Questions to reflect on 2011

I found these great questions on a blog called (in)courage me for reflecting on 2011 and love this kind of stuff and learn a lot from taking time to do it. Here is the link to the blog:
20 Questions for a New Year's Eve Reflection (or anytime)

1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?
2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?
3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?
4. What was an unexpected obstacle?
5. Pick three words to describe 2011.
6. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe your 2011 (don’t ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you).
7. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe their 2011 (again, without asking).
8. What were the best books you read this year? 
9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?
10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?
11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?
12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?
13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?
14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?
15. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
16. What was the most challenging part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?
18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?
19. What was biggest thing you learned this past year?
20. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2011 for you.

I plan to work on these questions over the next month and share some of what I learn, please feel free to share your thoughts or learnings.  Thanks!

Loving others...

I pray every day for God to help me love others and to truly have compassion and I fail every single day. I know that God does not want me to give up on this area and that He specifically places in my life opportunities to love others.

My sinful character chooses to criticize, be annoyed, irritated and disappointed rather then see the person from the inside and just love them no matter what...character is a challenge and love is so beyond my comprehension. God loves me and I expect it and desire it and need it but I so struggle to give it, see it and dwell on it.

I tried to memorize the love chapter in 1 Corinthians and I have to admit that I completely failed and gave up, why was it so difficult? I'm pretty sure it wasn't my getting old memory but the challenge of memorizing words that I really can't grasp or live and the conviction was my barrier.

I must try again and truly meditate on each word and God's amazing, overwhelming, fantastic, perfect LOVE!

Do you love easily without hesitation or do you struggle to love?

Luke 10:27 (NIV)
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”

the rock eternal

The verse I have on my page is very important to our family. I was reminded of it this past weekend. I purchased a wall vinyl of the verse to put on our bedroom wall and procrastinated for the last six months to actually put it up. It is finally up thanks to lots of pushing and prodding from Nate. I am so glad he made us finally get it up because it encourages me every day as I walk into my room that I have the Lord, the Lord to give me perfect peace.

One of my kids asked why the verse doesn't say God in it and then we talked about other names for God - I want my kids to learn to call on God and praise Him with His various names - names of endearment that are encouragement to us.

They also asked why it says the Lord two times - my thought was that it was to remind us that it is the Lord without any doubts or hesitations and to not give any credit to anyone else. I also think God knew we need to hear things more than once to make it stick.

We claimed this verse for our marriage and placed it on our wedding cake and now it is a part of our home to continue to strive towards trust in our relationship with God.


Isaiah 26:3-4 (New International Version)

3 You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.

4 Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.

Encouragement

I have one of those flip calenders that has a little saying and a bible verse. I received it 17 years ago and I still use it and am still encouraged by it each day and each year. It is called "The Grace of Encouragement" by Charles R. Swindoll. I want to share today's with you:

Don't just get older, get better. Live realistically. Give generously. Adapt willingly. Trust fearlessly. Rejoice daily.
"Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life." Proverbs 16:31

I love this reminder and it very much encouraged me today to enjoy getting older and to enjoy my gray hair increasing!

I sure do take a long time to post

I have never been a consistent person that does things on a regular basis - this blog is a great example. This inconsistency carries over into lots of things for me. I am always full of ideas and thoughts but not so great at following it through. I did finally finish something yesterday and it went very well so I'm glad I saw that from start to finish. I think my mind has been so busy lately that I can't settle down and get particular thoughts. I woke up at 12:30pm last night and then I just layed there for about 2 hours trying to sleep until I realized it was a waste of time to lay there. I went downstairs quietly and spent time journaling in family albums. My mind was wide awake so I put it to good use and now I am still wide awake. I know it will catch up tonight but it was actually really refreshing to just sit and do something that was not on a list or required by anyone else. I also find it refreshing to wear comfortable new tennis shoes, Wii Fit free step while I watch morning news, time with God and being with my family. What do you find refreshing today?

Anger, it's so ridiculous . . .

I spent the day yesterday being very angry and it was a ridiculous waste of my day. I did not spend any time with God because I knew he would not approve of how I was acting. I seem to always know what I'm doing is wrong and that I am making a choice of disobedience. I really wish God would make me clueless and that I wouldn't realize what I'm doing. It took so much energy to be angry all day and boy did my mind have a hay day with accusations and thoughts. I took it out mostly on my husband but it spilled over onto my kids and everyone I came in contact with during the day. I may not have seemed angry but I was not wanting to give anyone my time.

I am not angry today it was too much work and there are no rewards at the end of the day - just a stomachache from the 2 doughnuts and chili cheese fritos I consumed to make me feel better. Didn't work!

Do you ever feel angry? Why do we let it consume us? Why do we not do what we know we need to do? (confusing but the only way to word it)