Who writes this stuff?

My photo
I try to keep my priorities in order: Jesus, my Andy, our children, everything else. I homeschool our boys, love to read almost all written words and have been challenged by the military life for 18 years. Right now my faulty human body is demanding a lot of attention. One day at a time, learning as much as possible every day and remembering to look for JOY when other things threaten to overwhelm.

My Blog Title Verse

"For the Lord gives wisdom. From His mouth come knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:6 NKJV
The Message translation puts it this way "God gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding."


Monday, January 04, 2010

A late welcoming

Don't you just hate it when you write a nice long post and then the computer locks up before you can press the "publish" button? I wrote this last night, and for some reason most of it doesn't seem to strike me quite as strongly today as it did then... Oh well.

I have been wondering around the world of the internet reading the goals people have set for the new year. The challenges that my friends and family have signed up for.

I was thinking mostly happy thoughts about the challenges I signed up for last year.
The reading challenge, I think I got fairly close to completing. I didn't exactly keep track of what I read this year. I am pretty sure I didn't read a play, or go to a book event. I'm not exactly sure what counts as an essay... Other then that, I have got the list covered. I volunteered to read for story hour at the library in Hahira before we moved, thus promoting literacy. I donated a few books to the library. I read multiple genre's, tried new things, reviewed several books on my blog even.
Reading isn't a hard challenge for me to meet.
But the photography challenge, well I failed miserably at that. A picture every day!? Not even close. I didn't even get pictures of the main events several times this year. Zion's birthday and Christmas I am still waiting for other people to either E-mail me or bring me a thumb drive. I don't have a single picture of those super important days. So, I totally failed in that challenge.
But - I survived Andy's deployment, and that is always enough of a goal for me when he is gone - survive. I sold a house, moved out, and then back into a different house WITHOUT my husband (yet again). I did lots and lots of adoption paperwork - not to any end yet, but with the hope of a future still in sight. I did lots of military paperwork, hoping for something to open up for Andy's career future. I remained persistent to the point of annoyance until I got a diagnosis, and the proper medicine, which should prevent any more grande mal seizures. I finished a year of Kindergarten and have completed the first half of 1st grade as a homeschool teacher. We have a fluent reader! Success!
I have things that are still unfinished staring me in the face.
Officer Package possibilities.
Adoption choices.
School ideas for my children.

I think my goal for this year is just to be content. No matter what occurs. I had too many big dreams last year, and none of them came true. But, in all honesty, I didn't have any tragedies either. This year I am going to focus on what I have. Hope for more, but be content with what is here, now, right in front of me.
No specific challenges. No reading lists, or sewing plans, or even a coupon cutting goal. (although all of those are things that I certainly intend to do this year). I'm just going to love on my children and my husband. I'll hold out my hands, open to the sky-

If God chooses to place things in my open hands, I will gladly accept.
If He chooses to let things trickle through the fingers of my open hands, I will leave my hands held high, open. Still content.

I am blessed. I am ready. Welcome 2010.

5 comments:

Carrie said...

aw, I think this is a beautiful post and the imagery at the end is so cool! I love it! We also learned the lesson of counting chickens before they hatch. Seems God has had a theme going in our universe this year!

Karen said...

This is one of the best goals I have read for the new year...love the imagery at the end, too!

EmileeHope said...

Betsy, you rock my world!! I love you soooo much and look up to you (even though you are shorter than me!!) more than you will ever know. Although I love to tease you...I respect you so much and truly feel blessed beyond measure that you are my big sister! You nearly brought tears to my eyes at the end there...beautiful!! (And your goal is WAY harder than any of mine, but I know that is what I should be doing as well...that is what we really all should be doing!!)

Tricia said...

Contentment is such a good goal. May God give you the grace to grow in your contentment this year. Your theme fits with Emily @ http://fourgirlsonegod.blogspot.com/2010/01/one-little-word.html Check it out. You might like her site. God bless you and yours as you serve Him this year. :)

Unknown said...

I love this post! I think being content is a great resolution. Too many times we try to reach for higher goals...not that thats a bad thing, but I know I really need to "stop and smell the roses" every now and then!