Day thirty-one

Day 31: pros and cons to 30 days of blogging

Pro’s
there was a good discipline in blogging everyday
having different topics to write about
by using the blogtober picture there was no stress about the time it takes to take pics, edit them and add them to posts
being inspired and challenge to improve and create
helped me to dig deeper into my thoughts, ideas and opinions
having the topic picked for each day, less pressure to come up with my own

Con’s
it was a bit stressful having to blog everyday
missed opportunities to share our lives as they happened
didn’t get to use a picture for each post
always having ideas running through my head
found it to be extremely challenging to write creatively everyday
having the topic picked for each day

Even though the number is similar for each, I think the pros out way the cons… this has been good! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

Blessings

Day thirty

Day 30: react to this term: letting go

This term scares me… I like to be in control of my life, my decisions, where I go, what I do, in fact I like total control.

I think we try to control things because of what we think might happen if we don’t. Most of us, worry, fuss, and fret far more than we need to, but the thing is I am paralyzed by the what if’s…

I think letting go ~ means giving up control.  

Having control over our lives isn’t always a bad thing. But here’s the thing ~ we need to understand that the control we want to have over our lives can only go so far. Things happen in our lives that we have no control over and we have to be able to deal with that. Trying for too much control of our lives and we could end up missing some awesome God-moments.

God knows the end from the beginning and He has good plans for you. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) "I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, “plans to proper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” No matter what you are encountering today, no matter if you are facing disappointment or heartache, rest assured that God holds you in the palm of His hand. He will not let you go. He has so many good things in store for you.

God is always by our side waiting to interact with us, intervene and create moments of opportunity for His kingdom to come in our daily lives. It’s exciting, isn’t it? Even for a control freak like me! It's not about the plans that I have for my life, but His plans.

How easy is it for those God-moments to take place in your life?

Blessings

Day twenty-nine

Day 29: five songs or pieces of music that speak to you or bring back memories. {be sure to include a video from YouTube in the post}

Let me Be the One ~ Kevin Costner & Modern West

 

While my guitar gently weeps ~ George Harrison

Waitin' on a Woman ~ Brad Paisley

 

Won't back down ~ Johnny Cash

 

Done ~ The Band Perry

 

Blessings

Day twenty-eight

 Day 28: progression of journals

As I started to gather my journals, I couldn't believe that I had so many.  Notice the variety of covers. I seem to like pink!

But then I realized that I've been journalling for over 25 years, 12 journals really isn't all that many.  Although we do need to take into account that I've been journalling blogging for 7 of those years and I haven't been overtly faithful writing in my journals. 

 

Before I put the journals away, I spent some time reading though them.  It's alot of fun to re-read my journals and even blogposts.  Seeing areas where I've grown, things I struggled with and how I managed through those difficult times.  Reading through the adventures we shared with our kids brought a warmth to my heart.   I think it's important to keep a record of our lives, whether we only write the day to day stuff or we write deeply from the heart, it's a great way to hold those memories.

Blessings

Day twenty-seven

Day 27: a letter to your readers

Dear Friends and Family who read my blog:

First off let me say thank you!  You have no idea how much I love and respect you for the support you constantly give me.

I started blogging a little more than seven years ago after I was encouraged by a dear friend to share my thoughts, ideas and opinions in an open forum. I have loved writing for most of my life and I now use blogging as an outlet to share my voice with the world.

For some reason, my thoughts from brain to paper {or computer} emerge more easily and eloquently than they do from brain to mouth. And happily I can edit myself on paper.

Over the course of the years, my blog has changed. I’ve recorded a lot about my family and the adventures we have when we’re all together. I’ve written about different things I struggle with. I‘ve shared more ideas, thoughts and opinions than I can count, and it has helped to shape me into the person I am. I gotten a deeper understanding into who God has made me, who I am and who I hope to become. And I have changed as a person in the process.

While there is no particular topic or theme I stick too, I appreciate you’re continued dedication to read as I write about my life, what I love, where I am struggling and everything else that comes to my mind. This has been my year to be authentic and I have been really trying to write from my heart.

What I am trying to say is that I appreciate you being my friends; following, reading and commenting when I write a blogpost. Your support means the world to me…

Sincerly,
Anita

Blessings

Day twenty-six

Day 26: something you read online.

There’s an on-line devotional I follow every day written by Max Lucado who has written hundreds of books. 
 
One of my favourite books is You Are Special. It is a beautiful story that reminds us that we are precious to God just the way we are. It is through spending daily time with him that we begin to see ourselves through his eyes. This is an important truth that children and parents need to know: God loves us even though we make mistakes and have flaws!

Today he wrote this:
You sleep alone in a double bed. You walk the hallways of a silent house. You catch yourself calling out his name or reaching for her hand. Good-bye is the challenge of your life! To get through this is to get through this raging loneliness, this strength-draining grief. Just the separation has exhausted your spirit. You feel quarantined, isolated.

May I give you some hope? If heaven’s throne room has a calendar, one day is circled in red and highlighted in yellow. The Bible says that the The Master himself will give the command. Archangel thunder! God’s trumpet blast! He will come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then the rest of us who are still alive will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet the Master. {I Thessalonians 4:15-17}.

Oh, what a day that will be! We’ll be walking on air! And there will be one huge family reunion. I leave you with this reminder: You will get through this!

Some times life can feel overwhelming. We wonder how we will make it through the week, let alone the day. I find it truly amazing how God intervenes in our day to day lives. Each day I check in, it’s exactly what I needed to read. Some people would mark it as coincidence, or fate, but if we have our eyes open we can notice that those incidents/accidents are really God at work.

Blessings

Day tweny-five

Day 25: something someone told you that you’ll never forget {good or bad}

After being diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder, I really struggled.  And these words Give yourself Grace… spoken by a dear friend gave me the fresh perspective I needed.

It was difficult to keep everything in balance. Not realizing that the more I pushed myself the further behind I kept getting.

I soon became discouraged.

I needed to give myself permission to stop… and to remind myself that it’s ok, if the dishes pile up by the sink, that laundry will wait… that if there is not fresh baked goodies the world, despite what some might think, will not end. Leaving the lawn for another day or two or even three until it gets mowed is alright. And while the flowerbeds do look nice when regularly maintained that that too, will wait. In fact, when you’re having a bad day, everything will wait and to realize that it is ok.

I tried desperately to ignore the inner voice, the one that whispers and points out my shortcomings and failures. I needed to stop listening to the lie that everyone else can do it and of course do it better.

Sometimes, we’re too hard on ourselves.

Sometimes, we need to give ourselves grace.

We need to stop judging ourselves by the way others can finish a job without getting stressed, frustrated or even tired. It’s not a bad reminder to Give yourself Grace… and take the time to take care of yourself.

God shows us grace everyday, and we too are willing to extend it our family, friends, neighbours, co-workers, and everyone else that crosses our path, so it’s about time we give ourselves some grace too!

The challenge though, is to continue to strive for the best, accept the worst and live in the moment of the everyday and to give myself the same grace I give to others.

Blessings