A Year in Review 2013

Reflecting on the year of 2013 as we move into 2014

December
When I think about the month of December I find myself writing about a concern that tuned into a joy. On Friday, December 27 at 9:30 pm we received a text from my son stating that he had found his son Beckett not breathing. Beckett's grandfather and Renee's uncle started CPR and brought him back to life. Today, just 5 days later they are headed home from the hospital .... God is a miracle working God and I am praising Him for the life of my grandson today! You can read the rest of the story here:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/beckettbrady






November
Joy; Christmas tree cutting as a family
Concern; Kelley's health (she is doing awesome now, thank you Lord)

October
Joy; My husband's health and ability to still work part time and we get word that our littlest is getting married
Concern; healing for our entire family

September
Joy; Gratefulness for the beginning of my 7th year at Edinbrook Elementary
Concern; Part time hours and no benefits (Praise the Lord I had benefits by the end of September)

August
Joy; An anticipated first family vacation at the Grosser's cabin
Concern: Ashley's collapse and hospitalization and my health and hospitalization at Mayo (we are both doing well now, thank you Lord)

July
Joy; The celebration of Terry's birthday and the birth of Beckett the very next day!
Concern; How would the delivery of the twins go for Kelley

June
Joy; Summer off from work
Concern; Safe delivery for both Renee and Kelley

May
Joy; the ending of a good year of Real Women seeing spiritual growth in each of the women
Concern; No real concerns because God is meeting my family and I in all of our concerns

April
Joy; Ashley returns from Afghanistan
Concern; Ashley was hospitalized in Fort Worth Tx ... follow-up here now in Mpls

March
Joy; Friends who sit at hospital beds
Concern; bronchitis, pneumonia, an allergic reaction that required an epi pen and a 911 call and a day stay at Maple Grove hospital for me

February
Joy; A new year has begun
Concern; just beginning to get physically sick

January
Joy; A full month of intentions started and kept
Concern; Longer recovery than anticipated from a student-related injury

It was a full year of sitting at hospital bedsides for our family. I am praying and hoping for a healthier 2014!

"7" Day 7 and 8

Linking up here:



1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

 

So here goes not edits:

start

Fall it's what I did on day 7 of "7" I fell (past tense of fall) yesterday at Milton's when I ate chicken, bread, and water on my list of 7 but finished it off with a few bites of banana foster.
It's OK that I fell ... I gave myself permission to fall because after all it was my oldest daughter's birthday celebration.

Fall it's what I did on day 8 of "7" I fell for the dish of M&M"s as I saw my daughter Kelley reach into the bowl at Jacob's graduation open house. Mind you  ... I stuck with"7" all day and it was not until 8 pm tonight that I reached into that bowl of candy. No good reason for reaching my hand into the candy dish and of course I felt crummy for fall(ing)

Why can't I remember to pray when tempted ... remembering

"no temptation has seized me accept what is common to man yet God will provide I way of escape"

... falling into the I'm sorry please forgive me mode for thinking only about what I wanted (the banana foster and the M&M's). Now falling into forgiveness cause that's what He does when we come to Him!

stop

Hoping and praying not to fall tomorrow on day 9 ....

7 Day 3

The day started well and I was confident that it would continue to go well when low and behold ... I stopped in the staff' lounge at work.

I never have any trouble with the pastries, cookies and brownies that often make there way into the lounge but when I see this:


yep chocolate ... any kind of chocolate but today it was little Hershey miniatures and kisses I always help myself. Today I walked by this basket of chocolate 2 times resisting. But I have to say the 3rd time I saw these chocolates and when it was right after my lunch (which is a normal time I would have just a little something sweet) I caved. Yep, I ate a little bit of chocolate today!!0Z&@ ? Darn!

After lunch I got right back on 7 after slipping and falling. Next time I am tempted I am going to pray and ask God to be enough ... to be more than chocolate to me and I know He will! I know that He can be enough as I turn my heart towards Him. I don't know why I did not think to ask Him to help me resist but .... lesson learned and I will turn to Him in the future ... this 7 thing is new to me so I have a lot to learn ... I want to be patient with myself,  not too hard on myself. Tomorrow is a new day!

7 day 2

Jesus, may there be less of me and my junk food and more of You and Your kingdom.

This is what Jen says on Day 1 in her book ....

Thinking that this 7 experiment is not just about thinking I am eating better, but being drawn to the heart of God, in the midst of doing without brats, Cheetos, and desserts at the picnic today, after my daughter-in-law's baptism at Minnehaha Falls!

 

 

7 begins today June 1, 2013

In an attempt to make better choices of food for my face and to learn more about just how much food we have and are free to eat I am stepping into a month of 7 modeled after Jen Hatmaker's book 7 an experimental mutiny against excess.



I read this book last Spring and I took the month on stress seriously and began a month with 7 daily pauses. Now this summer, I am going to do a month of 7 foods.

I love that I am not in this alone. Like Jen who had her "council" I have my littlest, Ashley and my sister-in-law, Marlee doing the experiment with me so ....

My seven foods are:

1. chicken
2. eggs
3. cheese
4. gluten free white mountain bread from Byerly's
5. apples
6. romaine
7. spinach

I also made a plan for a few condiments; Almond Butter form Whole Foods, Gluten Free Braswell's of Georgia Vidalia Onion and Summer Tomato gourmet dressing from Cub Foods, and olive oil which I purchased here  http://www.vinaigrettemn.com/_o/store-location-hours.html
I picked up Italian herb vinaigrette ... yum!
I finished my shopping by stopping at Trader Joe's to pick up my cheese romaine and spinach.

I forgot to say my drinks for the  month will be:

1. water
2. tea
3. lactose-free mild

This is what I fixed for the next 3 days lunch ...

Salad in a jar ... supper healthy

 

from bottom to top:

dressing

salad slaw

onions

chicken marinated in Italian Herb oil

hard-boiled egg

cheese

spinach and romaine layered and packed in

5 of my 7 foods

Can't wait for lunch time tomorrow!

 

 

 



listen deeply

Wow I love this one by
my oldest ...

I'm growing

Another favorite from Holley and

sometimes for me

it is recovery is more important than

perfection!

love these freebies from (in)courage

Don't Make Me Come Up There ... book ... I will plan a time to go up here soon ... Prayer Cottage

Prayer Cottage in Scandia, MN



Kristin asked this question: Tell me about the last quiet moment you had …

At this site http://www.incourage.me/

This was my answer to Kristin:

I had an intentional quiet time this morning while reading Psalm 112. I then had periods of quiet throughout my school day with 26 1st graders.

There was a time when my quiet came in the middle of the night while feeding a baby, during nap time with toddlers, while homeschooling my children, or during homework time with young adults.

Now my time is ever morning before meeting with anyone I start with the word, prayer and conversation. You can check out some of those conversations at my blog.

I am not a young mother, but a grandmother now, and a women who mentors young women to intentionally plan quiet each day, each Sabbath, and by getting away with just the Lord 4 times per year at least.

Some of my quiet places are The Prayer Cottage pictured above, Kings House, Pacem in Terris, and the New Hope Church Prayer Room.

I like Kristin's question ... so tell me about the last quiet moment you had.

I am currently giving thought to these worthy questions as I determine to write my intentions for 2011 ....

1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

Take more walks.

2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

I feel as though this will be the salvation of family and friend's who do not yet know Christ.

3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

Listen more.

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

Solitude and Silence; I will intentionally get away to retreat areas for longer periods of time.

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

Watching TV; I will choose good books over TV.

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

Make disciples.

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

My family of origin.

8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make

Exercise More.

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

Listen and pray the scriptures for myself and others.

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

I plan to train up disciples to encounter and engage with Christ through the scriptures, prayer, and genuine fellowship.

Donald Whitney's 10 questions to ask at the start of the new year ...

I thought these were worthy questions to ask as I search to see what Christ would have me "intend" on being and doing in 2011.

Stay posted to this page for upcoming words regarding my 2011 intentions.

ps I had the amazing privilege of putting together my own personal vision board for 2011 at my daughter Lisa's workshop yesterday. (Lisa it is finished and I am pleased with the end result) I am certain some of the things from my vision board will be a part of my post on intentions so .... stay be sure to come back here for further thoughts ....

Ten Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year

Once, when the people of God had become careless in their relationship with Him, the Lord rebuked them through the prophet Haggai. "Consider your ways!" (Haggai 1:5) he declared, urging them to reflect on some of the things happening to them, and to evaluate their slipshod spirituality in light of what God had told them.

Even those most faithful to God occasionally need to pause and think about the direction of their lives. It's so easy to bump along from one busy week to another without ever stopping to ponder where we're going and where we should be going.

The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to stop, look up, and get our bearings. To that end, here are some questions to ask prayerfully in the presence of God.

1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

Mission ... Purpose ...

I have written several mission, purpose, statements over the years. Here is the list ....

To model God's love to family and friends and to all people in particular people with disabilities.

To communicate and encourage the importance of faith and family in youth.

To read and write to teach and to teach to read and write,

To equip, engage and encourage all students to learn.

Finally my most recent purpose statement.

I have been chosen by Christ, to reflect His beauty. I will delight in faithfully serving him with joy, grace, and humility as a woman, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. I will engage in the discipline of the scriptures, worship, prayer and intentional times of fellowship. I will love like Jesus, introduce people to Jesus and I will strengthen people in Jesus.

As you can see my last mission/purpose statement is the longest one I have written and it has been a hard week to live out this mission. The problem is that I can not put my finger on why it has been a hard week ...

Right now I am thinking that it is because this mission has been a hard one to live out and maybe I need to rethink, reflect and rewrite ....

Things I know for sure ....

I want to serve others
I want to walk especially in joy
I know that suffering comes
I know that family, friends, and fellowship are important to me
I know I want to be a reader and writer
I know I want to teach and be taught

I know this is a random post of the things on my mind today, now ...

Don't go to the streets to take Yoga go to Sigh Yoga for IntenSati

Intention .... I will write today .... I will read today .... to become a better writer I must become a better reader ....

Monday, June 21, 2010
morning pages


Ok so you may wonder what it is

I did too

Now I know

Cause I've done it

If you're wondering

You can too



IntenSati
A practice for your body, heart and mind. “Inten” derives from “intention”, and “Sati” is a Pali word which means mindfulness. IntenSati is an exhilarating workout that builds physical, mental, and spiritual muscle. Courage, confidence, willpower, enthusiasm, self-respect, and a strong, healthy body are all results of this powerful practice. And YES – it is also tremendously fun! IntenSati is about bettering both the quality of your inner dialogue and of your physical training. Calling up your power of concentration will improve your health, strength, weight, and most importantly: YOUR LIFE. It is absolute! IntenSati combines high-energy, total-body training with powerful, positive statements that you either think or speak. The goal of this practice is to enable a seamless and total integration of body and mind, allowing you to be and experience all you deeply want. You will learn to tap into the power of the present moment in order to embody –rather than just think or talk about – your BOLDEST, MOST EMPOWERED, BEST SELF. A better way of life. IntenSati will improve how you think and speak about yourself right NOW, a powerful change will follow. IntenSati moves are simple. They are a combination of exercises from aerobics, kickboxing, yoga, and dance. IntenSati is the practice of remembering that if you want to live a life you love in a body you love, you must start loving it now!


Join us at Sigh yoga
www.sighyoga.com

And for more information about intensati check out
Lisa Pederson at http://www.satilife.com

The following from the Monday edition of the star and tribune iteresting concept ... but I perfer Sigh

Yoga takes to the streets

Tom Wallace, Star Tribune

With cars and buses driving nearby, Gorilla Yogis co-founder Nan Gane Arundel needed a power boost to give instructions during the 90-minute class.

Have mat, will travel. Yoga is moving outside the studio and into some very unusual and public spaces, such as parking lots and by lakes, making it more accessible and affordable.

By SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED, Special to the Star Tribune

Last update: June 20, 2010 - 3:54 PM

School's Out! Reading, Writing, and Art are In!

June 16, 2010 Morning Pages

I am so excited to share that school is out and therefore my mornings will be filled with reading, writing and art ... most likely, more reading, than writing and art yet, I do have concrete plans for the later two.

I have already started a new book on my kindle. As I was scrolling my kindle and scoping out some books I found a book of interest. What I love about my kindle is that I can download any book and sample it before I decide to buy the book for cheap ... this book $9.99. The book A Young People's History of the World by Howard Zinn.

I find that I have a deficit in knowing history, but I know there are many ways to learn history. One of these ways, of course, is by reading. In the past, I have had a tendency, to read authors I am familiar with. This particular author I did not know, he was not recommended, yet I found myself drawn to him. I even asked my husband (a history major some years ago) if he had heard of Howard Zinn.

I learned that Zinn, through this book, choose to use some unlikely voices, to teach about history, and some of these voices, include children. I also learned, by reading the sample of the book, that Zinn would choose to tell the truth of history through his eyes and knowledge. Of intrest to me, Zinn's truth may not be in the current history books our children are reading.

A quote to close my blog with today ....

"In learning you will teach and in teaching you will learn"

What I have not yet learned, I believe I will be unable to teach. Therefore, I am looking forward to the lazy days of summer ... to be learning, through the disciplines of reading, writing and art!

May Update

I am not really sure what happened to April except that it seemed to fly by and because of this or for whatever other reason I did not follow through with my intention of blogging monthly at the very least and completely blew it! I did not blog in April ... please forgive me ... my faithful readers .... you know who you are ....

So now it is officially the 7th of May as the clock in our living room just struck midnight. I am having a night where I am unable to sleep because of burning pain in my face due to a head injury which occurred on April 15.

I am somewhat excited and yet apprehensive for the next couple of days as I practice for graduation tomorrow night and then graduate on Saturday with a party to follow and then celebrate Mother's Day on Sunday with all 5 kids.

The excitement comes from the completion of an intention for 2010 ... graduate in May with my BS in Educational Studies (a bit of a change due to the fact that I did not do my student teaching and instead took 12 additional credits, hence Educational Studies rather that Elementary ED).

The apprehension comes from the burning sensation in my face and the somewhat unsteadiness in my balance due to my injury.

All in all though it should be a great weekend of celebration ... graduation, mother's day, all my kids, (minus my son-in-law, Jacob who is unable to be with us in MN this time around) grand kids, family and friends .... it will be a weekend to remember ... more to come ....

Yep, I still Love Sundays

OK it is the last day in February and with trying to stay on track with my intentions I will post today and that will actually make it 2 posts for February. I have been journaling weekly and I have more often then not been drinking the smoothie 5 days a week. I am on track with graduation in May. In fact, I presented an art project yesterday for my art course and the presentation went extremely well. I was excited to get all the positive feedback both from my professor and classmates. I actually have the kids at EB Kidstop and EB elementary and NHC prayer team to thank as it was their drawings that I presented in class yesterday. I find I am loving art and especially enjoying teaching art to the kids and want to go on to take more art courses ... in fact, I have, as intended, registered for a course with the Maple Grove Community Education (on track for that Life Long Learning intention). It is a watercolor landscape class and Terry will be taking the class with me. I'm thrilled to be doing this with him as he has a lot of art knowledge. I have enjoyed times of having Terry read though Proverbs at the dinner table with me many evenings. As for the walking let's just say I'm slacking there with the exception of all the miles I put on at work each day running with and after kids. Fnances ... well I don't always remember to pray before spending, but I have a written account of all money being spent, which should in the long run prove to be a good tool for setting a spending plan with Terry. I plan on writing down one more month of spending and then give an account and set up a plan. Bible reading is on track and as for EX 2:2 I have been tyring to read 5 pages a day but have slipped a bit this week due to the completion of my art project. Prayer day-aways ... tried to reserve Pastor Dave' s cabin for Saturday March 6th but it is not available. I may just look at Saturday March 13th more to come on that ... and lesson plans for Kidstop they are all done for the next 2 weeks Yea! Whew I have written and now I am off to read .... In His Arms, B.

Intentions 2010

January 2010 has come and gone and now February is upon me ....

After much thought and prayer I have narrowed down some categories and intentions for 2010 and they are the following:

Intention: to have something in mind; a design; a plan

Spiritual Intentions

• Finish reading through the Bible in a year " all scripture is God-breathed, useful for training, reproofing, ...."
• Four intentional day-aways (24-48 hours) of retreat, refresh, re vie, renew through prayer
• Bible reading most days aloud with my husband Terry
• Continue to "be" a disciple and know fellowship through Ex 2:2, Real Women, HopeWatchers

Intellectual Intentions

• Graduate in May with a BS in Elementary Education
• Take a class through Maple Grove Community Education
• Always be one week ahead with Kidstop lesson plans
• Read good books often
• Continue to "be" a lifelong learner seeking wisdom from the Lord as "anyone who lacks wisdom can ask of God ..."

Emotional Intentions

• Blogging monthly
• Journaling weekly
• Continue to share my heart with the Lord and with family and friends "a friend loves at all times ...."

Physical Intentions

• Walk 1-2 mile 5 days per week
• Smoothie for breakfast 5 days per week
• Continue to be conscious of my "body being a temple of the Holy Spirit"

Financial Intentions

• Give much to many " give generously ...."
• Keep track (written down) all spending
• Hope for a spending plan written down together with Terry
• Continue to prayer before spending and know that all I have belongs to the Lord.

Most of these intentions, goals are measurable. It is my prayer and hope for 2010 that I will be able to look back monthly to these intentions and know that I am staying on track. I publish these with the intention of having others hold me accountable for personal growth because of these intentions.

Always remaining in His arms, B.

New Year 2010

Yep its true it is a new year and as of yet I have not set completely my intentions for 2010 ... having said this I am thinking and in prayer about what I want to accomplish in 2010. One reason for having not written thus far into the new year is because one intention would be to graduate in May and this is my excuse for not taking the time as of yet to write and publish intentions for 2010. My written work is school work, EX 2:2, and Real Women which is comsuming most of my present "extra" time in the day. So .... keep visiting my blog and you shall see that by the end of January 2010 I shall have my intentions for the new year posted.

January 28, 2008
morning pages

Thank you Father for the verses of focus for 2009. Thank you for confirming these in my heart!

"Teach, me, O Lord to follow every one of Your principles. Give me understanding and I will obey your law; I will put it into practice with all my heart. Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. Give me an eagerness for your decrees; Do not inflict me with love for money (selfishness)! Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through Your word. Reassure me of Your promise, which is for those who honor you. Help me abandon my shameful ways; Your laws are all I want in life. I long to obey your commandments! Renew my life with your goodness."

Psalm 119:33-40

The greatest intention I have found myself to practice so far this year is that I now have a

Time, Place, and a Plan

for both the reading of the word and prayer and it shall not be moved. And although I have not blogged regularly I have journaled daily!

Constantly remaining In His Arms, B.

Thursday January 1, 2009

I am not up for resolutions but I do like to have intentions ... so

I intend on being in the Word daily!

I intend on praying often!

I intend on writing more!

I intend on communicating well and often with friends here and in Peru!

I intend on reading what I want to read not what I have to read daily!

I intend on walking on the treadmill at least 3 times per week!

I intend on learning to cook gluten-free!

I intend on learning Spanish! (thanks to a gift from Lisa)

I intend on selecting some verses of focus from God's word for the new year! (more on this soon)

I intend on spending time in special devotionals and books that I have selected and have put aside in the kitchen where I have my quiet time!

Finding myself In His Arms again and again! B.