It's been awhile!

It has been a full 6 months since I blogged...but I have a good reason (well, maybe not). I have officially graduated from college with 2 degrees in education and a minor in psychology. This last semester was the most trying as a lot has happened in our house since I last blogged (another post). Now, I am searching for teaching jobs and looking into starting my Master's this fall...yes I am crazy.

I have a lot to prepare for if that is something that I do, plus I have to finish my Praxis tests.

I got to looking at my resolutions from the previous post and I am not doing so well. :( I do not think I have complete or even begun any of them. That is in a way what brought me to the blog today. Due to everything that has gone on in my house in the last six months, I have gotten away from me and peace. I have really fallen away from some really important things that have previously helped me in troubling times. I have to find that again. Thus, the reason i got to looking at my resolutions.

This weekend we are going camping with some of our closest/best friends. I am also hoping that this will be a bit of a jump start for me in relaxation, peace, and finding me again. We are going to be on the lake and I know the beauty of God will be seen...I just want to slow down and take it all in.

Something else I am doing is trying to simplify my life and house. This means removing obstacles and clearing a free path to life. I am not a clutter person anyways, but I live with a couple. :) This will include getting everything out of our lives that is keeping us from being the best us. I know when fall rolls around and school begins I will be (hopefully) busy with a new classroom. Simplifying has to be a mindset and physical process.

Resolution Revelation

When it comes to resolutions I really try not to make ones that are going to make me beat myself up over if I don't meet them. They are usually practical everyday goals with a few extras mixed in. For example, last year one of them was to celebrate my 11th wedding anniversary with S and to continually remember why I fell in love with him. Obviously, I knew I would celebrate the anniversary, but I wanted to make sure to remember the joy of falling in love and the celebrate that as well. I also try to break down my resolutions by areas of my life i.e. Physical, school, financial, personal, and family. So this year to make things a little more "real" I putting them "out there". After all if you speak it then it becomes real, right? Here is goes!

Physical:

*Eat Healthier
*Exercise
*Begin Running (I need to start walking again first)
*Plan for the 2012 1/2 Marathon (this has been a goal for a while, but I haven't put forth the effort)

School:

*Continue on Current Educational Path
*Maintain Grades
*Graduate this Spring
*Decide on future career path/Masters?

Financial:

*Build Savings
*Pay Down Debt
*No over spending
*Decide on housing situation

Personal:

*Get deeper in the word of God
*Take better care of self (see physical)
*Be stronger
*create the things I love (I got a sewing machine for Christmas, so I want to begin using it)
*create routines and stick with them

Family:

*Celebrate 12th year of marriage with S
*Help kiddos to learn more responsibility
*Spend more time doing fun things...being outside
*Reduce tv time

Running is really my big one this year. I know I will graduate and I do have all the the stuff to think about with my Masters...but running has really been on my mind. I haven't really gotten a plan yet, but I know that I am not going to beat myself up!

The other really big one is the routines. I am a stickler for them, but I always seem to get off track. I need them and I have a plan for this...I just have to do them.

So, here they are and I am hoping that due to the fact that I have put them out there that they will be a reminder that the "world" is watching.

Now that I have posted mine. What are yours? Will you make any?

Faith and Gratitude with Grace

One of the MANY blogs I read is Life In Grace. I stumbled across it a while ago and fell in love. It is totally something that I didn't think I would like as it is far from anything that I am used to; however, I LOVE Edie (the author/mom, teacher, doctor, Christ-follower, wife, homemaker, etc.). She is so real with who she is and that makes me love her more.

Unfortunately, the Tuesday before Christmas their whole life changed...they lost everything in a house fire (everyone is safe and "not one hair was singed"). This broke my heart. See, she had just finished remodeling her kitchen and getting it "perfect" because they had moved into this house last summer. It was beautiful. But, the reason I am writing this isn't to highlight their pain...it is to highlight her strength. She is so amazing in her faith. Many times I have read her blog and thought, I wish I had that kind of faith in that situation or She is such a great, strong female. This tragedy that she has encountered has really highlighted how much faith she really has. Her God is forever faithful...even in the midst of a house fire and the loss of everything.
I long to have her faith. It is amazing.

The other beautiful thing that has come out of this tragedy is that the real world and the blog world has really pulled together for this family. Edie wrote that her community provided a Christmas like no other for her family in just a few days time and a house as well. The blog world provided the news so to speak so that people who "know" the family can help as they see fit. On blogger, The Nester, wrote a post devoted to her and created a beautiful video filled with the lovely photos of Edie's home and such off of her blog. The music on the video is the song Gratitude by Nichole Nordeman. It is a beautiful song and is such a sweet sediment to who Edie really is. After Edie had seen the video she wrote a post on her blog about the events that happened leading up to the fire and the days after, and it was perfect depiction of just who she is and how strong her faith is. She and her family are clinging to the faith and promises of God. The story of Job is the lesson just learned about...then a fire? How amazing! I don't know that I would have that kind of faith.

I do know that I am so weak and He is so strong. My faith is very small and while I am not trying to compare, I am also very envious that Edie has true "blind" faith. It is amazing to see. I pray for this family today as I do not know the pain they are going through, but I know that I can pray to a Father that knows why they are going through it AND He can restore it.

If you get a chance, please read this blog. It is an amazing testimony of faith in every sense of the word.