*12 for 2012*

Soo this post is in no way going to be very original - I'm sure many in blog-land will be making posts about New Year's Resolutions as 2012 quickly approaches. I have never really made resolutions before....but hey that sort of goes with my theme for 2012 to "just go for it" in all areas of my life. So here we go!

1. Read the Bible everyday. I have been a lot better about this in the second half of 2011, and have seen what a HUGE difference it can make to get into the Word, really study it, and have it be an everyday part of your life.

2. Have a date night at least once a month - just Nick and I. We have grandparents nearby who are always up for babysitting :) Having children definitely takes away from one-on-one time with your spouse, so you need to make an intentional effort to get that time in, even if its just going grocery shopping and grabbing a movie from the Redbox. I'm serious....sometimes just going to good ol Wal-Mart sans kiddos and with the hubby sounds fun to me. Weird, I know.

3. Do a daily devotion with Carsten. We gave him a preschool devotional book for Christmas. I tried my best to explain to a nearly 4 year old the concept and he seems excited to start!

4. Go on a mission trip. Ok, I'm kinda cheating here since I already know I will be doing this :) But, it has been a goal of mine for a while now...and I decided to just go for it! I am going with the organization Ordinary Hero. I plan to do a post sometime on how I found them, what has inspired me to go, ect. But for now if you would like to check them out visit their website/blog! Ordinary Hero (That was the first "link" I have ever made in a blog post...I feel cool now.)

5. Be more intentional in my prayers.  Ya know how we often say "I will pray for you." or "You are in my prayers.".....but then we fail to do just that? Or is that just me? Ok, well, I have been guilty of this from time to time. I really want to be better about prayer, because I know it can move mountains. It is powerful. We need to invite God into our daily lives more. I am starting a prayer journal too!

6. Pay down our student debt! Ok, so a not so "fun" one. But, we really want to succeed at this. The only debt we carry is our student loans and home mortgage. Luckily my Dad taught me to pay cash for cars, never put anything on a credit card you can't pay off that month and only have one to build credit with.(Thanks, Dad!!) I know that has saved us from having more debt. But student loans are uh-noy-iiiiiiiing. I appreciate our college educations, but I'm ready to get it paid. We plan on taking the Crown Financial class at our church and are also reading Dave Ramsey.

7. Be a better friend. This is another topic I want to do a separate blog post on. When you get married, have kids, and just get busier and busier its easy to start to lose touch and I have been guilty of this. I want to be more intentional about making phone calls, sending cards(like, in the actual mail....with a stamp and everything - remember those??), and just checking in with those that are important to me near and far.

8. Get my tattoo :) Alright, this is kind of a "fluff" one...but I have been talking about getting a certain something tattooed for years now. I have put it off because..A.) I want to make sure it is important enough to me to be there for life....and B.) I'm a little scared. You see, I want it on my foot. Which they say is one of the most painful places to get one. My plan is to get it in the spring when the weather is warmer for healing purposes so I can wear sandals. Soo, talk to me in a few months about this one :) But I'm feeling pretty confident this will happen.

9. Volunteer. As I learn more about suffering around the world while I prepare to go on my mission trip, I know there is also need right here in my home community. This year I really want to make the effort and take the time to volunteer.

10. Read! I am a bit of a bookworm, its true. But, I have learned soo much and been inspired and challenged from all the books I have read this year! In fact, check out my "Life-changer books" board on Pinterest. Wow, 2 links in one post, go me! :) So, I aspire to continue because you should never stop trying to learn more!

11. Be the best Mommy I can be. I know this should always be a goal, and it is. But being a Mommy is hard work at times, right fellow Mommies?? But hard work with the greatest reward! I want to be more intentional on having one-on-one time with each of my boys, and also creating wonderful memories as a family as they grow up. And I'm gonna throw in there that I also want to take more pictures/videos!

12. Blog consistently. This is only my third post, so who knows what is going to happen with my little blog but I would love to make an effort to be consistent in my postings. And I want to keep it real. Because when you are trying to live covered in His dust it isn't always pretty. But its worth it :)

***These are not in any specific order of importance....although I would say #1 is where it should be in a list of most to least important! :)

So, thanks for reading! Do you make resolutions? Care to share? I would love to help keep each other accountable!

I hope you have a wonderful New Year's weekend!

BIg & Small Roofs

My sweeties Christmas morning :)

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! We certainly did, I feel very blessed that our little family is loved so dearly by so many that we just don't have enough time to spend with everyone! Today was spent opening any gifts that hadn't already been ripped out of their boxes and packaging the last two days, Daddy putting everything together, and Mommy trying to get the house back in some type of order after Santa did his damage :) I'm convinced if you have young children you need the day after Christmas off just for this task!

Last night after we had gotten home from our third destination of the day and everyone was asleep but me I decided to watch "The Bishop's Wife".

A little background here - I grew up on older movies/music. Elvis..Bing Crosby...Gene Kelly...Jimmy Stewart...Those are just the names that quickly come to mind but suffice it to say I enjoy myself a good black and white movie and some "oldies" on the radio :)

I had never seen The Bishop's Wife. You may recognize it's remake's name - The Preacher's Wife. My wonderful Mama had recommended I add this to my DVR schedule and so I did just that because you just don't question your Mama's movie recommendations :) And I'm glad I did! It was a great movie to officially "end" my Christmas with. To summarize, the Bishop is fundraising to build a large cathedral. He is having trouble doing so, and he and his wife are growing apart. He prays for guidance and an Angel is sent to help him and his wife. It had a lot of good "one-liners" that stick with you after the movie has ended.

Probably my favorite was when Dudley, the Angel, said to the Bishop concerning the incredibly large cathedral he was trying to build "That big roof could build a lot of little roofs". This really struck me, as are a lot of things concerning money these days. I am preparing to go on a mission trip next summer to Africa. I know I will see such different living conditions than what we have in the States. As I learn about so many who have so little near and far, I have really started to question what is "necessary". In a season of extravagance, abundance, over-indulging - many have none.

We all have "big roofs" in our lives we are trying to build, don't we? We want the new car or bigger house, a closet full of the latest styles, exotic vacations, the list could go on and my "big roof" may be something different than yours. Those things themselves aren't inherently evil or wrong to desire. But what are they replacing or keeping us from being able to do for others? What are the many "little roofs" that are getting swept to the side in our effort to obtain more and more for ourselves?

As I have become aware of suffering both near and far, a verse has really gotten in my heart and come to mind often.  "...once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act." Proverbs 24:12.
Jesus spent much of his time amongst people most in society would say weren't worth his time. And he wasn't a Santa figure handing out gifts to the needy that would help them get through that day, or month, or year. He was handing out salvation - the greatest gift of all. An eternal gift that will last much much longer and has much more significance than any roof we are trying to build here on Earth.

Attempting to live "Covered in His dust"

Welcome! - to anyone who may ever wander across this page in the large landscape of the Internet. I have been considering starting a blog for a while now, but it just hadn't come to be. For the past few years I have found and faithfully followed several blogs which have been such an encouragement to me. I have no doubt the Lord was involved in this, because nearly 100% of these blogs are authored by strong Christian women. I have seen for others and myself so many positives from the blogging community, which I have been a lurker in for quite some time :) Isn't it crazy that women in other parts of the country and world have sat down at the computer in the middle of their everyday lives, and touched me and many others through their words?? I also enjoy the "journal" aspect of a blog....being able to go back and look at a snapshot of your life at a certain time.

So while I consider myself, my life, and my thoughts no more special than any other's, I felt the desire to start my own blog. To put my own thoughts about continually trying to learn more and draw closer to God(and not always succeeding!) as we live the ordinary, everyday life....and maybe I can "pay it forward" in a way. If one person is encouraged, or intrigued in some way to learn more about a relationship with Jesus Christ - that will be awesome! And if no one really does wander across this blog(except for my Mom, I know she will come!), well, I will at least have the online journal to look back on :)

So what will I be blogging about? As I said, just an everyday life. I am a Christian, wife, and stay-at-home Mommy to two little boys. In the last few years I have really "rediscovered" my faith in a way. I have a longing to learn more, do more, be more for God....than I ever have before. Do I always succeed at that? Noooooo way :) But he loves me anyway :) So join me in my journey!

And just what exactly does living a life "covered in His dust" mean? I first learned about this in the book not a fan. by Kyle Idleman. I strongly suggest this book!! "May you be covered in his dust" is a Jewish saying that originated from the idea of students of Rabbis constantly following their teacher to learn as much as possible from them. They were literally with him all day, every day. That saying really stuck with me for some reason, as I considered it such a great parallel of how I want to live my life with Jesus a constant part of it. I pray in some way big or small this little blog can be a part of that :)

If you stuck through to the end, thank you! I pray everyone has a wonderful Christmas weekend, and amid all the hustle and bustle can take time to sit back and remember the birth of Jesus, the reason for it all :)