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Friday, December 30, 2011

My word for 2012

"We can do whatever we wish to do provided our wish is strong enough."
------Katherine Mansfield

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These past few days, I've been a little under the weather, so I've been sitting around here staring at the walls and out the back door at the sky. {One of the many reasons I LOVE my new back door}. While I've had the opportunity to sit and stare, I've been thinking about what the next year will bring.  It seems that with every year, time goes by even faster than the year before.  Now that I have children it's even more real.  Our time here is so short.

  As James says, "Whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." James 4:14  

Wow! 

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As I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Lemonade Makin' Mama , I was given an idea.  I had already been thinking about what I would like to change or resolve to do better in this coming year so when I read her post, I was inspired to come up with "my word". 
"My word" for 2012 is intentional.

Intentional- conscious, deliberate, purposeful, willful.

There is a program on Faith Radio with Dr. Randy Carlson, called Intentional Living.  Dr. Randy offers people Biblical tips to strenghen their marriages, improve their families, and grow a closer relationship with God by doing that one thing every day to live more intentionally.

By making a conscious effort every day to be intentional about each decision, we tend to live more disciplined lives.

"Success consists of a series of little daily efforts."
------Mamie McCullough

This year I would like to be more intentional:::

1.  With my time. I am a very scheduled and organized person.  I like to have things clean and in order.  That's all good but I don't want my time to be consumed with just that.  I want to spend more time with my children making precious memories.  Spend more time doing for others.  Spend more time with Jesus in prayer and Bible study.  And less time doing things of no value. 

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2.  With my giving.
I would like to be more generous.  Generous with my money, time, thanksgiving, grace, and gratitude.  I want to give of these things above what is easy.

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3.  With my diet and exercise. 
"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"  I Cor. 3:16 
Those who know me, know that this is huge! If there is one thing I do well, it's eat! I live to eat. I love to eat.  And I eat too much.  And I certainly don't have the most healthy diet in the world, and I spend zero time exercising.  This could surely be the reason fat girl can't squeeze in any of her clothes:) God has convicted me about the way I eat and the lack of discipline in this area.  Oh my, watch out!

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4.  With my speech.
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of ediying, (building up), that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Ephesians 4:29
I want to be intentional about the words that come from my mouth.  What I say about others and how I handle situations.   The way I repeat what others have said.  Do I relay it with any embellishments of my own?  Whether I  should repeat what others have said. What I say to or about my children.  What I say to or about my husband. 
{I mean with something that looks this good for a husband, how could I say anything bad :-)}

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24
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5.  With my thoughts.
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."  Philippians 4:8
I think this may be the most influential aspect to our daily lives.  The way we allow ourselves to think.  Whatever thoughts our minds are consumed with will eventually in every way consume our living.

"The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions, and not our circumstances."
------Martha Washington

I know these cover a wide range of ideas and maybe you're thinking "only in a perfect world will that ever happen."  And I agree.  Thank God for his grace!  I know that I will fail often, but we gotta start somewhere :)

It's a new year, with a fresh start!

What one thing do you want to change in your world?

Happy New Year!


Thursday, December 29, 2011

:::Christmas 2011:::


This morning when my eyes opened, I had no clue what day it was.  It has been a whirlwind. 

I know this time of year is always crazy busy and that's a good thing.  We had a wonderful Christmas.

 We are blessed and thankful for God's goodness and the true meaning of Christmas.

We celebrated with our families and enjoyed lots of yummy food.

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{Mamy and Lane read to us.}

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{Nan finally got her two adirondack chairs and footstools she's been wanting for so long}.
Santa ate his cookies, and Allie Beth finished off his crumbs:)

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The kids were super excited about their gifts.  It was a fun year for them and for us.

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{Thank you to my sweet husband for my new back door :)} I think being this excited about a back door for Christmas means I'm getting old and boring!

On Christmas night, a dear sweet friend went HOME.  To his eternal home.  We celebrated his life and his home going.

Then we celebrated as a new life was born into this world.
 Our precious nephew, Lane Wesley, was born on December 27th at 11:47 p.m. He weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz. and 19.5 inches.
 
We all waited.....

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and waited........

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and waited........

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And FINALLY after a long, long day & night, he arrived and we are thrilled!

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Now, if I could just get rid of what ever in the sam hill this is that I have, I'm going to hold that little stinker and tell him all kinds of secrets!

"Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered."
Psalms 40:5

God has done great things for us, and we are thankful.  We look forward to what He will do in our lives in the coming year!

***I  made a big mistake the other day while working on my blog and completely changed my blog address. So now when you go to look at the blog, it will tell you it has "been removed". It is still here, just has a different address.  If you are interested, it is now http://www.bethjcolvin.blogspot.com/

Friday, December 23, 2011

That first Christmas gift

This astonishing Babe
Contained all of God's treasure.
That first Christmas gift
Was of worth beyond measure.
Even Jesus obeyed
When He came to impart
His whole life for you.
Will you believe in your heart?

It's astonishing that Jesus
Gave us all His treasure.
Making your heart his home
Brings you riches beyond measure.
In December we honor
God's best work of art.
What God wants each Christmas
Is all of your heart.
----by Barbara Rainey
What God wants for Christmas

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This family wishes you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!





Sunday, December 18, 2011

'Twas the week before Christmas

What's going on in your world this busy Christmas week?

1.) We're still awaiting the arrival of a sweet baby boy.  Mama is now 6 days past her due date.  Not funny.  Not funny at all.  Hang in there Mamy!

2.)  I am getting absolutely nothing done except being lazy.  Which is way out of character for me.  I'll pay for it soon.

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My favorite place to be these days is wrapped up in my warm cozy blanket with my laptop or book hanging out with my clan or just by myself {which happens between the hours of 11 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.}  My husband will occasionally look over at me and say, "What are you looking at now?"  Usually it consisits of blogs, houses, paint colors, home decor, or of course Pinterest.  Most times he then shakes his head and says, "Whatever makes you happy." Then I say, "That's right."

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And sometimes I share.

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But for the most part, this is the scene you will find at most any given time if you walk into our house.  Let's just say I pray that the only knock on the door comes from the UPS man to drop off a little surprise of two, and thankfully he just knocks and runs back to his truck.  No need to necessarily open the door to anyone in my "everyday attire".

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3.) There is someone in this house who will be having a birthday this week.

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The bigger one will be 35 on Friday.

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I guess you could say we kinda like him. 

He's pretty much adored around here.

And for the most part, I can totally understand why.

I am blessed and I am thankful :)

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4.) The littles are loving to paint.  It's a great way to occupy time and they love it.  I struggled a long time with letting it happen. I couldn't hardly bare to watch them make the mess.  Paint is everywhere.  Their clothes, faces, the table, {that is white}, the chair seats {which are white. I know}, the walls{which are white}. It's everywhere! {Yes, I know, another one of those weird OCD's.} But now they have some handy little aprons, and I finally figured out to put something down under their paper to help with keeping it off the table.  I'm looking for a cheap tablecloth to lay over it, but for now the parchment paper works well.  And of course the paint is washable:)  Like I said, it's a sick disease, that OCD mess.  I really hate it.

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5.) The weather around here is just totally crazy.
One day it's 45* the next it's 82*.

So, I guess we have to roll with it.

Cooped up inside one day, outside justa swingin' and singin' the next.

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6.)  Even though I have been lazy, there are some people that just don't ever want you to take a Christmas vacation, and it's those darn bill collectors.  So lazy as I am, if we want to continue to have light and T.V., I must pay those bills! But be assured, I won't do it alone!

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'Twas the week before Christmas,
But nobody knew!
No stockings, no ornaments,
No gifts or good news.
All the world had lost hope
All the people felt fear....
Now listen!
I'll tell you,
Why Christmas came here.

---Barbara Rainey with Janel Breitenstein
What God Wants for Christmas

To be continued...