Counting Our Blessings - Link Up

Happy Tuesday! It's that wonderful time to link up and bask in the blessings we've been given this week.

I've had a more productive week this week and have been working toward goals but also working on things I enjoy (which is part of my goals, too). I'm continuing to work on my Power Sheets that I showed you a couple weeks ago. I thought I would be done by now, but it's been more complex for me than I imagined and so, instead of pushing through, just to push through, I've been really thinking about each and every question on them. I'm really learning a lot and able to really focus on my goals for this year.

6. One thing I'm really enjoying is decorating a bit more in my home again. The last two years were very difficult for me and I did very little holiday/seasonal decorating. This is something I just love doing and look forward to so being able to do a bit of this again is such a blessing! Here is my tree all decorated for Valentines!

This is quite a close-up view but I wanted you to see the lovely ornaments I found at Michael's! They are red glitter and really sparkle on the tree. We're so enjoying having the tree up!

7. Another thing I've been doing is more cross stitch. I have been wanting to work on a bigger project along with my smalls I'm doing. I was going through my projects and found the sampler I started for my youngest son's birth announcement years ago. Okay...he's 24 years old so, yes, I'm a bit behind in getting this done! Hahaha! However, it's better late than never! So, this project is one I'm putting at the top of my list to work on and here's where I am so far.

Isn't it just adorable? There are so many thread changes that it's going to take me a while but it's going to be gorgeous when I'm done. I worked on it for hours on Sunday and there's not a lot of difference in how it's looking now but, little by little, it will be done.

What are your blessings for this week? Please link up and share!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Blessings - Julie

Plans and Changes

Can you believe it's almost the end of 2015? It's been an interesting year for me and I've learned a lot about myself and I'm also so thankful for a year without ton's of doctor appointments and surgeries! lol I think I've gotten stronger each day, and although I still have lingering health issues, I'm better and I'm so thankful for this!

I'm working on my plans for 2016. One thing I'm going to be doing is being more consistent here on the blog with personal posts. I missed sharing more often on my blog when I was doing school and I'm so thankful that I'll have more time to devote to my blog.

I'm also working on these worksheets.

These are the PowerSheets by Lara Casey and they are amazing for getting right to the heart of your goals! (You can click on the picture and it will take you to her website where you can learn more about these. I'm not getting anything from this - just sharing something I think is really cool!)  They really have opened my eyes to who I am and what I want.

I'm also working on my planners and planning out my days as much as possible. I'll share picture of my planners soon. There is a whole society of us planner girls...who knew? Girls like me who love paper, pens and all that wonderful stuff.

My writing is high on my list of what I want to do in 2016. I am so excited to finally be working on getting my story on paper. I have one thing I'm working on that's almost finished and it's so exciting to work on things I enjoy again. Along with my cross stitch and quilting, I have a full list of things I want to do!

My health is high on his list, too. I have put off taking care of my health for so long and now it's time to take care of myself. My sister has given me encouragement and motivation for this and I'm so thankful. It helps so much to have a person who understands and wants to encourage me!

What are your plans for 2016? Do you plan ahead or make resolutions or goals? Do you have a word for 2016? I don't have one yet...I have done that for the past 2 years and I'm having a hard time figuring out what my word should be this year. I'm praying about it and I know God will guide me in this! It's exciting planning for the future, isn't it?

Blessings - Julie

It's Been a Whirl-Wind!

My goodness. It's been a whirl-wind few months! I'm sure you've noticed the personal posts have been far and few between. There has been a reason for that but I didn't want to really share until I knew how it was all going to go.

I've been in university! I have never been to college and it was a desire of mine to go someday. I decided last Spring that if my health would allow it, I would submit my application and go in the Fall. I submitted my application and was accepted into Liberty University! My major is Biblical/Theological studies and wow - what a ride! I learned so much about myself doing this and, although it was probably too soon after my difficult year to do this, I did really well and I'm very happy about my experience. I took 4 classes (or 12 credits) and I have a 4.0 grade average (which still amazes me - lol) and I was able to keep up with everything.

Here's what I learned about myself.

• I'm not as dumb as I always think I am. 
• I know more about the Bible than I realized. 
• God is truly calling me to write as I was given so much positive feedback in this area from all my professors. 
• I have more confidence in myself and my goals. 
• I'm stronger than I thought. 

I'm now taking a break. I'm taking this semester off to rest and to pursue my writing and art. I am so excited about working on these things! When I was in school, there was no time for anything but school work. I read hundreds of pages a week and wrote many essays. Lots of research has to be done and it all takes a lot of time. Add to this the books I read and review and I was constantly reading or writing reports of some type. Of course, I love reading and reviewing books so that was a real treat during all this school work! In future to have this time to pursue these other things is such a blessing and I'm really looking forward to it!

Here's my first little project. I like to make an ornament for my hubby and sons and here's the one I made for my youngest son.

I'm going to stitch his name above the deer. It actually had a little bird sitting on it's head, but I wasn't crazy about it. I like the idea of his name better. This pattern is from a British cross stitch magazine called "Enjoy Cross Stitch". This magazine always comes with a little kit of items to cross stitch and this is one of those projects. I love this magazine and have quite a few of them. The other two ornaments will be from this issue, too. Everything to complete the ornament is there so it makes it so easy peasy! I love the little face on this deer and the other ornaments are just as cute as this one. I'll share pics when I get them stitched.

Our Christmas season has been pretty low key. My oldest son brought home a horrible virus from work and he went through two bouts of it and so did I. He was much sicker than I was but, even so, it was horrible. We do have our tree up but that's about it. All my many decorations won't make it out this year, but that's okay. It's about Jesus and family, for me anyway, so I'm blessed in that area! I pray you are, too!

Blessings - Julie

Christmas Pictures & New Year Goals

This is Holly all dressed up for Christmas! Doesn't she look adorable?  She had a great day on Christmas - getting lots of attention - which she loves!

Here's a couple more pictures from the day.  My youngest son, with our pink, little tree in the background.  lol  Here he is with one of his favorite gifts - a Denver Bronco cup. 

Here's a picture of my guys after all the presents being opened.  The pug belongs to my oldest son and the poodle to my youngest son.  Everyone looks good here!

Here is my very special Christmas gift I got from my family.  It's a large picture and it has my favorite hymn on it - "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" and birds on it.  My other favorite.  I cried when I saw this! So beautiful!

We went to Christmas Eve services on Saturday and when we got home, I popped in some appetizers for us to nibble on.  We had homemade twice stuffed baked potatoes that I put together the day before, some quiche and shrimp nibbles from Costco.  It was so nice just to relax.  We opened one gift on Christmas Eve, which is our tradition.  Then we watched Christmas movies and just enjoyed our evening.  The service at our church was so wonderful and one of the best Christmas Eve services we've been to in a long time.  The focus was on the One that Christmas is all about and the music was amazing!  I saw so many of my friends and was just totally blessed!

Christmas morning, I put in a ham, made cheesy potatoes and green bean casserole.  We opened our gifts then watched, "Christmas Vacation" together.  Such a lovely, low-keyed day! 

The only down-side to our Christmas was my stupidity in bending over and twisting, "because I'm feeling better and I can."  Can I get a big "DUH" here?  When will I learn to take care with myself?  I've been having the back pain again and called today to schedule another back injection.  I'm so mad at myself because I really had been having days of no pain at all and now I'm in serious pain again.  I am not going to allow it to get me down, though, and am focusing on other things.

One thing I'm working on are my New Year goals.  One of those goals is to write on my blog more consistently and bring you more information.  I also will be finishing up my book and starting on a new project I've been thinking about for quite some time.  I also am going to be working on eating healthier and taking better care of myself.  I get excited about setting goals - how about you?

I hope your Christmas was just as blessed as mine was! How amazing that the Lord would send his Son to be born here on earth so that He could be our Savior and die for our sins.  My heart can barely take this in because it's such an amazing thing!  We have such an amazing God!

God bless you - Julie 

I Believe

I believe that the Lord has a purpose in all that I have been dealing with over the past few months.  I believe that He still sits on his throne and that His ways are better than my ways. Yes, I believe.

I will not sit here, though, and tell you that every day I have believed this or had a sun-shiny smile on my face.  I've had many, many days where all I could do was just sit and exist. I felt very guilty and bad about these days, but now I'm realizing that this is just how it is when you are a human being and your world is suddenly turned upside down.  It's okay to grieve, it's okay to have those down days.  (However, let me state here that if you are having depression that just won't go away, please seek professional help!)

I've had to live with MYSELF for the past few months.  Funny how that can be rather disconcerting. *smile*  I kept busy before my injury and really didn't think too much about myself or what my dreams were any more. In fact, I realized some of the things I had done before to stay in touch with myself, I had left by the wayside for some reason. Have I felt that I no longer deserved to have dreams? Did I lose hope in m dreams?  I'm not sure but I am taking steps to change my thinking and my habits.

One thing I used to do religiously (so to speak) was to write out a list of goals and make a plan.  I haven't done that for years, literally.  I was reminded of this when my oldest son was talking about his goals that he has written out and how he has been able to mark some of them off because he accomplished them! That's the beauty of writing them down and visually seeing them...you actually work toward them.

So, now I'm on a mission.  A mission to write out my goals, to start thinking differently, and to start talking differently.  I'm in the process of reading some books about thinking in a more positive way, believing that God does indeed have a plan for my life, and starting a sheet of goals. Do you know why?  It's because even though my life is different now it doesn't mean I can't have goals and a productive and happy life right where I am.

I am believing that the Lord has a plan for me...I believe that where I am was sifted through the Lord's hands first....I believe that the Lord wants me to grow and be refined through this...I believe that He is with me....I believe.

For I know the plans I have for you, delcares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  - Jeremiah 29:11-13

Blessings - Julie

Goals & Plans

I keep forgetting to do things...it's been rather a constant for the past year.  I really do not like being this way at all.  I was always a planner and tried to keep myself as organized as possible.  I made lists, kept a strict calendar and, at one point, even scheduled myself and my children down to the quarter hour increments! I loved it, actually, and always seemed to not only get everything done that needed to get done, but I had extra time to do the things I enjoyed!  That has all gone by the wayside and now I find that I waste tremendous amounts of times just doing nothing.  Not only that, I forget to do the things that need to get done.

I think this all started because this last year has been so difficult for me.  First my MIL moved into our home and she has never stopped being difficult.  My son hurt his back, I hurt my back, and now my knees are shot. Add in all the sickness that has run rampant through our house, the loss of my beloved poodle, Tammy Lou, and the fact that I'm practically housebound, and you've got a horrible mix that threatens my total well-being.

When I could still do things, it was a bit better.  I was involved at my church, not only working in the office, but was leading a Bible study, which was just a total blessing to me.  After I hurt my back, I was in so much pain, nothing mattered but getting rid of the pain.  As that has subsided, it's been better, but my back and knees are still in so much pain, I find I have days where I can only sit and read or play my computer game, or just watch TV.  I don't even read like I normally would.  I'm not writing, except for this blog, and I think that's because I can pour my heart out here and feel some love back from my readers and friends.

This has to change.  It really hit home to me when I received an email from the editor of the newsletter I write an article for reminding my I hadn't sent my article in yet for March's newsletter. *sigh* I had completely forgotten.  Worse, normally, I have so much to say, it's never hard for me to whip out an article in no time at all.  When I realized I had forgotten, though, I just felt bad I forgotten and I couldn't even imagine what I would write about.  If I had been keeping a planner, as I used to do, I would have been thinking about what to write about and already had it done and turned in.  I have this amazing opportunity to write a monthly article and then I forget! This has to stop and I have to get organized again because if I don't, I'm going to continue spiraling down into this pit that I'm in. Right now, I can still dig myself out, but if I let things go, it will just get harder.

So, starting tomorrow, I sit down, write down what I need to do, what I want to do, and make some long term goals. I'm going to have to go easy on myself (since I'm still recovering) but I need to start working towards things. I mean, for years I've longed to have the time to write the book I have in my mind.  I actually have two books in my mind and one is started - it's just a matter of working on them!

I also want to work on the vision board I decorated.  I got the idea for this from Cindy Rushton.  She uses it to put her goals and plans on so she can visually see them.  I have a bulletin board that I decorated and is all ready for me to put my things on.  It just sits there.... Silly, huh? I want to get it up so I can visualize the goals I have for myself.

I know that once I start working on things, even if it's from my recliner, I am going to feel better mentally.  Keeping my calender up to date (and actually looking at it!) will be a great start to getting organized again. Writing a things to do list for each day and working on my goals will make me feel like I'm not a burden to my family.  Lastly, working on my writing, which is a huge dream for me, will be making me feel not only happier but obedient to the Lord, who told me to write in the first place!  If I can do it physically, I would also like to do things in my house again.  This may be slow going, but if I can even do one thing every day, I will feel so much better.  I love doing things for my family and in my home and, there again, it will be a boost to me mentally.

As soon as I have some goals written down, I'm going to share them here...it will help me to stay accountable and will also be a good way for me to keep account of what I'm doing.  How about joining me and writing down your own goals and plans?  If you do already, share how you keep track of things and how you keep yourself motivated.  I would love to know!

God bless you - Julie