Homemade Holidays with the Kids

Besides the normal holiday bustle of events surrounding Advent and Christmas, my attention has been diverted from writing at this lovely personal blog outlet.  In the month of December I was occupied with marketing my writing skills on Elance and elsewhere.   As 2012 closes, I am pondering what to do in the months ahead.  Staying at home, working from home, or taking an outside job are all options on the table.  I am waiting to see what direction is right for me and for our family.  It may be an option that I would never have predicted.  I certainly never expected to be a mother of four; yet here I am.  And my children have become my greatest blessings.

For want of a cookie cutter, we did not make roll out cookies before Christmas.
But then on Christmas Eve, some local friends dropped by with presents,
including a gingerbread cookie decorating kit.  

While I been working on other projects, my kids have still been crafting up a storm lately.  I thought I would share with you a few of the projects they have been busy making this month.  Enjoy!

My daughter sewed these fruity coasters from felt and foam for her tea-loving father.

Paper angels and a felt pocket wall hanging adorn the wall 
near my daughter's upper bunk.

Note: This post contains an affiliate link.

A Time to Finish and Keep Things Simple

0ur holiday travels ended last week and we are finally starting to get back to a more normal routine with school resuming again.  Meanwhile, I'm wondering how much I can accomplish before baby number four arrives (later this month?)!

Being realistic is not a strength of mine, but goals do help me stay a little more focused.  My main goals for this month (and beyond) are simple: to finish things that I've started and to let go of what is not essential.  Here are 10 things this procrastinator needs (or wants) to do between now and whenever Baby Blueberry arrives:

1. Clean and declutter the whole house.  Yes, it's an audacious goal, but it will make life so much better when it's done.
2. Pack my bag for the hospital.
3. Sort through the baby clothes I've been given.  I am so thankful for generous friends who've stepped forward to meet that need!
4. Turn in hospital paperwork.
5. Finish putting away Christmas decorations.
6. Purchase and prepare supplies for MOPS creative activities this month and next.
7. Plan a dairy-free menu for the rest of the month.  One of the midwives I saw advised me to cut out dairy now in an attempt to avoid another colicky baby with MSPI.
8. Finish several books I've started to read.   I'll put them in my hospital bag in case I don't finish them all before arrival day.
9. Make breakfast foods ahead of time.  On my list: granola, muffins, maybe waffles...
10. Cook a meal with my daughters.  We will use recipes from a book I found at the library, Wrap-N-Bake Egg Rolls: And Other Chinese Dishes.

After making progress on these high-priority items, I'm looking forward to doing some fun things too, like scheduling some craft projects to do with my kids.  And since the weather is supposed to get cold again soon, we can do several out-of-the-ordinary winter activities that we enjoyed last January.

I am linking this to Anti-Procrastination Tuesday.

10 Fall Projects that I Actually Expect to Finish

It's a sobering thought: I have, most likely, about three more months to finish any projects before our next baby arrives.  Yikes!  So I need to get realistic about what I might truly be able to accomplish, despite my wishing to do more.

1. Make acorn critters with my kids.

2. Cover four chair seats with new fabric.

3. Set up and use my grandma's White sewing machine.

4. Sort my photos and scrapbooking supplies.

5. Finish Dallas Willard's book, Knowing Christ Today.

6. Complete 31 Days to Clean: Having a Mary House the Martha Way.

7. Make homemade marshmallows without corn syrup.

8. Bake homemade pumpkin granola.

9. Replace an old shower curtain liner.

10. Observe classrooms at local elementary school/s.

What's on your fall agenda?

I'm linking this to Top Ten Tuesday

and Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays.

Menu and Activity Plan {5/9-5/14}: Reality Check

Plans were many, but what came to pass was not what I expected last week.  I aimed to read all of our children's books (details here). I planned to use my slow cooker every night.  Both of those plans are carrying over into this week.  Several out-of-the-ordinary events, like a field trip, my daughter falling and getting a slight arm fracture, and our hot water heater going out temporarily, made for a challenging end to the week.

My version of Fish Rolls.  So simple to make!
Check out more fish recipes at the Ultimate Recipe Swap!

Feeling the need for some stress relief, I opted to bake and watch The King's Speech.   By lunchtime Saturday, I was at a loss for what to concoct with the few ingredients we had in the kitchen.  Finally, the idea to make fish rolls came into my head.  It was the perfect way to use up leftover Puxa Vida Tilapia we enjoyed two nights before. 

I am holding loosely to my plans this week, though I still believe 'tis better to have planned and lost than never to have planned at all!

Plans for dinner:

• Vietnamese Chicken
• Lasagne
• Slow Roasted Venison 
• Chalupas
• Noodle Stir Fry
• Roast Leg of Lamb

Plans for activities:

• Finish our book challenge.
• Feed some ducks all of our stale bread.
• Visit the children's museum.
• Help with MOPS registration.
• Do a craft with my son.

Find more menu plans at Menu Plan Monday.

Children's Book Week 2011: Progress Report

Did you know that this week (May 2-8) is Children's Book Week?  As a happy coincidence, I thought it would be fun to start reading through our entire collection of children's books.  This would basically require our screen time and my cooking duties to be minimized.  I thought several nights of slow cooking would help my chances of success.  But I forgot to take into account all the extra activities we were doing this week.  As a supposedly stay-at-home mom, I have not managed to stay home and read much.  Every morning so far we've been out--shopping, caring for other children, attending our weekly Bible study, and then today I went on an all-day class field trip!

We're still on the first shelf!

Not surprisingly, we've read just 20 books out of an estimated 200 plus titles.  Still, we will press on and enjoy reading together.  I will be sure to report when we've accomplished our goal.  I'm aiming for the middle of next week, which would extend our challenge to about 10 days (versus the idealistic one week goal that I set initially).

Want to join our reading challenge?  It's not too late!

Simply comment over here and I will add your name to the list.

Amen-Worthy Posts

Our whole family has been occupied with resting and visiting the doctor this week, so I will point you in the direction of what others have said so well.

• Why It's Really Okay: You Need to Slow Down @ A Holy Experience

• How to Be a More Patient Mom in Just 24 Hours @ Inspired to Action

• Time Management without a Schedule @ Life as Mom

• Bono Interview: Grace over Karma @ The Poached Egg

My accomplishments this week are few, but pondering these truths and ideas has left me inspired for when my energy returns.  And it shall; Spring is nearly here!

I'm linking this list of favorite posts to Saturday Stumbles this week.

Four Ways in Which I Spent My Time This Week

1. Crafting Again 

On Monday, I submitted another entry to the "Imagination Unrolled" contest.  My floral wall decoration took quite a while to assemble and finish, so I don't think I will enter any more creations.  Other priorities require my attention.  But I would still appreciate any votes you would like to send my way!  If you have a Facebook account, I think you can vote more than once (daily even?), until the contest ends in December.

2. Experimenting in the Kitchen

• Making homemade yogurt continues to intrigue me. I'm starting to favor the crockpot, combining Alicia's crock pot method with my own, which involves using a cooler. 
• I've been experimenting with kale again.  Last month, I tried soup, pizza, and pasta with kale (and reported the results here). I incorporated kale into our meals in three more ways during the past week:

Broccoli, kale and ham pockets

Butternut squash, sausage, and kale soup

Corn and kale soup

3. Enjoying Isaiah in Spite of Myself

When I did a "full court press" house cleaning this past weekend, I was not studying Isaiah.  But the truths I've been learning in weeks past are still sinking in, and I'm thankful for the weekly opportunity I have to learn from other women.  I've also had an inspiring song from Isaiah 11 running through my head lately:
"For the earth will filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

Music helps me focus again on the source of all true joy.  I am easily sidetracked.


4. Struggling with Priorities 

Godly priorities are so hard for me to live out consistently.  That's why I liked the idea of mapping out different categories, as Amy Andrews does in her Tell Your Time strategy.  But implementing what I know tends to trip me up.  I tend to focus on one thing at a time, to the exclusion of all else. 

This all or nothing tendency of mine is one reason I wanted to be a mom who stays home, because I knew that working at another outside job and raising young children would not be a good combination for me.  But motherhood is defined by multi-tasking nonetheless--training, teaching, disciplining, cleaning, shopping, cooking, etc., etc.  I need to trust God for the grace to improve in managing multiple priorities.

And how about you?

What priorities have you successfully carried out this week?

What helps keep you on the right path?

10 Reasons to Avoid Baking

I cannot deny that I love to bake.  And there are many reasons to do it.  But baking is not always the best choice when it comes to how to spend my time.  Even in college, I could be found in the kitchen baking Swedish Tea Ring instead of studying for final exams.

In my current stage of life, I am trying to find a balanced approach where I still get to bake, but don't go overboard.  Sometimes I need to tell myself why it is good to hold off for a while.

Here are 10 reasons for me to avoid baking:

1. There will be more bowls, pans and utensils to wash.
2. Baking often uses sugar, which is not healthy.
3. Baked goods may lead to adult weight gain.
4. Baked goods are not as healthy as raw foods with living enzymes.
5. Baking in the oven is not energy efficient.
6. Baking and the resulting clean up takes time away from other pursuits.
7. Baking can lead to burned foods and fingers if utmost care is not taken.
8. Baking often requires special ingredients and equipment that takes up lots of kitchen space.
9. When others find out that I bake, they may press me to bake again and again.
10. Giving in to the temptation to eat batter with raw eggs might give me or my children food poisoning.

Menu Plan for the Week of 10/18

Today my seven-year-old daughter is requesting "Chinese food" for her birthday meal.  I will attempt to make Won Ton Soup (but am buying extra frozen wontons just in case mine don't turn out!).  It's funny that despite having lived in Asia for over seven years, I'm still a very intimidated novice when it comes to cooking Asian food. I am an expert at eating it however, especially if it's authentic!

Meanwhile, having dinner on the table by 6 o'clock each night has remained an elusive goal, but I'll be trying again this week.

-Monday-

* Won Ton Noodle Soup
* Baby Bok Choy
* Sticky Rice Balls
* Birthday Cupcakes

-Tuesday-

* Lamb
* Zucchini
* Rice

-Wednesday-

* Chicken Pot Pie
* Rice

-Thursday-

* Turkey Burgers
* Tossed Salad

-Friday-

* Cashew Noodle Stir Fry

-Saturday-

* Hot Dogs
* Fresh Fruit


See many more menu plans at Menu Plan Monday, hosted by Laura.

Cookies, Contests, and Chaos

The kitchen is my "thoughtful spot" where I ponder, create, and procrastinate.  This week was especially full of cooking and baking projects, giving me time to stand at the sink and think.  One by one, I washed and rinsed the aftermath of dishes, pots, and pans, my mind a-swirl with how I've been spending my time and what I'd like to change (at many levels).

To make cookies twice in one week is a rare feat for me, since I try not to bake when the kitchen is a mess.  Therefore I seldom bake.  But chaotic or not, my husband's birthday was on Monday, and I was signed up to bring cookies for a school event on Thursday.  Snickerdoodles are my husband's favorite cookie, but when one is still buying groceries at 5:00 p.m. for that night's dinner, shortcuts are in order.  I grabbed a Betty Crocker mix and didn't confess how they were made...until days later, as my husband was still gushing about how delicious they were!

I felt guilty that I'd cheated and used a mix for my husband's birthday, especially since I made the second round of cookies from scratch.  It seemed to take forever to get the dough prepared and the cookies baked (25 minutes per batch!).  But they did turn out well.  The recipe I used is here.

Besides cookies, I busied myself with figuring out what to do with all the kale in my refrigerator.  Though I had seen my mother-in-law juice it, I had never tried cooking it before.  It's an intimidating vegetable.  After experimenting with it, I finally found a way to prepare it that the whole family like.  Look here for the winning recipe.

Perhaps owing to my background in science, I love to experiment and develop new recipes in my kitchen.  My long-suffering husband and children get to test the results.  I've entered a few recipe contests in the past (sample recipes here and here), and I would love to keep trying, both for the fun and profit involved.

As much I enjoy trying new recipes though, I need to make sure my creative endeavors don't get in the way of more important things, like having dinner ready on time.  It's quite a challenge for me to get dinner on the table by 6:00 p.m.  I'm hoping to reach that goal every night next week!

Do you have any similar goals for meals?

Perhaps we can encourage one another toward our desired ends.

Top Ten Reasons to Turn Off the Computer

I have agreed to an experiment.  Since I am prone to spend too much time online, we sometimes disable the wireless network in our home during the day.  So far, those have been my most productive, happiest days of the week. 


Here are the top reasons why shutting down my computer for most of the day is such a good idea:

1. I can enjoy more of the sunshine and fresh air, which invigorates my soul.
2. I can be more active and burn more calories when I am not sitting in front of a screen.
3. I can have a cleaner house.  Having the wireless network turned off for a couple of days last week proved this.
4. I can provide more clean clothes for my family.
5. I can focus on interacting with my children, who are the main reason I am staying at home!
6. I can focus on connecting with people face-to-face and by phone.  I finally called one of my longtime friends last week!
7. I can prepare more of our food from scratch, which I enjoy and which saves money.
8. I can get more sleep, knowing I've made the most of the opportunities during my waking hours.
9. I can have fun going out to enjoy the activities of the season--berry picking, local festivals, farmers markets, etc.
10. I can invite people into my home and look for ways to serve and reach out to others--volunteering, bringing meals, talking to my neighbors, etc.

This post is linked to Top Ten Tuesday at Oh Amanda and the 30-Minute Blog Challenge at Steady Mom.

Summertime Crossroads

After 7 months away, I spent the morning as a substitute IEP instructor once again. I would like to transfer my confidence and enthusiasm for teaching into a drive to get my house in order, which is my real day job. For some reason, though, performing before an audience motivates me, while working on daily tasks at home does not. How can I increase my motivation at home? Any ideas?

Meanwhile, my daughters are finishing up with school, and starting next week we will have to decide how to arrange each day together. I am looking forward to these weeks, hoping to do activities that will help them develop spiritually, morally, and creatively. Yes, it is a daunting challenge, which is why I was thankful to discover a daily calendar resource in the latest issue of Thriving Family magazine. These summer months are such an important time to work on shaping their character, and I need to take all the help I can find to get on track and stay focused on what's important.

So the start of summer seems to be another crossroads for me. Will I use my time with my three children wisely and intentionally, making the most of every opportunity? Or will I drift and allow distractions to divert our attention from what we need most--obedience and a closer connection to God.

More Essentials, Less Sand

We returned yesterday from a visit to Oklahoma to celebrate my mother's retirement from teaching in the OU College of Nursing.  The trip was planned before we knew which day the official program and reception would be held.  As God's providence would have it, the program was scheduled for Wednesday, the last full day of our visit!

My husband graciously served as the family photographer (I don't have pictures yet), and it was truly a day to remember!  Two of my mother's longtime colleagues were there, and I enjoyed recalling the moments I had shared with them over the years, like visiting with them at the office, playing with their children, and celebrating significant events like bridal showers and weddings. 

Thus, this week truly marked the end of an era, and I am thankful we were were there to celebrate with my mom. The trip did not come without a cost, but the once-in-a-lifetime memories were worth the time and energy we spent to be there.  My daughters gave up their end of the school year field trips to celebrate with their grandmother.  They truly enjoyed being with Grandma though.   My husband gave up any "down time" he could have had between the end of a grueling semester and the start of teaching summer school.  I missed the last lesson with my BSF group on the Gospel of John, but was able to attend the same lesson with my mom at a local BSF meeting.  So despite what we gave up, it was clear we made the right decision to be there this week.

As I return to our daily routine here in Nebraska, I hope to make better decisions on what I should and should not spend time doing.   A great challenge for me is to choose the highest priorities to accomplish each day.  Investing time to make fresh muffins on the morning of our departure from Oklahoma was not a step in the right direction however.

Thankfully, God's mercies are new every morning, and I have more opportunities to choose to do the ping pong balls first, before adding pebbles or sand to my daily cup.  So if anyone notices I am posting less, it may be that I am pursuing priorities that outrank posting and commenting, as much as I enjoy those pastimes.   Or it could be that the debris in my house is still concealing the location of my camera (along with my cell phone that vanished months ago).

Attempted in April: 4 Challenges

Warmer weather and sunshine have invigorated me this month and helped me have more of a "can do" attitude.  So I decided to dive in to several online challenges.  While I was at it, I connected with a friend on Facebook and we decided to add one more.  Here's the rundown of endeavors:

1. The Great Outdoor Challenge

For this challenge, my kids and I were supposed to spend time outdoors every day and take photos.  I decided to post most of the pictures on my Facebook page, but here is one shot from last week:

This week we've been outdoors most days but have not snapped any photos.

2. Make Week

Trying turn off the T.V. last week was a helpful experiment. I don't watch any T.V. on a regular basis myself, so this was more of a parenting challenge.  Megan at SortaCrunchy shared very similar conclusions about how dependent we have become on an electronic device for dealing with children.

Our family made it for two and a half days without T.V. until I relented.  My daughters were not feeling well and could not play outside, so we let them watch some videos while they rested.  And then it was back to our old habits of letting kids watch videos while I make dinner, shower, etc. 

3. Project: Spring Green

My goal was to get my garden started.  Well, it's about halfway ready and no seeds have been planted yet. But we will finish planting soon.  Yes, we will!

4.  Early Dinner Prep

My friend and I were lamenting how wretched it is to start preparing dinner at 5 p.m. with cranky kids (and Mama).  So I asked her if she wanted to check in later in the week.  Our goal: to see if we could both make and eat dinner earlier.

On my third night of trying, we finally succeeded in sitting down to eat before 6:00 p.m.  It was wonderful!  There was also the sweetness of knowing that a friend of mine who has similar struggles to my own was tackling this issue with me.

An even bigger challenge for me is to turn a singular triumph into a habit. I'm not seeking to become a supermama.  But by God's grace, I believe long-term change is possible.  And on the way greater fruitfulness, I have found it sure is nice to get a little encouragement from my friends.

An anxious heart weighs a man down,

but a kind word cheers him up.

Proverbs 12:25 

 

Daring to Dream

My dream for the future:

I will sleep 8 hours a night, start the day an hour before my kids awake, spend more time reading books than blogs, scrapbook, get outside every morning, have a company-ready house by each day's end and have people over almost every week.

That was my response to a thought provoking post this week inquiring "what's your dream?"  For me to answer that has not been easy.  My husband sometimes asks me "what do you want?", meaning what do I want enough to motivate me to action.  I haven't had a good answer (or any answer) to that for far too long.  

After living abroad for several years and starting our family there, I returned with my husband and daughters in 2006 to start a new chapter.  But how? Honestly, it has been like starting from scratch. And somewhere along the way I stopped believing the truths in the song "I am a Promise" that I grew up singing.

One way "I am tryin' to make the right choices" again is through making to-do lists for the day.  The results haven't been wonderful, but days that I have a list to guide me are generally better than days that don't. Here's yesterday's list:

There are three headings: What is Right and Seemly So to Do, What Would Be Nice to Do, and Temptations to Resist.  This format evolved from an earlier two-column format like this:

If I could, with God's help, accomplish the most important priorities, I believe my dream would be within reach.  I want my dream to be in line with His, and that's only possible when I let Him fill my life.

Do you have a dream for your life right now?

This post is also linked to Messy Monday at Moms in Need of Mercy.

Gloom Chasers

Hello all! Are you looking forward to a celebratory weekend? It was not the greatest of weeks around here, between coughing kids and my unwise time use choices.  Nevertheless, several things lifted my spirits.

1. Flowers

My husband brought home a bouquet of tulips for me to enjoy this week.  They are my favorite flower.  Before we were married I used to buy single stems for myself as a pretty pick-me-up.  Ever done that?


2. Singing

Often I am so wrapped up in trying to catch up on all the things I've fallen behind on that I forget the joy that singing brings.  So I started singing as I worked in the kitchen yesterday and wondered why I'd forgotten how good it is to open my mouth in praise.


3. Sunshine and Fresh Air

The sun returned this week, and while it was not so conducive to afternoon naps, it was a welcome sight.  We managed to walk to pick up my daughter from school several days, and were the happier for it.

If you and/or the winter months seem to be dragging, perhaps trying one or more of these ideas might encourage you to lift up your head and feel hopeful again as well.

Go! Fight! Win! Seeking Laundry Allies

Is it just me, or do you notice more women than ever bemoaning their laundry mountain woes?  I think I am perhaps queen of the mountain...range.   My tendency to grossly neglect my laundry duties is the reason, I admit.  Truly, I don't mind doing it, once I get started.  But chipping away and following through on tasks is not my modus operandus.  I like quicker gratification.

So I broke down this month and went to the laundromat.  Why?  Because my concerned spouse was about to have our next date night there.  Panicked, I tried to beat him to it, and we are now minus 15 dollars in quarters.  But we have gained much clean laundry, which works for us!   Even my husband noticed it was possible to walk on the floor of the laundry room. Furthermore, in February, the month of ultimate romance, I could not bear the thought of paying to spend a rare evening with my husband doing work I have shirked.

Forcing myself to go the the laundromat also holds me accountable.  I will have to spend our hard-earned money there again if I don't meet the next catch-up deadline I set.  Deadlines are useful, as are clean clothes.  My husband would rather have clean clothes and lose a roll of quarters if he has to choose.  I would rather get my laundry act together and create a win-win scenario: keep the coins and get my laundry done at home in our beloved LG front-loading machine.  This tactic of a hard deadline could inspire me to be more faithful in pursuing the double win.
 

Are you trying to scale your own "Mount Washmore?"  Have you considered spending a relaxing afternoon (or two) at the laundromat?  You might be able to chalk up some victories of your own and leave behind loads of guilt.

Can Failure Lead to Happiness?

I was struck by the words of Ephesians 2:10 last weekend. It was the featured verse at a weekend retreat for women from our church. The same passage is what I had chosen on New Year's Eve as my prayer for 2010:

Image Source: R. Bowman

I am still in the process of absorbing the truths in that verse. For most of my life it has been success that motivates me. When I succeed, I feel good about life. My faulty way of thinking goes something like this:

"If I could just _______, then I'd be happy."

• be on time
• get the house clean
• enjoy more time outside
• see that person I've been meaning to call
• etc., etc...

The last few weeks in particular I have been failing spectacularly--and often. Doing things my way and striving to succeed isn't working. Yet when I look back into the past, I see many points at which God used failure to redirect me to something better and more fulfilling.

After a failed college choir audition, I wound up joining another group, where I learned the gospel song "Through God's Eyes". Some of the words I remember are:

If I looked at myself through God's eyes,
would the reflection I see be like Christ?
If I looked into God's eyes to see myself,
would his love and joy be flowing through my life?

...I want to walk hand in hand with You,
so that you can show me what I must do.
If I looked through God's eyes,
what would I see?

The undeserved blessings of my husband and children, my years learning about authentic worship--these I would not trade for any of my former ambitions. Nevertheless, I still get caught up in the quest for success. I pin my hopes on what I want to accomplish in a day, rather than asking God to "show me what I must do." How silly. He's already prepared the good works for me.

Instead of just trying to cross things off my to-do list, I need to inquire of God what he has prepared for me each day. Our agendas might might differ sharply or have much in common. But I'll never know (and have peace about my choices) if I don't ask.

Efficient Bathroom Cleaning for Busy Moms

Having a clean bathroom lifts my spirits. However, our household has three little ones going in and out of the main bathroom all day long. Not surprisingly, sparkling surfaces don't last long. When I'm on top of my game, I do a quick bathroom clean up while a child is bathing or putting on their pajamas.
Non-toxic cleaners are the key to this strategy, since I can tackle the sink and toilet without worry. I try to keep cleaning supplies where I can readily access them whenever I am in the bathroom. I've also found that I can use whatever supplies are handy for the job--toilet paper or baby wipes can sub for paper towels; daily shower cleaner works for light cleaning of almost anything, including the bathroom mirror!

Frequent bursts of efficient bathroom cleaning work for me. I am thankful I now know how to keep hand towels off the floor and the main bathroom passable. Once I discover how I can keep both of our bathrooms clean, I will sing for joy.

Thankful and Conflicted

Today was the second day this week that I had plans to be somewhere by 9:30 a.m. We arrived at 10:00 for our play date. Hopefully tomorrow we will be better prepared to depart on time since my daughters are starting a ballet class at 9:30 in the morning. They've been dancing for joy ever since I shared the news that I had managed to sign them up.


Immediately after the last ballet class we will, Lord willing, travel south through Kansas to Oklahoma to visit my parents and sister. The last time I was there was about six months ago, and I'm looking forward to reconnecting with them and attending church in the sanctuary where my husband and I were married.

I am thankful that my husband has decided to take my daughters to school each morning. He's away most evenings, so this is a chance for his to grab Daddy-daughter time and it makes my mornings less hectic. We also enjoyed our first candlelight dinner of the year. I surprised my husband by setting the table with porcelain plates that I found on clearance after Christmas. These plates will be used exclusively for our weekly dinners as a couple (which works well since I found a place setting for 4 and we are a family of 5).


So while we've managed to get this year off to a good start in some ways, I find myself stymied in others. Being somewhat of a contrarian, January puts me in a dilemma. I resist the cultural momentum to diet and make resolutions because that's what everyone else is busy promoting. But in fact I do want and need to be transformed. However, in my case, willpower and self-discipline will not accomplish much. So I come to God helpless and humbled, hopeful that he will carry on his work in me. Whatever good changes happen this year will not come from my strength of will, they will be wrought by Him.

"...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:6 (NIV)

"...it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

Philippians 2:13 (ESV)