When God Calls a Mover And Doer to Be Still and Wait

It's been a while since I've posted much of anything. The main reason for that is how busy I have been with my grad school classes (which are going great if you are wondering). However, this post has been in the making for months, and now I finally get the chance to write it.

If you've read any of my early posts or if you've been in contact with me in the last year and a half, you will know that I have struggled to find a job that is anything more than temporary. It really took a toll on me when we first moved to Winston Salem. I felt that I was useless, incapable, and a burden to my new husband. As the months rolled on, I realized just how much I had allowed my identity to become wrapped up in what I did, instead of it being who I am in Christ. I also finally acknowledged just how angry I was at God. I didn't deserve for this to happen. I was a good person. I was so much more than what my jobs (or lack thereof) made me out to be. 

Man, was I self-absorbed. 

After fighting it out with my Heavenly Father over the span of a year, I was finally humbled. I can't say there was a single moment that changed my heart, but rather a series of situations where I realized I was helpless. That there was nothing I could do to change my situation because I had already done everything I could. 

I finally realized that God was begging me to trust Him. As much as the Lord Almighty can beg an insignificant human being, He kept telling me the same thing over and over again, tugging at my soul, hoping these words would reach my stubborn heart: 

Just be still, and trust Me. 

You would think six small words wouldn't be that difficult to put into practice. Think again. I have never been good at being still. I have always been a person that intentionally stays busy because I like it that way. I can't stand sitting around all day; I have to be doing a ton of different things, usually all at the same time. Even on weekends and "days off", I always have projects lined up to work on. I live for To Do lists, and I thrive in busyness and chaos. I've always prided myself on how many things I can have on my plate and still be successful. In college, I was an RA in a freshman hall, I led a weekly Women's small group, I worked at a daycare, I was involved with my church and a weekly campus ministry, and I took a full load of classes and maintained good grades, all at the same time. I don't say that to brag (trust me, I had several meltdowns in the midst of all that), just for you to get a view into how I lived. Then I get married and moved, and everything changed. I figured out how to keep myself busy around our home (and believe me, I really do love everything about homemaking, it was just an adjustment for it to be the one thing I did), and I tried again and again to find a permanent job, but with no success. I found some temporary jobs, but part of me remained discouraged because none of those jobs were going to lead to anything. 

Or so I thought. 

Now, flash back to late July. I was working at my church as an assistant director for a summer day camp, which ended early August. I had applied to several jobs, had a few interviews, but nothing was standing out. I was starting back in graduate school in late August, so I wanted a part time job that would bring in some extra money, but that wouldn't prevent me from doing my schoolwork and spending time with my husband. In the past, I would have been completely flipped out with stress at this point. I mean, I was TWO WEEKS away from not having a job again. But this time was different. I was completely at peace. I did my part by looking for jobs and applying, but I kept hearing God telling me the same thing He had been saying for months:

Just be still, and trust me.

And this time, I was listening. 

Then it happened. I was sitting at the desk where I always sat to greet parents as they dropped off their children when one of the parents, who also worked at the church, came up to me and casually asked "So what are you doing for work once camp ends?" I replied that I was still figuring that out. Then she looked at me and said, "We need to talk. I'll come back and we can chat." Later that afternoon, she came back and offered me a job.

I'm going to say that again. She offered me a job. TWO WEEKS before my current job was ending. The hours were perfect, the position was right up my alley, I would be working for her (I already liked her a lot), and I could start immediately after my summer job ended. It literally could not have been more perfect. I wanted to jump out of my skin and squeal. I couldn't wait to get home and tell Matt. I couldn't have planned this if I tried. God was SO GOOD!!!

This would be a perfect place to end the story, but there's an upcoming bump in the road.

A week after I received this incredible news, I got some not-so-incredible news. She came back to me and I could tell something wasn't right. She told me that she had to wait to hire me for unforeseen reasons, and that it could be up to a month before I started work. I could tell she was discouraged, so I tried my best to remain optimistic. I went home and Matt and I talked and prayed over it, and I heard those six words once again:

Just be still, and trust me.

And it was then that I knew I needed to just wait and see what happened with this. It was completely against my nature to still back and wait. Everything in me seemed to be screaming: What are you doing?!? You can't just sit there. You're being too trusting. You're being lazy!

But praise the Lord that His voice was louder than that one, and so I went against my better judgment and waited. 

This still left the issue of what I was going to do once camp ended. But God wasn't finished working. Thankfully, He never is. :) One of the families from camp started asking if anyone could watch their daughter after camp was over because she didn't go back to school for another two weeks, so I volunteered to do it. That covered two weeks of work right there. Then, the day before my last day with that family, I got a text from a girl who worked at the church asking if I could watch her baby for her. I loved her baby, so I eagerly agreed to help her out. I then explained the situation with the job I had tentatively been offered, and she offered for me to work for her watching her daughter until I started with my new job, and then she would find someone new. 

Because I love pictures, here are some of my precious little brown-eyed buddy. :)

She is one of the happiest babies I have ever met, and SO CUTE!!! And super photogenic.

Melt. My. Heart. She even had Matt wrapped around her baby finger. He asked for pictures of her daily. 

Seriously though, I could eat her up. 

August ended, and I heard nothing about the job. September went by, and still nothing. I would occasionally see my (potential) boss and she would always tell me that she had yet to get the green light. I could sense she was frustrated, but there was nothing we could do except pray and wait. 

October came, and I really started thinking this perfect job was no more. I even got a message from her apologizing profusely about the situation and saying that she was doing everything she could to get me there but to no avail. She even told me that it wasn't fair to me and that I should look for another job. Again, I asked God what I should do. Was this period of being still just a test that was now over?

But His answer was the same as it had been for months.

Just be still, and trust Me. 

Then October 21st happened. I saw my (potential) boss like I normally did on Wednesday nights, but this time it was different. She stopped me and said that she had gotten the green light just that morning! I could FINALLY start my new job! We were both SO excited. I met with her the following week to discuss details, and I started Monday, November 2. I am the Communications Assistant at Calvary, and I do a lot with social media, marketing, and basically anything my boss needs help with. :)

Now you can see why I waited so long to post. ;) My first week of work was great. I really enjoy what I am doing, and my boss and I get along wonderfully (here's hoping I don't scare her off...). I feel that I am where I am supposed after a LONG wait, and I cannot wait to see what all happens in this new adventure. 

Through all this, I NEVER WENT A SINGLE DAY WITHOUT HAVING WORK. I was floored. I could not believe it had worked out this beautifully. This is just one of the many rewards the Lord has blessed me with by simply being still and trusting Him. 

Even as I am writing this, I am in awe of all that my Heavenly Father has done for me. I am so undeserving, and was so indignant and self-righteous. Yet He loves me enough to put up with my mess and to provide for me the perfect job. And even though the road to it had some crazy twists and turns, it couldn't have been a better ride. :) 

The Elusive Moment That is Contentment

Hey all;

It's been a while since I posted. Then again, there always seems to be "a while" between each of my posts. I guess that's what happens when you get busy. I tend to view it as a good thing; that I'm too busy with work, my husband, friends, activities, life etc. to focus on posting on my blog every week. I would much rather be with people than in front of a screen. :) But I digress.

Just moments ago, I was sitting on my couch in the living room of my apartment, drinking my evening tea, when I realized something that I consider to be fairly significant: 

I was completely content.

Now, by saying that, I probably sound like a person who is never content unless she gets everything her way. While I am a sinful, selfish human at heart, I would like to think that is not the case with me. If you're really curious, ask my husband; he's the one that would know that before anyone else. ;)

But really, it occurred to me that I was not stressed about anything, I was not dreading any upcoming deadlines, I was not unhappy with where I was in life, I was simply content in that moment. As I processed, I took in my surroundings, and began to recognize the small blessings that I so often overlook. All five of my senses were engrossed in that solitary instant of peace, and I began to silently thank the Lord for what was in front of me.

First, sight. Our entire apartment was fairly clean and tidy. I get stressed by clutter and mess, so cleaning has always been an excellent de-stresser for me. So many times, Sundays are not a day of rest at all for me. But today was a calm, quiet day, so I had the chance to pick up before Matt got home from work. 

Thank you, Lord, for a day of rest to prepare for the upcoming week.

Second, hearing. As I sat there, I listened to Matt play some computer game in the sunroom. He always entertains me with how competitive he gets, especially when he is playing online with a friend. He rarely gets angry; he just gets so excited and determined that I cannot help but smile. I am grateful that he is the kind of man that entertains himself so I can have some me time. 

Thank you, Lord, for my wonderful husband that keeps me smiling.

Third, smell. The aroma of freshly baked cinnamon zucchini bread was wafting throughout the entire apartment. Recently, a friend of mine blessed us with a bunch of zucchini and squash from her garden, so I have been up to my eyes in various baking projects to use up those precious vegetables (technically, they are fruit) before they go bad. I love cooking and baking, and I have not had much time this summer to play around in my kitchen up until this past week.

Thank you, Lord, for time in the kitchen and for generous friends.

Fourth, taste. English black tea with a bit of milk is my forever comfort drink. I love coffee, but it tends to upset my stomach if I drink it too fast. Not so with tea. It winds me down and is just good for my soul. Additionally, each sip reminds me of my time in Ireland, which causes many happy memories to flood back. 

Thank you, Lord, for tea and the simple happiness it brings.

Lastly, touch, or just physical feeling. I was (and am) sitting in my air-conditioned apartment, in my over-sized t-shirt and favorite gym shorts, on my couch, and I was reminded of how many people do not have the luxury of a home or good clothes. This caused not guilt, but gratefulness in my heart.

Thank you, Lord, for all you have provided for my comfort.

This may just be me rambling on with all the random thoughts that fly around in this brain of mine, but I think the Lord was trying to teach me something. Something I have noticed about adulthood thus far is that so many people are discontent. So many of us (yes, I have to include myself in this category) are constantly looking forward to the next thing in life and desiring for that time to be here now, and not in the future. Whether that be a Masters degree, a new job, buying a house, or having children, it is so easy to get caught up in desiring for the future to begin. And there's a definite trend: once you get one thing you want, you begin to pine for the next thing on your list. If nothing, it's a reminder that nothing in this world will make you happy. Only Jesus can fill that void in your heart. 

But we can never learn the art of true joy unless we learn to stop and look around and capture the moments of contentment that come our way. Sadly, those moments never last long enough, but if we make this practice a habit, perhaps they will come more easily, and then more frequently. 

You see, contentment is not just a feeling; it's a choice. If we can choose to be happy with where the Lord has us in this season of life, the future will shine brighter and we will feel more alive than we ever have. How do you choose contentment, you ask? By smiling, looking for little blessings around you, and thanking God for all He's given you.

This instant of contentment comes to me in a lull. I'm in a less chaotic season at work, and I am in between my summer class and fall classes. I know life is about to get crazy again, but in the still, quiet moments like these, I feel prepared to take on the beautiful chaos that awaits me. Maybe this post will help remind me to seek for contentment in the crazy days. Who knows. For now, I plan to take in my view and savor every second. 

As well as every bite of that zucchini bread.  :)

 

Summer Camp and Statistic Calculations: Exciting Life Update!

Hey Everyone;

It's been a little while since my last post, and a lot has happened. I've actually been looking forward to this post, but I have been waiting to make sure everything was final. Before any of you get any ideas, I am NOT PREGNANT. Lately, if I have told anyone that I have exciting news, they assumed I was pregnant. Not sure why...;P Believe me, when I am pregnant, my big mouth won't be able to keep it quiet for long.

ANYWAY, my big news is that I'm headed back to grad school!!! However, I will not be returning to Southeastern. As much as I enjoyed my time there last year, it's just not the best fit for me anymore. I want to be licensed by the State of NC in order to counsel in a practice or office setting, and Southeastern does not set you up to do that anymore. So I will be attending Liberty Online to get my Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy! To say I am excited is an understatement. I am SO ready to go back to school and to finally delve into a field of study that I am so passionate about. The program should take 2-3 years depending on how many classes I can take at a time. My goal is to push myself to finish as quickly as I can. Come August, we will see just how much I can handle. As far as work, I have a full time summer job June through August working as an assistant director for the day camp my church puts on for the entire summer, and I will also be taking an online statistics class through our local community college here. I got away with not needing a statistics course for my major in undergrad, but it's required for this program. Prayers are much appreciated...math is my least favorite subject. And as for work during the school year, I have put in several applications for part time nanny jobs, so I will keep you posted on that. Everything is lining up so well, and I have so much peace about everything, which is such a blessing. I am so ready to start reading books about counseling and to start doing research again on various topics that intrigue me; I'm even excited to order my textbooks (see? I'm a total nerd). But until then, it's summer camp and statistic calculations for me. :)

~CA

How I Made Over 12 Meals in Under 5 Hours

Hey everyone!

It's been a while since I posted. March was a busy month, plus I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to write about. But now that I have had some extra time to experiment in the kitchen this past weekend, I have something to talk about!

Recently, I have been very interested in batch cooking and freezer meals. As much as I love cooking, it can be a hassle to cook a wholesome meal every night when you're working and have lots of other things to check off on your To Do List. Also, with me wanting to return to grad school in the near future and with us wanting to have children one day, having the ability to make 10+ meals in several hours instead of spending at least an hour each day cooking one meal is SO crucial for the sake of both time management and mental sanity!

Pinterest is always my go-to for recipes. I like to think of myself as a Pinterest-user rather than just a Pinterest-viewer, as I am quite particular about only pinning recipes that I would actually make. While browsing on Pinterest, I came across the "I am THAT Lady" website/blog. I love her! She puts together recipe plans using groceries bought from Aldi. She has a meal plan for dinners each night for a month, a slow cooker plan, a gluten-free plan, and 2 freezer meal plans! Please be sure to head over and check out the blog: http://www.iamthatlady.com/

Let me just pause for a hot minute and tell you how much I LOVE Aldi. We have one very close to our apartment and I am so grateful for it. We have saved so much money by shopping there for our staple groceries. Now I'll be honest: I wasn't sure about shopping there at first, especially since Aldi has its own brands that I did not recognize. But after taking the advice of some friends and trying out different things, I am overall very impressed! I am not a fan of their spices and some other random items, but that's just my preference.

But back to cooking. With this 3 day weekend, I decided to try out one of the freezer meal plans. The only problem with freezer meal plans is that I have a VERY small freezer. That is the only reason I haven't done any freezer meals yet. Because of this, I altered the meal plan I used to make less meals. In this particular meal plan, several of the meals are supposed to be doubled, but I just made a single recipe of those. And some of the recipes were already doubled, so I made them as is. I went to Aldi and spent just under $90 on the ingredients I needed. (I already had some of the ingredients on hand)

Now, the meal plan I used had a big focus on prepping, so I pulled out my bowls of different shapes and sizes and used them like a crazy person. ;) 

Altogether, it took me just under five hours to get everything finished, which included a good bit of the cleanup. The freezer bags and pans were not included in the price. I got the freezer bags at Harris Teeter (their brand worked great) and the aluminum pans and lids I found at Sam's Club (a friend from church let me "borrow" her membership to buy them :)). I made a grand total of 12 meals! Two meals were doubled, but the rest were single, and most of them will last past just one meal.

The meals were as follows: 

Mac and Cheese (2 pans)

Baked Ravioli (1 pan)

Chicken Enchiladas (1 pan)

Teriyaki Chicken (1 pan)

Salsa Chicken (1 bag)

Chicken Cacciatore (1 bag)

Chicken Souvlaki (1 bag)

Pulled Pork (1 bag)

Peanut Thai Pork (1 bag)

Alfredo Sauce (2 bags)

I'm eager to try all of them. We have had the Chicken Souvlaki, Salsa Chicken, and the Mac and Cheese and they are excellent. I'm a bit wary of the Peanut Thai Pork, but we will see! If you are following the meal plan from the blog, you will notice that I left out the Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs. That is because I have made it before and wasn't thrilled with it. I am spoiled by my father's recipe for spaghetti sauce :) I would drink that stuff straight. It is phenomenal. 

Now, onto storing these freezer meals. I was able to store most of them in my freezer, but I kept one pan of Mac and Cheese and one bag of Alfredo Sauce in my fridge because I plan on making them in the next day or so. 

The lid of the bottom pan was bowing a bit with the weight, but it was holding. :) 

I'll keep an update about how the food turned out. Until then, happy Easter! 

HE IS RISEN!

~CA

A Season of Soul-Searching

Two days ago was Ash Wednesday, and I almost missed it.
With all the chaos and craziness that is North Carolina "snows" (this state can't handle any sort of precipitation besides rain), I completely forgot that the 18th was Ash Wednesday. Thank you Facebook, for reminding me. Baptist churches tend to not put much of an emphasis on Ash Wednesday, which is somewhat disappointing. It marks the beginning of Easter season, after all. But anyway, I started thinking about the Lent season that is now upon us. The "traditional" thing to do during Lent is to give something up that you love. Most people give up food, TV, things like that. Now please understand: in no way am I against that practice.
However, I am not "giving up" anything for Lent this year. Instead, I want to "add on" something to these next forty days.
What I mean by that is that I want to focus and put more work into a particular aspect of my life, and that aspect is worship. As a Christian, I am called to worship God in how I live every different aspect of my life. Lately, I have failed miserably at this task. I have really struggled with worshipping and bringing glory to God in the way I live, mainly because I have allowed myself to be overcome by discontentment. My life has changed in some pretty significant ways in the last year. I have gone from being in graduate school while working three jobs while planning my wedding to being married, no longer in school, and struggling to find a permanent job. Life used to move at a million miles a minute and frankly, I loved it that way. I thrived in the busyness and I cherished my rare "days off" where I could catch up on life and rest. Now, my life is quite the opposite. Every day is a "day off." My days move slowly, and I typically have to come up with things to do to keep myself busy. I have decided that one of the reasons I loved being so busy was because it prevented me from overthinking and getting worked up over petty things. I simply did not have the time to do that. Dealing with anxious thoughts has been a daily battle for me lately. Thankfully, being aware of the issue is step #1 toward resolving it, so I'm getting there.
I miss my crazy, busy life. So I have been very discontent with where I currently am. Although I know this is a season in life that I clearly need (otherwise I wouldn't be in it!), knowing that doesn't always make it easier. Therefore, my goal for this Lent season is to take my focus off of my discontentment, and instead put it on worshipping the Lord.
How will I do this, you ask? During these next 40 days, I plan to actively combat my ungratefulness by both journaling and mentally noting things I am thankful for when those thoughts begin creeping back in. I am also going to try and spend more intentional time reading Scripture and praying each day. And since music is a huge part of my life and greatly affects my mental and emotional wellbeing, I plan to listen only to Christian music so that I am constantly reminded of God's goodness. Although it has only been two days, I can already tell this is not going to be easy. It's so much easier to wallow in the pit that is self-pity than it is to pull yourself out of it. Pulling yourself out of that pit requires lots of work, but that work does bring about an invaluable reward that I am certain will be worth it.
I would love to hear what you are doing for Lent, if anything. Comment and let me know your thoughts on the season.
Happy Almost Spring (I hope)!

The Gift of a Story

For the last week or so, I have been trying to think of a good blog post. I didn't want something too generic, but rather I wanted something heartfelt and sincere. Now, with it being Friday and looking back at this past week, which has been a rather crazy one, I think I know what I need to write about. Just to give you a fair warning, my writing may seem a bit vague in this post, but I have done that intentionally to respect those who inadvertently play a part in this story.

This has been a long week. Did I say that already? For those of you that do not already know, I am looking for a job again, but thankfully I am starting a part time job next week and I have a bunch of applications out for a full time job.  So that has been draining. But the hardest part of this week has been that people in my life are hurting. I have gotten way too much tragic news about young deaths lately, particularly from my dear alma mater, Appalachian State University. They have had 8 student deaths this school year. EIGHT. And I knew one of them.
Y'all, this breaks my heart. We are TOO YOUNG for this to happen. I have been praying unceasingly for the students up in Boone and those who were personally affected by these deaths.  It's almost too much to bear. What a hard year it has been for my Mountaineers. And on top of that, I have talked to several close friends this week that are hurting. These friends are having relational difficulties and just general life struggles. Many of these are things that I have never dealt with personally, so it tends to leave me at a loss for words. In those moments, I quietly ask the Lord to give me the words to say. I was on the phone with a friend earlier this week during one of these situations. I was listening to this friend talk and I was praying over and over, "Lord, what do I tell this friend? Please tell me what to say because I have no words." Then, out of nowhere, the Lord spoke. Now, if you're not religious, this may seem like crazy talk to you, but stay with me. When the Lord speaks to me, and it does not happen often, it comes as an overwhelming thought that I cannot give myself the credit for. The thought comes out of nowhere and seems to make no sense, but it is impossible to ignore. So at that moment, this overwhelming thought came to the forefront of my mind. It was simply four words:

Tell her your story.

Ummm, what? My story? I knew exactly what story God was referring to, but it seemed a bit far-fetched. My story was way different than what she was experiencing, but nevertheless, I began telling her my story. This story, in vague detail of course, involves me at a younger age, thinking I knew exactly what God's plan was for my life, until He came in and abruptly stopped me in my tracks, challenged everything I thought I knew, and turned me around in a 180, shoving me in the opposite direction. My major, career goals, and my dating relationship at the time all completely changed. As I shared the details with my friend, everything I was saying started to connect with what she was experiencing. As the words left my lips, chills went up and down my spine. I realized that though the stories were vastly different, everything coming out of my mouth was relevant to her situation. When I finished, BOTH of us were in shock. I am telling you, there is NO way I came up with all that on my own. Then I heard one more gentle whisper that about knocked me over.

CarrieAnn, when this happened to you all those years ago, you asked me over and over why I let you go through it. Why you had to hurt, why you had to learn these lessons the hard way. Here is the answer to your unceasing questions of "why." When you went through that challenging season of life, I gave you a gift. I gave you the gift of a story. You received that gift in order that you might share it with others. Now remember to use this gift. 

Hearing those words stunned me then, and they still do now. My story of suffering and hurt was a gift? This concept has totally changed my perspective on how I view past trials. From the time I was young, I have been taught to view every hardship as a learning experience and as an opportunity to share wisdom with someone else. However, I did this with a disgruntled heart and an attitude of bitterness. Oh how I hope that has changed now.

So I pose the question: What would happen if we started to view the hurt of our past as a gift that we used to help others? Now, I understand that some people have been hurt very deeply and even recalling slivers of memories is too painful to bear. It took me a while to be comfortable with sharing my story. But once I did, it was amazing to see how my simple story of shortcomings and young foolishness could speak so strongly to someone else. Or maybe the hurt is too recent. Please, by all means, take the time to process and to heal. But once you are ready, I encourage you to speak. Tell your friends that need to hear that you are not perfect. Tell that person that is struggling with a similar issue. And if you can, try to view your own story with optimism and gratefulness. I was very frustrated with my story for a while, but now looking back, it has brought me to where I am today. It is the reason I married the man I did, and that alone, I would not change for ANYTHING. That challenging season has brought more goodness into my life than I ever thought possible.

Who knows the kind of good we could bring into the world simply by sharing our story? It could prevent suicides at colleges. It could help save a friend from making the same mistake you did. It could prove to someone that they are not alone. It could give a needed shoulder for a neighbor to cry on. Go figure, this frustrating season of unemployment that I am in will probably be a story that I eventually share as a word of encouragement. Not for a while, but eventually!

To end with a word of encouragement that is not my own, below is a link to a Josh Groban song that was just released this week. Its title is "The Mystery of Your Gift." Coincidence? Nah, I don't believe in those. Give it a listen, and pay close attention to the words. You'll find they are quite fitting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZGjK2LtaIE


And so I have said it, if you know me and want to know my story, I am very willing to share it over a cup of coffee or tea (no Starbucks please). And if you have a story to share, I want to listen. I am excited to hear about what you have experienced that you can use to serve others.

Now go, and use your gift. :)

~CA

New Year's Resolutions

Wow. I had no idea it had been so long since I had posted. I told yall I was going to be bad at this...oh well. At least I'm back now. :)
Now, I am fully aware that New Years has come and gone, but I have been spending the last week or so playing around with resolutions in my head, and finally, I think I am ready to put them on paper (figuratively speaking, of course). I have narrowed down these resolutions to 5 particular items, four being more on the fun side, and one being on the serious side. If that seems like a lot, or even too many, maybe it is. But isn't that what resolutions are, making goals and seeing whether or not you keep them? Plus, I don't feel like these are too much, so we will see what happens with them. They are ordered from least to most important. So, here you go:

Resolution #1: Keep up with this blog

            I really do want to be better at regularly posting here, so this had to make the list for 2015. I have also been told that some people actually do read this, which was humbling because I never really expected that. But anyhow, I hope to be better at keeping yall updated. I am going to aim for at least once every two weeks. Is that enough? I hope so. :P

Resolution #2: Make at least one "cookbook meal" every week

           I probably need to explain this one. Most of you know that I love to cook. Most of you also know how much I love books. Combine these two loves and what do you get: cookbooks. LOTS and LOTS of cookbooks. The problem is, I have not really been using a lot of these cookbooks. They just sit and look nice on my shelf, which is really not okay with me. Therefore, I've decided to force myself to use them weekly. It's really quite simple: I pick one meal/main item from a cookbook to put into my meal plan each week. My goal with this is two-fold: 1) I want to have different/unique meals each week instead of falling into the same old mundane meals, and 2) by the end of 2015, I want to know which cookbooks should stay and which should go. I've been in a purging mood since Christmas, can you tell? :) Oh and in case you are wondering, my cookbook meal for this week is Greek Chicken-Lemon soup. :)

Resolution #3: Learn more about essential oils

           This one is broad, I know, but I did that on purpose. I started learning about essential oils last summer, and I did a lot of research about different companies, and in September, I chose to get involved with the company of Young Living, and I have been in love ever since. These little bottles of oils have changed the way I live (which I know sounds crazy, but it's true!). I plan on making a post soon about my journey with essential oils, which will give more info. But anyway, my resolution is to try at least one new oil every month, and to read more books about them so that I am more educated.

Resolution #4: Complete the 2015 Reading Challenge

           As I mentioned in Resolution #2, I love books. I really love books. You can ask my husband; we really need a new bookshelf. I was a voracious reader when I was young, but once I got older and school became more demanding, I was not able to read for fun as much. College made it even harder, but I would try to read in the summers. However, this is the first year of my life that I am not in school, so I am planning to take full advantage of that. A friend of mine posted the 2015 Reading Challenge on her Instagram, and I decided to accept the challenge as well. I even printed my list out and put it in a frame above my desk so that I can check off each item with a dry erase marker. I figured that would help with the whole accountability thing which is supposed to come with resolutions. :) I am already finished with two books and am currently on #3!

And finally, here is the serious resolution:

Resolution #5: JOY

           Yup, that's it. Just one word: joy. And go figure, there's an essential oil blend I use called Joy (that really was just a coincidence, promise). It's a funny little word, one that a lot of people don't really know the meaning of. Is it an emotion? A state of being? A name? I believe that joy is not a feeling, like happiness. I believe that joy is a choice. A choice that people must consciously make every day. A choice that I did not make in 2014. I allowed the cares and struggles of this world to get me down and put me in a hard place in 2014, but I do not plan to let that happen in 2015. I know that the Lord will provide for me and that He is in control, but it is time for me to take that knowledge and turn it into a heartfelt decision to be joyful in all circumstances, both good and bad. 2015 may have just started, but I can already see that it is full of uncertainties and I know that it will bring a lot of big changes for my family, but instead of being fearful and anxious about the unknown, I choose to have joy and to trust that whatever God has for me this year is far better than anything I could have done myself. :)

So there you have it. My New Years Resolutions. I hope I did not ramble on too much. I am so excited to see what this year brings. 2015, I'm ready for ya.