A Year of Living Joyously in Review

     In just a few hours, it will be a new year with new goals.  2011 I strived to live joyously.  I had every good intention to keep a daily list of things that bring me joy.  It fizzled out when I couldn't find a pen or paper.  I thought I'd remember to write it down an the end of the day.  At the end of the day, I only remembered to say a quick prayer before going off to sleep.

     I did, however, look for joy every day.  That was my goal and nothing was going to get in the way of my goal not even the numbness in my hand and arm, not even the migraines, not even the deaths of family friends, not even the recently diagnosed Lyme Disease. I found joy in it all. The joy bubbled out from knowing that in spite of the setbacks, I could still do things. I smiled because I could.  I walked because I could. James 1:2 says "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds."  I counted it all as joy.  Oh, yes, I did!  It wasn't easy. 


     These last few days I've been praying and pondering on my 2012 word.  Receive is my word.  As I read my post on Joy again, I see that God has been working on me so that I was able to open my clenched hands and feel his gift of joy this year.  And for that, I am grateful. 

Ascension Thursday Daybook

Outside My Window
It's a beautiful sunny windy day.  The temperature is in the 70's.  It's quite a difference from the last week of heat and humidity.

I am Listening
to the sound of the girls laughing while they swing.

I am so Grateful for
time with my husband. Lots of overtime lately means little time at home.

I am Reading
just the commentary from The Annotated Sense and Sensibility by David Shapard. I'm finishing up a year of reading and studying Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility with my Jane Austen book club.

I am Wearing
tan shorts and a white tee.

To Live the Liturgy
40 days since Easter!  Nine Days until Pentecost!  Tomorrow we begin the Pentecost Novena .

I am Inspired
by our veterans who fought so that we may live freely.

I am Hoping and Praying
for continued good health.
those who are facing lay offs.
for those missing loved ones right now.
for those who are sick.
for our priests.

Around the House
We're having a yard sale fundraiser in a few weeks.  I have to set aside time to go through toys we no longer use. 
From the Kitchen
Oh, the farm fresh produce!  I've been busy in the kitchen making lots of wonderful salads, rhubarb and strawberry muffins and fruit salads.
One of My Favorite Things
I just love picking up strawberries from the farm in the blue/green cardboard containers.  I just feel like I've gone back to a simpler time.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week
Drive to the last First Friday Mass of the school year, attend the JASNA luncheon and  finalize plans for the last week of school

Courage to Face Myself

Sometime the hardest thing to do is to face yourself.  Last winter, as I prepared for Lent, I asked the Lord what He wanted me to do.  "Declutter,"  I heard in my heart.  So I  embarked on a journey of what I thought would be decluttering my home that Lent.  I went through drawers, closets and shelves each day for a couple of weeks. Little by little bags were being taken to the garbage or to St. Vincent de Paul. It was a great feeling to be rid of things we no longer needed.  Then God changed courses on me unexpectedly. 

 

"I want you to declutter your heart" I heard one day.  I gulped. 

 

"Who? Me?"  I was taken aback. Silence. "I guess it is me," I thought. "What do I need to declutter?" I asked. 

 

"Pride. Envy. Vanity. Perfection. Low self-esteem.  Fear."

 

Ouch!  I was not expecting that!  If that pained me, what was it doing to Jesus?  From that moment on, I felt like I was being pruned down to a small brown stub. I learned a lot about myself.  Pride was a motivator in much of my actions.  I was being called to rethink many decisions that were made.  Were those decisions being made because God wanted me to do those things or was it because I really wanted to do those things for the praise and acclamations? 

 

The hardest moment was when I had to literally face myself in the mirror and say "It's alright to make mistakes."  Sounds simple when you aren't a prideful perfectionist.  I could hardly look at myself, let alone speak the words.  But slowly I voiced those words. The smallest sound came out of my mouth. Then I said it again. My voice was a bit stronger. I repeated those words over and over, each time getting louder.  "It's alright to make mistakes" I said through tears until I could look at myself the way that God looks at me. 

 

Freedom.  Sweet Freedom.  The tears stopped and the laughter began.  I was free.  I was finally free.  I was giddy as a school girl.

 

It's been a year now. Life changing decisions were made. I faced a lot of demons, criticism and disappointment head on. I came out on the other side stronger for it.  As Lent approached this year, I wasn't dreading it like other years.  I found that the daily gospel readings were touching my heart like no other time before.  I wasn't reading the words with my intellect.  I was reading with my heart.  

 

It takes courage to be the woman that God called me to be and not the woman that the world wants me to be.  As long as I am doing God's will, I will be able to face myself in the mirror and say with a smile, "It's alright to make mistakes." 

 

Please visit Elizabeth and others as they take Small Steps too.

Lost in the Clicking

For several years now, I've taking a break from the Internet during Lent.  By that, I mean I do not get online to read blogs, check message boards, and read the latest news.  The Internet is strictly used for checking emails, weather reports and any other site necessary to make our household run smoothly.

 

I've found this Lenten fast to be a wonderful thing for me in so many ways. 

• It has helped me to cut off my "addictions" to message boards.  The first year I did this, I returned to the message boards after Lent and I realized what a drain the boards were to me. Many were not life giving at all.  I had gotten lost in all of the politics before the fast.  I could hardly believe it. 

 

• The internet fast has helped me to take inventory on my life. I have more time to read spititual books and to seek answers to questions I pose to myself.  What am I doing in my life that is right?  What needs to be corrected?  Where does this time all fit into God's plan for me? 

 

• It helps me to prioritize again what is wasting my time. I've found that one link leads to another and so on.  I often get lost in the clicking. Before I know it, I've spent one hour online and never got anything accomplished online that I had planned to do.

 

• It helps me reconnect to nature.  During the winter months, it is so cold and icy that one can only be outside for a short time.  It's easier to spend time online instead of outside.  With Lent comes the hope for spring and all joy that it brings.  Yard work gets done. Soil gets turned.

 

As I write this, it sounds like giving up the Internet is really not a sacrifice but a normal course of change from one liturgical season to the next.  Perhaps it is.  I wasn't going to give up the Internet this year.  I really feel like I have a better grip on my Internet usage.  Yet, I keep sensing this is where I'm being called to sacrifice my time.  Maybe my usage isn't as low as I thought? Maybe I could do better?  God has something He wants me to learn. I need to sit and listen.

First

With Lent quickly approaching, my mind has been on what to do for Lent. What will be my Lenten sacrifice?  Do I give up my time to do something worthwhile?  Give up food? Give up money for a worthy cause?  "Lord, what do you want me to do?"

In the gospel reading from Monday, a rich man asks Jesus what he should do to be a better person.  Jesus tells him to give up all of his things and follow him.  It's made me think.  What things hold me back from following Jesus? What baggage won't allow me to get through the narrow gates? 

Those are tough questions to answer. I find a million excuses for how those "things" are important or why I need that "baggage."  Do I really want to offer those things up so that I can follow Jesus?  Do I really want to leave those bags at the gate to follow Jesus? My lips say "Yes."  My heart says, "Well, maybe, but first..."

Then I hear Jesus, again, from Sunday's gospel.  "Seek ye, first, the Kingdom of God and his rightousness."

Yet again, in today's gospel, I see the word - first.  "But many who are first will be last and the last will be first."

My heart is stirring. I need to make a holy offering this Lent.  I need to seek those things that will put me in touch with God first and not with being first in the world's eyes.  I need to discern what is holding me back from seeking God first.



The Last Day of February Daybook

Outside My Window
it is foggy and rainy.  The temperature is going to the low sixties.
I am Listening
to rain hitting the windows.

I am so Grateful for
the quiet of the early morning.  It helps me to hear God's whispers to me.

I'm Reflecting on
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
“You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement, his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
- Mark 10:21-22

I am Reading
Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen. 

I am Thinking
that sometimes I'm too focused on the goal that I forget to enjoy the journey.  I caught myself doing that yesterday and by the grace of God, I was able to change my focus to enjoy the rest of the day's journey.

I am Creating
a schedule for the month of March.  I've signed up to do short term classes/projects which are all converging at about the same time.  Add that to Confirmation preparations and everyday life and I'm feeling overwhelmed.  Schedules allow me to free my mind of worry.  All I have to do is read and act.

Education
It's been real life learning this month.  Six of the seven of us were sick.  Not much got done. It looks like that's how it's going to be for a few more days this week and next week.

Rhythm and Beauty
Ash Wednesday is next week.  I'd like to get out our Lenten books and Station of the Cross pictures this week.  I'd also like to work on some more "new" meatless meals for Fridays. 

I am Wearing
tan jeans and a navy turtleneck.

To Live the Liturgy
I've been incorporating the gospel readings with Lectio Divina.  It seems to mesh together nicely for me. I'm thinking about making journal entries out of it so I can look back on the year and see how God is working.

I am Inspired
by stories of people thinking they are helping the poor when in fact the poor are helping them.  God is so good. All the time.

I am Hoping and Praying
for continued good health.
those who are facing lay offs.
for those missing loved ones right now.
for those who are sick with the flu and other winter illnesses.
for our priests.

Around the House
Not much got done with a house full of sick people in February. There is a lot of catch up work to get done around here. 
From the Kitchen
I'm going to bake shortbread this week for my Jane Austen book club meeting.  I haven't baked shortbread since I've been married.  I think I'll bake a trial batch first.  I've got 6 quality control testers available.

One of My Favorite Things
a handwritten thank you note from my oldest after nursing her back to health. 

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week
This week and next week, I'll be spending part of my day decorating for our school's fundraiser. My husband and I have a Habitat for Humanity fundraiser to attend.  I've also signed up to join a choir for an upcoming retreat day for moms.  Our first of three practices is tonight. 

Being a Child of God

Being aware of simplicity this month is different than I thought it would be.  It's been a brutal month of colds, fevers, sore throats and ear infections with my children and my husband.  Caring for a so many sick people has made me keep things very basic just so I can get by. Things that were once so important have lost their intense meaning in my life.  On the flip side, many things that I didn't think important are now seen with fresh perspective.

I've just finished reading Brennan Manning's book, Ruthless Trust.  He reminded me that little children look at the here and now.  They don't worry about the future. They live in the moment and they enjoy the moment. That is exactly what I seek. Sometimes I spend too much time thinking about the future and remembering the past that I forget the present. 

Late afternoon yesterday and all through last night, I received the opportunity to be that little child of God and live in the here and now.  My little three year woke up from her nap screaming in pain. From the location of the pain, I soon figured it was an ear infection. The first available appointment at the doctor's office wouldn't be until Tuesday at 11:30 am. I prepared for a long night ahead. 


All thoughts of what I was planning to do were gone in an instant.  Nothing mattered but comforting my child and easing her pain.  I held my daughter and rocked her while singing songs of praise.  Finally, she fell asleep. Despite the Motrin given to help with pain management, my little girl whimpered in pain throughout the night. It's a very hard thing to listen to and know there is nothing else to be done but pray.  Pray I did.  Prayers for wisdom, healing and trust were voiced, not only for my daughter but for me.

Today I watch my three year old in a new light.  I'm trying to learn from her, to be that little child in God's eyes.  I want to run to the knees of God and stand next to Him, feeling his arms around me.  I want to be surrounded with God's other children.  I want to be free in His spirit.  I want to be the woman that God created me to be.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

- Matthew 19:4



Simplicity in Prayer

Last week and this week, my family has been hit hard with fevers and coughs.  My prayer time routine is out of sync.  It's hard to pray early in the morning when I've been up several times a night helping a sick child or comforting one with a bad dream.  These sleepless nights remind me of when my three middle girls were babies.  My oldest was just two years old. Life was filled with hour and a half feedings followed by an hour and a half of time to clean up, diapering, preparing for the next meal and taking care of my two year old's needs.  Prayer time seemed so scarce, at least prayer time in the traditional sense.  It was a hard adjustment for me. 

 

One evening, I began to read Abandonment to Divine Providence by Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade.  It changed the way I viewed my prayer time in the midst of raising a family.  I was being called to practice "the sacrament of the present moment."  I was to be in the here and now with my toddler and babies and offer it as prayer.  So every diaper I changed became a prayer.  Every middle of the night feeding became a prayer.  Every wake up call because of bad dreams or a fever became a prayer.  It was something easy to do and I felt so much more connected to God.  As the girls got older and I was able to get in the traditional times of prayer much easier, I forgot the "sacrament of the present moment."   My eyes didn't see God in everything that was around me.

 

These last two weeks have reminded me of those early days of motherhood.  My two year old is now eleven years old.  My middled three are nine years old. They now have a three year old sister.  I've felt the call again to really be in the here and now with my family and with God. I'm being shown how I am to become rooted in prayer throughout the day by making my life a prayer.     

 

 

Come, all you simple souls those without piety, grand talents, or lessons learned.

Come, all you who understand nothing of spiritual terms, who are filled with amazement at the eloquence of the learned.

Come, and I will teach you the secret, unreachable by those brilliant scholars-the secret of perfection.

You will find this perfection within you, above you, below you, with every step you take.

Then you will be united with God, hand in hand you will walk.

Come, not to study the map of spiritual terrain, but to possess it for yourself; To walk about in it without fear of going astray.

Why learn the theory of Divine Grace, and what it has been doing throughout the ages, when you can become and be the very instrument of its operation?

Come, not to discuss the words of others, but to listen…For in the sacredness of every moment
Divine Grace is telling you alone all that is required.

 

-Jean-Pierre de Caussade

Simply Complex

I have a love/hate relationship with this word.  When I was single, it was so easy to live a life a simplicity - debt free living, giving back to the community and working as a teacher in a non-profit school. I was only making decisions for myself that were accountable to God.  I furnished my condo sparsely and ate simple meals.  My big splurge each month was going out after our young adult prayer meeting.  Life was simple and beautiful.

When I met my husband, we shared the same values.  It was so refreshing.  We married.  Then the simpleness of our lives changed.  We had children.  I tried to keep things simple.  Really, I did. Voices echoed in my head. "But you need the Diaper Genie."  "You have to have the wipe warmer for those cold nights."  "You don't want the Euro Glider XL92?"  I didn't want/need any of those things. People thought otherwise and lovingly bestowed baby equipment, clothes, etc. upon our simple home. Often, the items were unsolicited. I ended up making Goodwill runs to empty out our basement.  Life was now complex and beautiful.

My babies are no longer babies. I'm no longer making decisions for myself.  My husband and I are making decisions for our family. We feel stronger than ever that we are accountable to God.  We're striving for simplicity in this complex world of school, meetings and sports.  We're saying "No" to things that are good things but things that make life a bit more complex, a bit more stressful because we're trying to fit it in our schedule. This is why I hate simplicity as much as I love it.  I have to work hard at yet another thing - being simple. I have to continually declutter my life, home, calendar and free time, in order to have simplicity.  

Through it all, I'm seeing the fruit of this constant cleansing.  As I continue to say "No" to unnecessary but good things, I'm finding that I'm able to hear God's voice clearer. I'm able to now say "Yes" to where God is calling me to be in my prayer life and where He wants my family to be.  Life is simply complex and beautiful.

Simplicity Today

                               

This month I'm taking small steps in simplicity. I had a wonderfully long post on Simplicity Today and the computer froze up while in "saving" mode.  When I returned to the post, it was gone. What was supposed to be simple has become complex.  That's no surprise here.  However, in my quest for keeping things simple, I will not try to rewrite the post.  I'd like to go spend some time with my children who are home from school due to the ice storm.


The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest. - Thomas Moore



Rejoicing in Hope

Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.
- Romans 12:12

This past weekend, my husband and I went on retreat.  We try to go once a year. The grandparents enjoy spending the weekend with the grandchildren.  The grandchildren enjoy spending the weekend at their grandparents. We enjoy spending time with God, both alone and as a couple.   However, I always feel like the week before the retreat or the weekend getaway is always a trying one.  This past week was no exception with all the snow, meetings to attend and errands to be done.  Add to that the prep work and packing and I was slowly losing that joy.

Rejoice in hope...

Last Tuesday, it snowed.  Roads were a mess.  I made a list of all the things that had to be done for the upcoming weekend.  I also made a list for all the things that had to be done for the March for Life on the Monday after the retreat.  I had to do as much as I could since we'd be getting home on Sunday afternoon.  It left us a short amount of time to pack.
I did the laundry and the older children packed their own bags.  I packed the bags of our three year old. 

Rejoice in hope...

On Wednesday, I had to prepare for a book club meeting.  I packed medicines.  I've learned the hard way that it is necessary to gather cough/cold/fever medicines.  The time you don't pack them, is the time that they will be needed at 3 am.  I filled out  an emergency authorization paper and gathered the insurance cards. 

Rejoice in hope...

On Thursday I made cranberry muffins and brownies for the children to bring to their grandparents.  I made extra for the book club meeting that night.  I also packed extra food so my parents weren't eaten out of their home. 

Rejoice in hope...

On Friday morning, we awoke to snow on the ground.  I packed my bag and went over the list several times. By 2:15 pm, the car was packed with sleeping bags, pillows, back packs, bags of food, art supplies, books, DVDs, and medicines.  We were ready to go to my parents' home. 

After making sure everyone was settled, I headed back home.  I could now really start to think about my time with God and my husband for the next few days.  I turned on the Christian rock station. The tension from the drive up started to melt away. The music had me tapping my hands on the steering wheel.  I turned up the volume and sang. 

Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na
Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na

Waves of mercy, waves of grace

Everywhere I look, I see your face
Your love has captured me
Oh, my God, this love how can it be?

I was singing and rejoicing in the hope of what this weekend would do for my relationship with God and my husband.  By the time I got home, I no longer felt tired but rather, rejuvenated, full of excitement in the hope of strengthening my love for God.  Shortly there after, my husband arrived.  We were ready to start our retreat. Together we rejoiced in the hope of  hearing what God wanted to whisper to our hearts.

The Day After the March for Life Daybook

Outside My Window
the temperature is 27 degrees and it is snowing.

I am Listening
to quiet.

I am so Grateful for
the life that God created for me to live

I'm Reflecting on
Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Romans 12:12

I am Reading
Jane and the Wandering Eye by Stephanie Barron.

I am Thinking
how wonderful it was to see so many friends at the Basilica and at the March for Life yesterday.

I am Creating
organized space in the basement, still. I can see that this is going to be an ongoing project. I think I'll make it a goal to finish by October.

Education
Our focus this week is on Washington, D.C. and pro-life issues.

Rhythm and Beauty
The busyness of preparing for a weekend away with my Vince immediately followed by the March for Life has left the kitchen and mudroom in a bit in disarray. I anticipate that the next few weeks should be much slower.

I am Wearing
jeans with a white turtleneck and red sweater.

To Live the Liturgy
I'm coming to the conclusion that some days the Mass readings will have to be sufficient enough for me.

I am Inspired
by all the high school students, college students, the various orders of priests and the various orders of sisters who marched to Capitol Hill. They've inspired me to keep raising my daughters with a strong moral compass in spite of the world's influence.

I am Hoping and Praying
for continued good health.
those who are facing lay offs.
for those missing loved ones right now.
for those who are sick with the flu and other winter illnesses.
for our priests.

Around the House
I've been keeping up with the weekly work better than in the past. I'm finding that I'm gaining more free time this way.

From the Kitchen
I did bake cranberry muffins and brownies. They're gone now.

One of My Favorite Things
Receiving hugs and "Thanks, Mom" after our trip to D.C.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week
After a long weekend away, this is a week to catch up on laundry and cleaning. Not much else is scheduled.

A Year of Living Joyously - One Small Step at a Time

January was off to a good start. Lots of joy flowing through the day. I was loving it. I was just basking in the glow of Christmas joy. Wham! Out of nowhere, I was hit with news that took me off guard. I felt anger at the situation; at the person who caused it. Then I caught myself.

It's not that I can't feel anger. Anger is an emotion that we all feel at times. It was how I was brooding over the situation and getting myself worked up. I was losing the joy.

Elizabeth Scalia's blog had a quote today by St. Francis De Sales that spoke to the heart of what put me in a turmoil.

To persevere in the devout life it is a matter of deciding upon some excellent and generous maxims, with the right intention. The first I would suggest to you is that of Saint Paul, “All turns out well for those who love God.” [cf. Rom 8:28] If we agree that God can and does draw good out of evil, will He not do that especially for those who give themselves to Him without reserve? Even our very sins (from which may God preserve us!) are destined by Providence for the good of those who serve God. If David had not sinned, he would not have learned his deep sense of humility! … (Letters 1420; O. XVIII, p. 209)

When I'm angry, I'm close-fisted, close minded and frankly, quite ugly. I'm most struck by this part of the quote - If we agree that God can and does draw good out of evil, will He not do that especially for those who give themselves to Him without reserve? So the question that I ask myself is "How can I give without reserve if my hands and mind are closed to God's workings?" It's no easy task. Life is hard and messy and full of upsetments. I've got to work on finding the joy in all kinds of settings.

I'm making a conscience decision to live my goal of joy in 2011. I'm using Small Steps for Catholic Moms to jumpstart my year. It's one of my favorite daily reading books. Each month, a virtue is focused on. For January, it is Joy. Each day has three sections: think, pray, act. Think has a quote from the Bible, a saint or other well known Catholic is listed at the top of the page. Pray has a short prayer related to the quote. Act has something for you which relates to the quote and prayer.

I'd like to have 365 moments of joy by the end of the year. Here are my first 18 moments of joy are:

1. Faces smiling at me through the kitchen window just as snowballs are released

2. Gleeful sounds coming from the bedrooms when a 2 hour snow delay is announced

3. Holding the hand of a three year old bundled up in a fuchsia hooded coat as we walk through the park on a cold winter day

4. Three sprigs of Douglas fir in a mini vases sitting on the kitchen window sill reminding me of Christmas though it is well over

5. Watching my children try to stay up to midnight on New Year's Eve as they try to hold back yawns and drooping eyes

6. Hearing my three year old say, "I love you, Mom. You're my best friend."

7. Having my 11 yr. old daughter who never seems to need me anymore ask, "Can you rub my back? My muscles are sore."

8. Having a long weekend with my family.

9. Finding out the next day after the long weekend that school is cancelled.

10.Seeing my husband and daughter return from the ER

12.Hearing how my husband drove to Dairy Queen on a snowy Monday night in January to get my all-fixed-up daughter a "Blizzard" to ease the memory of the ER

13.Seeing a second Blizzard for me to enjoy with my daughter while we chat over the whole ER episode

14. Speaking with a family member who is going through a tough time and knowing that they see the hand of God in it

15.Dreaming about gardening and joining a Community Supported Agriculture(CSA)

16.Seeing my big girls dress up my little girl as a ballerina and watching that ballerina twirl and twirl and twirl

17.Sounds of little girl feet padding across the hall to say goodnight to the big sisters

18. Listening to the voices of the girls reading something funny out loud to one another

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Daybook

Outside My Window
there is a fresh coat of snow. We've had snow on Friday morning and then again Saturday morning.

I am Listening
to quiet.

I am so Grateful for
an officially completed remodeled bathroom. The upstairs bathroom was gutted out and new wallboard, tub, toilet, floor, sink and cabinets were put in. It took three years of working on it when we had time on vacations and the summer. Spring, fall and winter we were too busy with the girls' weekend activities. Taking this long also helped us to get what we wanted without being in debt.

I'm Reflecting on
Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Romans 12:12

I am Reading
Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels. Lots of interesting things in there about natural foods and processed foods.

I am Thinking
how short life is and how important we do things that bring us joy.

I am Creating
organized space in the basement, still. I spent this past week going through the Christmas things. I plan to go through on shelf at a time for the next few weeks and sort through everything.

Education
We're working on Mm and starting to write letters. Lots of questions are being asked about how to spell words.

Rhythm and Beauty
We're soaking in the peace and calm that snow brings to our home. Yes, inside, it can get loud with the running and laughing but we are all home together. That togetherness brings its own sort of peace and calm.

I am Wearing
jeans with a white buttoned down shirt and navy blue sweater.

To Live the Liturgy
I've been slacking again with the Liturgy of the Hours. I let my Advent reading trump the Hours. Not so good.

I am Inspired
by those who give of themselves in spite of being in harm's way. They are my heroes.

I am Hoping and Praying
for continued good health.
those who are facing lay offs.
for those missing loved ones right now.
for those who are sick with the flu and other winter illnesses.

Around the House
I've been working hard at keeping up with the house since Christmas. I'm finding that putting things away when we're done is half the battle.

From the Kitchen
I still have to do menu planning this week. I should just do one for the month. I really do drag my feet on this. Today the Eagles and Packers play in the first round of playoffs. We'll watch the game and eat stadium food and some veg. and dip for dinner.

One of My Favorite Things
I'm always calling Clare by her sister's name when it's just the two of us. I was apologizing about that. Clare replied, "It's ok, Mom. We all have lots of names."

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week
I have to finish working on my game plan for this year. I'm looking at goals for health, home, hobbies, spirituality, and family life.

What Does "Take Care of Yourself" Mean?

I was recently asked this question. For me, "Take care of yourself" translates into "Love yourself." By that, I mean love yourself as you love your family and friends. 2010 was a long journey of courage. One of the lessons I learned from that journey was to have the courage to love myself. I give so much time, energy and love to others but skimp on things when it comes to myself.

How does one love themself if they don't know how?

I made a list of needs vs. wants to figure out how to take care of me. I have to make sure that I take time for personal prayer in the morning. I "need" that to function properly. I'm also working on eating a bit more healthy and taking vitamins. Exercise is important as well. I respond well to anything outdoors especially cold winter walks. I find them refreshing and uplifting. Often, if I'm by myself, I use this time as additional prayer.

Another need is quiet time in the afternoon for me to recharge. I'm an introvert by nature so spending time with others, especially outside the home, takes a lot of energy. If I don't recharge, I'm grumpy. I try to use that time for something that I enjoy doing like reading.

How do I make it work?

Well, I've been praying about ordering my life so that I feel like I can take care of myself. I've become more focused on how I spend my time and what brings me joy. In doing so, I have to give some things up.

What activities become excluded?

Through this journey, much of my online time has been eliminated. It freed me up to do some of the things on my list that I didn't think possible. That gives me joy.

New Year's Eve Daybook

This was written on New Year's Eve but not posted.

Outside My Window
The sun is setting. The weather today was in the 30's, a bit warmer than earlier this week.

I am Listening
to the girls play "Zim Zam." Remember that game? We have it set up in the family room.

I am so Grateful for
for our family room addition. When we opted to skip a bathroom remodel for an addition to the family room, I thought it would help with space issues. I never realized how much time we would spend in the family room. In the winter, we use it for "indoor soccer." Now, we've added Zim Zam.

I'm Reflecting on
Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:2

I am Reading
A Darcy Christmas still. We've had a week filled with activity straight into the night. Very little reading was done.

I am Thinking
I have two more days left until the older girls go back to school and Vince goes to work. It will be very quiet here.

I am Creating
organized space in the basement. I bought Rubbermaid Totes at Target. I'm ready to sort through the shelves and holiday boxes. I'd like to organize our arts and crafts area a bit more.

Education
We'll look at Epiphany this week and study a bit about winter. I think we'll read some of Jan Brett's books this week. They will tie in nicely with winter.

Rhythm and Beauty
It's nice to be relaxed around here. Monday we'll get back to a normal routine. September through December always seems like non-stop activities. I'm looking forward to slowing down with winter here.

I've enjoyed having fresh evergreens and boxwood around. I do think I'll keep them in the house longer than I was expecting.

I am Wearing
jeans and cream turtleneck.

To Live the Liturgy
I will set out some books on our Blessed Mother since tomorrow is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.

I am Inspired
to live a year of JOY! 2010 my word was COURAGE. I lived courage. I want to live joy. I want to inhale joy. I want to exhale joy. I want to be surrounded by joy.

I am Hoping and Praying
for continued good health.
those who are facing lay offs.
for those missing loved ones right now.

Around the House
Epiphany is next Thursday. I will slowly put away some of the Christmas decorations this week. I want to make a list of things that worked this week of Christmas and what didn't work.

From the Kitchen
I need to sit down again and think of menus for the next week. I'd like to use the foods from the freezer first.

One of My Favorite Things
is eating cookies and drinking hot chocolate with the family at the end of an afternoon of skating.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week
Not much is planned for the upcoming week. It's going to be a time of transitioning back to a normal schedule.