Remembering the Good (2010 Year of Blessing Challenge)

It would be easy to have this year go down in the record books as a “horrible year.” One where, I had to have surgery, mom not only was finishing up treatment for gallbladder cancer but was hospitalized and almost lost her life, my husband had emergency surgery and was out of work for a month. Even my daughter had 2 days in the hospital. That’s just the medical stuff. I’m not even touching the fact we almost lost the house, I didn’t get my “dream job.” Medical bills have us swamped in debt. My checklist of “bad” could go on and on.

So many times we can become consumed with all of the bad things happening around us. war, the economy, the current state of the union. How we lost out on that promotion or missed an opportunity. Consumed with illness or heartbreak. So many many things to discourage us.

I know for many of you as well 2010 has been a year of trials, heartaches and heartbreaks, lost lives, lost loves, lost jobs. So many horrible things to the point you begin to question “where are you Lord?” But it has also been a year of many blessings, and triumphs, new relationships and restored friendships. It’s life. The good happens with the bad.

As I “wrap up” the Year of Blessing Challenge and try to figure out exactly what God’s goals were for me this year, I’ve come to the conclusion the Blessing Challenge for me was just a reminder to focus on the good.

I could allow myself to be consumed by all of those bad things that happened this year. As the Lord shared with me once “you’ll drive towards what you focus on.” So If I focus on all of the heartache I might then forget the wonderful things that happened this year as well. Mom was pronounced “cancer free”, hubby started a job that has him HOME every day (first time in 14 years I’m seeing him more than 2-3 times a month.) My son got 2nd place in math contest. We had two people bless us with financial gifts to be able to pay our mortgage. I am part of a new homeschooling group we love. I was offered a writing position with a popular scrapbooking site. Things too good to get lost in the middle of all of the yuck.

As we wrap up this year, I want to challenge with what you “choose” to remember about the year. Do you want to remember the trials, the heartbreak and the pain, or the blessings that have been given to you? I challenge you to focus on your blessings of this past year. You might be amazed to see that even though you had bad things happen, when you look past the circumstances towards the outcome, that God was there with you all along.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Christmas spirit

Nothing puts me in the Christmas mood better than shoeboxes from Operation Christmas Child. This is the 15th year our family has personally done shoeboxes and what so fun is the finding out friends have had involovement at their churches as well. The relay center our church brings boxes to is run by my friend Diane. It's great to be able to see her! (The photo here is of Diane and I as I was bringing the boxes in to be counted and processed)

This year we were blessed to be able to put together 259 shoeboxes! That's 259 children that will have a smile on their face this Christmas. 259 Children that will be able to hear about the good news of Jesus because of the geneorsity of some wonderful people.

To learn more about Operation Christmas Child <-------(click there)

The Blessing of Waiting

I always tell people I don't pray for patience. When they ask why I simply tell them "God has a way of putting you in situations that require patience then." It gets a laugh, but I'm serious. It's not that I don't need patience....I know we could all use a wonderful dose of it (especially me.) Patience just normally requires waiting, and I don't like to do that. It seems like you have to WAIT to find so many things in life. Wait to grow up, wait to find the right mate, wait for Christimas, wait for a baby to be born (no I'm not pregnant : ) wait in line, wait for a sale, "wait till your father gets home"(...lol) or the big one for me lately "Wait on the Lord"

I'm in a time of transition for several things in my life at the moment. I've had quite a few doors shut for me this year due to the economy and other reasons and nothing really ready to take it's place. Life though has left me a bit exhausted, in the midst of these close doors, I've had loved ones deal with everything from gallbladder cancer to breast cancer, gallbladder surgery to appendicitis, and even a case of watermelon stomach (yes it's a condition and I know you will google it ;) Being a chief caregiver and encourager while dealing with a family, and schooling, and work really wore me out. I've been so exhausted I haven't really looked for any doors to open or even windows to climb through instead. So I decided (well kinda self forced) to wait till something just seems right.

It's funny, I'm finding fewer deadlines leaves me more time to do the fun stuff, (and the not so fun.) I've been playing catch up on much needed sleep, and chores and all that other stuff that seems to pile up when life goes full speed ahead. Most importantly I am finding waiting is a time of rest.

In Isaiah we are told

But they that wait upon the Lord, shall renew (their) strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; (and) they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

Something struck me as I read that verse today. It was the word renew. As I told you before "waiting " is normally something I don't do very well. But life has kinda forced me to wait. I'm finding as I wait, I have more time. More time to rest, time to get things done, fewer "deadlines" that have to be done. I'm much more relaxed because of it. After reading that verse today I suddenly looked at waiting on the Lord much differently. Instead of a time of impatience and and doing nothing and for me rushing into whatever is there because of being bored cause "nothing's happening"and feeling the need to "do something....anything!" I looked at it as a time of renewal. I pictured God recharging my batteries. Renewing my strength, to be able to run with the next task he has for me.

Waiting took on a whole new meaning. If waiting means renewed energy, renewed passion, renewed strength, I might just want some of that for the next task the Lord has prepared for me; especially if I want to "run and not grow weary" and "walk and not faint." Waiting allows God to prepare my heart, mind, spirit, and body for what He has in store for me next.

What about you? Are you in a season of "wait." Instead of trying to rush on through the "wait" relax and enjoy it. Allow yourself to rest in this time. God will need you to run soon enough and you want to be ready for it!

The Blessing Challenge

This month our challenge is to focus on the blessing of "waiting" and those wonderful things we learn while needing to be patient. Patient with others, patient with God, patient with ourselves. What have you learned by waiting? Or maybe you are in a season of "wait" what are your hopes during this time? How are spending your time waiting? We would love to see what you come up with for your Blessing Challenge album.

For more on the Blessing Challenge visit Faithfully Yours

Going around the "bend"

I love it when worlds collide! When MemoryWorks (a direct sales company I work with) started selling Fiskars products I was so excited. Since I love my fiskars tools (and even demoed for them for a couple of years) it was a fabulous match. One of the biggest questions I got was "is there a way to go around the corner with the border punches?" the answer is YUP...and Teamworks leader Lacey Igo "cornered me" (hee hee ;) to post a simple tutorial on it... enjoy!

Around the Bend