Goodbye 2010

I can't say I am sorry to see the end of 2010. It began rough and ended the same way, with much heartache in between. I am sorry to say that Bud and Rachel will not be staying married. Their divorce should be final in just a couple of weeks, and though it is heartbreaking to see a family end, I can not allow it to cause the suffering it did last year this time. On to a new year....2011. What will it hold? It will hold whatever I allow it to....good or bad. I plan many good things this coming year. I pulled out my journal and began to write my 2011 goals.
I make 1-3 goals in several different areas of my life.....10 to be exact.
I won't share them all with you but I will touch on a couple. This quote, which a friend shared on facebook, is key in my 2011 Spiritual Goals:
"To escape the error of salvation by works we have fallen into the opposite error of salvation without obedience." - A. W. Tozer
I plan to read through the Torah (though I am a total "grace" believer, I have never given any attention to God's law....time I look at it deeply). Also, I am seeking His direction in other areas of obedience in my own personal life...nothing salvation based....more obedient based. In my Personal Development section I plan to work on my problem of "worry". I am a total worry-wart. That HAS to change. I have a plan on how to do this.
I am setting a goal to do "something" with my soap and candles in 2011. Sweetheart invested a great deal of money into my candle business a few years ago, and I was not a good steward of his investment. I have the never changing goal of weight loss and clean eating. My quilting goals are massive, though I am motivated to complete each and every one of them...those will be listed on my sidebar very soon. One of my homemaking goals is to stock my new full sized freezer (my Christmas gift) and pantries. We received a 1/2 a beef, and I am planning to use the money saved to stock up on things when they are on sale. This is something new for me, who was raised to not look at prices and shop several times a week. I also plan to do a big shop twice a month and just grab milk, and perishables on the off weeks. Exciting goals for me....what goals have you set?

Once the sailboat quilt was done, my hoop was empty....GASP! I never did give the table runner for a grab gift. I could not bring myself to machine quilt it. I felt I would just ruin it. It is now in the hoop.I am also working on the next phase of the BIG project. I will be able to talk about it very soon. For now, you will just know this next phase consists of 1,018 pieces of yellow.Our Christmas was nice. I was not in the "mood" at all. It was not a happy time here as it was our first holiday without Rachel. The grandkids came Christmas day and have been here most days ever since. They are staying with their Daddy til Sunday...it was "his week". He had to work Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, so they have spent those nights here. I have sure enjoyed every minute with them! Here is a pic of TJ opening his quilt. He did LOVE it! He kept saying, "It was for me????!!!"Sassy enjoyed her first Christmas....officially her 2nd, but she was only 4 weeks old last Christmas. She loved the boxes!!!And found a quiet place to sleep when the house was full.Christmas Eve, my entire family came for dinner. I treasure those times of family. Here is a picture of my mom, my aunt, my sister, and me.This is what matters....love.

I will end this post, and this year, by sharing a couple of prayer requests. Please pray for my mother's cousin, Elsie. Her daughter died in her sleep last night. She was 47. Elsie is heartbroken and this is her second daughter to pass away in just a couple of years. Also, my Uncle Laddie is in the hospital. Please pray a fast and full recovery for him.

Time for me to go put my sweet Emerson nigh-nigh.
May the new year bring you abundant blessings!!!!