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Tears are the materials from which God weaves the brightest rainbows.Max Lucado
Dec. 31, 2006
Resolution begins with R... 
2006 was a spectacular year. I have so much to be grateful for and God worked in so many miraculous ways. Yet, most of the time I was too busy to take notice of the smaller miracles He gave me on a daily basis. Back in August I started my month of praises posts and have continued for every month since taking special notice of the big and small ways in which God met with me every day.
However, 2007 has the hope of new miracles, and blessings and personal growth in God and here are just a few of the ways that I hope to grow and experience God in a more personal way.
1) Rediscover - I want to rediscover the wonder and awe of God. Did you ever notice how everything awes children, from a tiny bug on a leaf to a gorgeous sunset. Everything is new to them and they take joy in it. In November I had the pleasure of attending a women's retreat. I rod in a bus with just three other women and our youth pastor. There was one woman in particular. She is about 10 years older than me I would guess but newer in Christ. She just noticed the spectacular sunset on our ride in such an excited manner that you couldn't help but enjoy it even more. I want to rediscover that wonder and be contagious in sharing it with my children and anyone else who will listen.
2) Re-examine - I plan to re-examine my priorities and prayerfully consider what is most important. What is it that God has called me to first, second, third and so on. First, he has called me to a closer relationship with Him. I can only accomplish that through daily reading and meditation of His word, and talking to Him. I usually keep an open line of communication open with God. I talk to Him several times throughout the day. You know...Oh thank you God for that beautiful sunset...God I can't handle this please help me...I'm so tired, Lord, please give me strength...yet I fail to spend a set apart time of quality conversation with Him. Conversation is a two way street we need to pray and then sit back and listen for Him to speak to us. You can read one of my conversations with God from an earlier post where I first started putting this into practice but haven't been very faithful at it.
3) Romance - The second priority God has put into my life is my husband and my marriage. Therefore, I plan to find ways to romance him more often. Neglect of my husband is probably one of my biggest failures. It is truly one area in which I know God wants me to be more attentive yet I'm still unsure how to do that. I plan to use the 30 day challenge from Revive our Hearts as a jumping off spot and adding my own ideas as God supplies them. I've found that God usually gives the best ideas, because He knows my husband far better than even I do and He knows the secrets of His heart and just what it is that he would like from me.
4) Relish - The third priority God has given is five wonderful children ranging in age from 4 to 19. I don't know where the time has gone. I want to learn to relish each and every moment I have with my children. When they were babies that was easy. I thought my second child was going to be my last because my husband really only wanted one child to begin with. Therefore, I enjoyed the sleepless nights alone with my baby, nursing him. I spent time holding him even when he was asleep. And this went on with my third, fourth and fifth child because each one I believed to be my last. However, as they've gotten older, it's been so easy to just let them go off and do there own thing while I do mine. I plan to make special time to read aloud to them more, play games, go for walks, or even just enjoy more the times we spend working together and be less critical of the job their doing and just appreciate them for what they can and do, do willingly.
5) Reorganize - I need to reorganize my schedule to meet the everchanging needs of my family. DS15, started a hospitality program this year at a local vocational school. Trying to schedule homeschooling around his schedule has been next to impossible and has been seriously neglected. Though I have appreciated the very relaxed atmosphere of unschooling, I also recognize the need for some organized learning with my children. Therefore, I wil re-institute the "dreaded" schedule, though it will be more relaxed than in the past and we will probably school more into the summer to catch up on some things we missed.
6) Roster - While this week of vacation has been a great blessing and I've been able to get a lot cleaning caught up, I know that next week I''ll be back to driving my son to school and trying to keep a school schedule with my youngest three. Therefore, I need to create a roster of cleaning projects that need to be done so that when I have a free half-hour, or ten minutes, instead of wasting the time, I can look at the list, find a job that might fit into that time span and work on it. It will also be available as my children have spare time and need something to do besides play video games or watch movies. I'll call it my "one small square foot of cleaning chart." I actually started this in November when I was trying to get the house looking nice for the holidays. I chose one small corner to clean. It turned into a day long project because it happened to be the corner where my husband keeps all the photo albums etc. However, I loved the new look of the corner so much that I then tackled the corner where my desk and computer sit. That ended up being spread out over several days, but again was well worth the effort. So, while I don't always have time to clean a whole room, I can clean a small portion and know that God is pleased with my effort; for though my house be messy, it's really what's in my heart that's important.
7) Rest and Relax - My favorite way to relax is to take walk with God. Therefore, I hope to get back into the habit of walking three times a week, whether outside in the morning as I used to or at the gym while my older son works out and my younger ones play in the playroom. This is also when I do my best intercessory praying as well as get my best ideas from God because we are there alone with no interruptions or distractions and I can focus totally and completely on Him.
Happy New Year!
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Jan. 1, 2007 - Happy New Year 2007!
Wishing you a wonderful year filled with many blessings!
~Training Hearts Mom
Jan. 1, 2007 - thanks
 Posted by psalm518 Hi, thanks for your interest in my need for help! It's about noon my time and I have been working on things since early this morning...I went to photobucket and uploaded several pics, I tried to put the html code you gave me in the add links, but it only adds the name for my link on my blog not direct pictures and nothing shows up when you click the link. I also tried to copy and paste, upload--download, create folders and files--snacking(brain food), caffine... but nothing is working. I know I am probably making this much more difficult than it is, but at least I am staying consistant with my usually confused self. We use math u see also...great isn't it? Also an outdoor lover...trying to reorganize for the new year too...right now every closet and drawer is unloaded or uploaded into my living room...but I can't focus because I am determined to figure this blog thing out...
Jan. 4, 2007 - Hello!
Unfortunately, the Friends link doesn't work at the moment - it will be fixed as soon as the webmaster can get to it. I'm glad that my post helped you today ... trust me, it's going to be difficult to curb my "extra" spending!
Kris
Jan. 6, 2007 - Untitled Comment
 Posted by sagerats I think this is the best new years list I have ever read! It's perfect. I hope your new year is filled with peace and happiness.
Abiding in the Vine!
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Tomorrow is another day, with no mistakes
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Anne of Green
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Psalm 40:17
But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord
thinketh on me. Thou art my help and my
deliverer.
Isaiah 49:15b-16a
I will never forget you! See, I have you
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John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in
me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble. But
take heart!
I have overcome the world."
Psalm 68:19
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
Psalm 77:19b-20a
Though your footprints were not seen, you
led your people like a flock
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the Plans I have for you", declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Psalm 30:5b
Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.
2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro thoughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee
Psalm 27:14
Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord.
Psalm 139:17-18
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They are innumerable!
I can’t even count them;
They outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up in the morning,
You are still with me!
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