Currently....

Here's a few snippets into life currently....

Reading... Just finished our first book club selection, Serena by Ron Rash.  I liked it just OK.  It was a difficult read as Rash is incredibly descriptive.  It wasn't what I would call a page-turner, but I definitely had to keep reading to figure out what evil thing Serena would do next.  I'm pretty excited to see what the other book club grannies think about it.  Also, the movie starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper is coming out this September!

Watching... Of course tonight I'm watching The Bachelor finale.  This show is my number one guilty pleasure.  I hope he picks Lindsay, and I hope she shows up in an even more beautiful wedding dress to accept the final rose than she did on the first night!  I mean, how cute are they together???

Planning... to make a gallery wall behind our TV... this is my inspiration picture....  I absolutely love the look of a gallery wall and have wanted to make one in our house for a while.  The new TV set up and moving our giant tall entertainment center out of the den and into the bedroom have left me with the perfect blank wall for the project!

Source: Beautifulmatters.com 

Listening... to my Bible-in-a-Year reading plan on the YouVersion App.  I’ve just completed the first 70 days!  This is farther into the plan than I’ve ever made it in years past, and I think that’s highly due to LISTENING to some of the law books from the Old Testament rather than trying to just trudge through them.  Plus, it gives me something to do in the car when I’d otherwise probably be listening to junk radio.  

Loving... the official race shirts for the St. Patty's Get-To-The-Green 5K & 10K for next weekend.  Also loving that my hubby is joining me for the race!  

resolved... 2013

Well, now that we know how 2012 turned out, it’s about that time to talk about goals for 2013.  I liked paring down the resolutions to four categories last year, so I’m going to stick with that again. 

1.       Faith –  for real this year, going to read the Bible, cover-to-cover.  Well, actually, I’m going to read everything between the front and back cover, but not exactly in order from beginning to end.   I’ll be reading along with our church using the Discipleship Journal Reading Plan.  I’m already 11 days in and you can use the YouVersion App for this reading plan, so I have the paper PDF calendar cut up in tiny pieces for my regular calendar, but I’m also checking off the readings using the app.   Double the accountability, right?

2.       Budget – we’re sticking to our budget this year (seriously, we must!).  We’re REALLY trying to save money on our biggest area of spending (food) so that we can pay off our student loan debt.  We would absolutely LOVE to kiss those payments GOODBYE!  You can see we switched over to a monthly menu plan, and so far I'm loving it.  It is hard work once a month, but then it simplifies things a TON for the rest of the month.  

3.       Health – run another half-marathon (going to accomplish that next week) and plan for my 4^th !  Also want to make better decisions regarding food and keep up a regular fitness routine, to include running at least 3x/week, and perhaps picking up speed.  Talking to my running buddies about starting this plan after next week's race!

4.       House – I’ve got MAJOR plans in the works for our house this year.  We got a new TV for Christmas and that is snowballing into a big re-arrangement of furniture in our house, new chairs for our den, and I hope the plans also will include new paint throughout, getting countertops re-done and a few more improvements along the way!  Stay tuned for posts on our progress!  **Since I originally wrote this post, we have already purchased some super cute recliners from Marshall's.... Let me just tell you, never hesitate to negotiate with the manager for a better deal... hurrah extra 20% off and getting two chairs for less than the original price of one!**

So those are just a few things I'm looking forward to in 2013... what are your goals this year??

Random...

Some random thoughts for today:

 

1. Why haven't I posted anything other than our menu plans for multiple weeks in a row?  I start blog posts in my head and then they never make it into writing.  So, I've taken to making notes in my email or my phone during the day so it can make it onto the blog eventually.

 

2. My sister and I are travelling this Saturday to meet someone important.  Well, perhaps not important to you, but important to us!  A daily staple in my life, actually.  We're going to see THE PIONEER WOMAN at her book signing in Evans, GA.  I am beyond excited.  I'm currently reading Black Heels to Tractor Wheels and can't wait to get it autographed by THE woman, herself.

 

3. Somehow in February, I got bogged down in Leviticus on my Bible reading.  OK, perhaps that doesn't require a SOMEHOW.  The laws that God set out for the Israelites to follow are COMPLICATED.  It is probably just a lack of understanding on my part, but wow, I don't know how they kept up with it.  So, I've got about 10 chapters to go in Leviticus before I can start on Numbers, and I'm going to have to double-time it to get back up where I need to be by the end of March.  Luckily, I've done pretty well keeping up with the New Testament readings and the Psalms, so I'm pretty much on schedule.

 

4. I'm scaling back on week-night activities starting this week.  For a two years now, I've been taking pilates two nights a week, and I absolutely love it.  But, I started to notice myself stressing over not having enough time to complete household chores, cook dinner, and spend time with my husband during the week, so I had to see where I could cut back.  Pilates is the only thing I do TWICE a week, so I felt like I could cut back one night and still be OK.  This is especially important because Ryan is about to kickoff softball season with a new team, and I need some HOME TIME in my life to keep my sanity. 

 

5. I've gotten back into going to the gym in the morning.  That's right, BEFORE WORK.  That alarm clock goes off EARLY.  I'm currently taking a class on Tues/Thurs at 6am and trying to figure out how I can make myself get out of the house slightly earlier so I can get in some running time because I'm planning to run in the Heart & Sole Women's Five-Miler at the end of April.  OK, now it's out there, I'm going to run, AGAIN.  Much prayer needed for that :)

 

6. Hosting a jewelry party next week, thinking about what kind of refreshments to serve.  Definitely want to make desserts, but haven't thought of what all I want to make yet.  Preparing all of that will be Sunday's project.  Oh, what's that you say?  You haven't heard about my jewelry party?  Well, please come hang out, and bring a friend!  Send me a message for more details!

7. Last but not least, you should head over to Leigh's blog and enter her 3-year blogiversary giveaway, featuring awesome creations from Like a Mighty River.  Head on over and enter to win!

 

OK, I think that is enough for today.  Hope you're having a WONDERFUL Mardi Gras! 

Bible Reading & Memorizing in 2011

This year, I'm planning to read my Bible daily, in order to read it completely through in just one year. The plan I'm using splits the reading into 2 Old Testament and 2 New Testament passages daily. In the past, I have tried and failed to read "cover-to-cover", so I'm hoping this different plan will make it easier.

I also hope to increase the amount of scripture I have memorized because I find the more verses I commit to memory, the more I find their applications in my life. Last year with my Bible study, we memorized verses weekly, and Psalm 1 was one of my favorites. I know this verse will encourage me this year as I endeavor to read all of God's word and tuck away more and more of it in my mind and heart. My aim is to have 52 passages under my belt come 2012 and I'm starting by re-committing Psalm 1:1-3 to memory:

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in the steps of the wicked, stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditates on His law both day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."