"

12/12/13 Thurs
2114. more decorating w/evergreens from out the back door

2115. feeling much better from exercising - why don't I keep this up year round?!?!?
2116. T&K helping J set up for tomorrow morning & doing chalk selfies:


12/13/13 Fri
2117. J's senior critique to prepare for her SENIOR SHOW next semester
Slab work - landscape ceramic
J's FINEST work of art yet!
2118. Lunch on Layke at AU

2119. A Christmas Carol - supporting the LOML
The wonder of a first Christmas
12/14/13 Sat
2120. relaxed morning - well for an hour or so
2122. feeding birdies outside my bedroom window :)
2123. bath time smiles

12/15/13 Sun
2124. church beside my hubby (aka the LOML)
2125. spending time shopping with T & K
2126. FINAL performance of A Christmas Carol - I get my husband back :)
(and a family tradition - photo bombs!)

12/16/13 Mon - A, 11 months old today!
2127. more organizing around the house
2128. 5 months of sleeping better - love being able to provide a safe, secure, positive environment for 2 of our favorite gals :)
2129. dinner w/family & friends who we claim as family!

12/17/13 Tues
2130. strength when I am worn out - has to be from God!
2131. safe travels
2132. pizza party & pool games w/J & T

12/18/13 Wed
2133. the LOML working from town today :)
I would prefer him working from home... but, from town is great too!
2134. finding art from when T. was 8 yrs old

2135. praying for my Stripped Love (formerly Butterflies of Hope ministry) women

12/19/13 Thurs
2136. throwing on snow boots & walking outside in my jammies to take gorgeous snow/sunrise pics

2137. fingerprinted for a Christmas present :)
2138. Christmas dishes
wanted some since I was a little girl, got them after 15+ yrs of marriage &
they make me HAPPY every time I see them :)

12/20/13 Fri
2139. checking items off the TO DO list - like a beast :)
2140. surprise present for the LOML - will it be a success
2141. big sissy in town

12/21/13 Sat
2142. another female HELPER around the house - thank you Auntie Cooah!
2143. friends of mine - a family divided!

2144. crockpot dinners = good & usually much easier

12/22/13 Sun
2145. Orchestra Sunday w/T. in town!
2146. a wiggly little girl who wanted MORE orchestra
2147. Sunday afternoon nap - much needed

12/23/13 Mon
2148. another female HELPER around the house - thank you Auntie Cooah!
DID I SAY THAT BEFORE!?!?!?!
2149. a clean master bedroom - who cares about the rest of the house - LOL!
2150. a hubby who doesn't mind picking up groceries on the way home for work

12/24/13 Tues
2151. Christmas Eve time together w/Mom & her 3 daughters
2152. the new "WOW!" look

2153. practically DONE w/wrapping presents - that is SO rare for me!

12/25/13 Wed
2154. watching A's FIRST Christmas
It's a Christmas explosion!
2155. watching A's FIRST STEPS on Christmas Day
2156. wonderful happy times with family!

12/26/13 Thurs
2157. early morning hugs and smiles when J & A returned to work/school
2158. 2 families praying for safety
2159. answered prayers - safe travels

12/27/13 Fri
2160. 4-hour nap for A. while Auntie Cooah was babysitting
2161. hair cut - don't let myself do that often
2162. the LOML - I just love that guy :)

12/28/13 Sat
2163. breakfast w/Aunt Kimmy!
2164. nice weather for shopping at Hamilton Towne Center w/A in a stroller

2165. early to bed

12/29/13 Sun
2166. early morning drive to airport - great conversation w/big sister :)
2167. church w/family - including the 11-month-old who loves to wave at ANYONE who will look at her!!
2168. MAJOR CLEANING BURST OF ENERGY - after about 2 wks of house guests

12/30/13 Mon
2167. a quiet morning - first time in a while
2168. Solomon watching A as she played w/new things from Christmas

2169. impromptu dinner w/BnK

12/31/13 Tues
2170. packing up things at "the apartment"
2171. family meal & fellowship for our New Year's Eve celebration

2172. a day that ended on actually the NEXT day :)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

DECEMBER 2013 #1000Gifts #JoyDare