Monthly Archives: January 2016

So, wow. 2016. Most productive year ever…

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Wow. I can’t believe it is just now 11 days into the year and I have gotten so much done!

I even went into the dreaded 8 containers of baby clothes I can’t let go of and I got rid of around 25 pieces! And, I went into a bin with baby books and toys and got rid of another 10 books. So, that is a feat in itself! I have another set of garbage bags filled with finds for a happy Goodwill hunter.

My daughter’s desk has thrown up onto her floor and we have uncovered some awesome treasures worth keeping. We have also created a drawer in the kitchen with “prizes” in it. Jewelry, lip gloss, bracelets, American Girl non-fiction books and other things that are great items, but she will never use will be given away at her Valentine’s sleepover party we are hosting. Every time a game, or dance off, or relay race or challenge is won someone will win one of these things. When the 6 little girls home, they will have bags designed with hearts filled with treasures for them and my daughter’s desk and the landfill will be spared!

I cleaned and cleared out my closet to the best of my ability so that I can actually go in there now and have a seat and read the Bible. My closet isn’t huge, but it has a bookshelf and cd storage shelves and an organizer for all of our crafts and school supplies, so it is sizable. But it is more long than wide. So, it is big enough at the end to put a chair in or stool for me to sit in there and pray. A little nook if you will. I stole the idea from the movie the War Room. I cleared one of the walls off that had small purses hanging on hooks and put them on a shelf and have a list of desires or declarations for my life. Next step will be putting up notes with scripture, maybe pictures, wishes, hopes, prayers, dreams, thoughts.

It gives me real joy to have a true little nook for me. I think that this organized and dedicated space will open up the desire and time to spend time with God because it feels special and it is intentionally set up just for that. I plan on finishing up cleaning up some of the nooks an crannies so that it is a space that I can feel unencumbered and unbothered. Cluttered spaces make it hard for me to concentrate.

So, another week gone by and though I only worked out 4 times instead of 6 because I am still sick, I feel like I am renewed in other ways. I am supposed to start a fitness challenge today with a friend on the left coast, but I have an appointment for my asthma today, so I will have to see if I get a breathing treatment or what will happen. But, at least I can rest tonight with a clean and tidy home (for the most part) and a fresh outlook on my life and circumstances.

Good night/good morning. Depends on where you are and your perspective!

simply~

Dee

So, I have felt convicted as of late…

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For those of you who practice a faith, do you feel convicted about things? Do you just know right from wrong and abstain, or do you tow the line and then feel convicted in your spirit when you know that it feels wrong? Which camp are you?

My friend told me today that there are 3 forces working against us: the devil, the world and the flesh. For me, the world is my oyster, therefore the world is my issue. I don’t want to say I am a lukewarm Christian, but maybe I am.

I watch some of the popular shows and movies, I dress in current fashions, I keep up with the latest gadgets and know who the hottest singers are. There is nothing wrong with that. There really isn’t. But, my behavior and lifestyle do not separate me from people who are non-Christians, most of the time.

Not that a Christian person is better than anyone else, but if I want to be a follower of Christ, then shouldn’t I exude something different than the average person? It seems that some of what is hip and popular, sometimes may not align with the life I am trying to lead. I am not saying I can’t listen to any pop music or anything secular. But, what I am saying is that I should be putting better things into my ears and brain and psyche.

I was watching a show the other night and it is a show that I would never let my kid watch. For one, she is too young, but the show was just so inappropriate. I would never watch it in front of my mother, and with certain friends I would fee quite embarrassed even.  If I am afraid to see it with my mom around, then imagine if Jesus were sitting in the same room with me!

Now some of this may be heavy duty religious for some of you, in a society that is increasingly not. But, this is on my heart. I watched War Room 3 times this week, and I am now watching a true story about a man who was clinically dead for 90 minutes and he came to. I feel like I should be putting more purity in my life and more faith based movies and songs should be the main part of my repertoire.

So, I am going to try to stay away from movies, shows, music that is not acceptable to “the kingdom” as they say in the south. I want to set a great example for my kid. I don’t want to tell her she can’t do something, and then I go and do it because that would be like “do as I say not as I do.” I know she’s a kid and there are just some things that she can’t see or do because she deserves to enjoy youth and some subject matter is just too heavy.

I know I can’t regain innocence or unlearn the harshness of the world. But, I can feed my spirit with good things so that I can prosper in my relationship with God and also lead a life that sets me apart from others. I want to not only have joy, but exude it. I want people to ask me why I am happy all of the time. Living a life more accepting to God, can lead me to a closer relationship with Him and a better outlook on life and hopefully show others that the love of Christ is not to be feared, but is something we all need in our lives.

What do you all do to keep less of the world out of your lives, and more of Christ in? I no longer want to be lukewarm. I want to be on fire Christ, which will lead me blessings and plans laid out by Him that are beyond my wildest dreams. But I just don’t know how to get there. This kind of talk is not what the average Presbyterian church like mine would dare speak of. It is for the “holy rollers” or “Bible thumpers”. I don’t really care though because I feel like in order to get to the life I want, that prayer to God and a focus on a strong relationship with Him are more important than folks thinking I have turned into a nutjob.

The truth is, I haven’t changed and that is the problem. The differences in me now and me 20 years ago are so minute except that I am a mom and live in a different state. My attitude towards people is not better. I don’t have a job I love, nor do I make oodles of money. Besides my life with my child, I do not have a lot of satisfaction. So, apparently it makes sense for me to lean on the architect of the universe to take the lead and me for once not try to do things my way.

Happy late Saturday night/early Sunday morning. I hope that whatever your relationship is with God, that it is where you want it to be. If you don’t have one, I hope that you will consider turning to Him not just in time of need, but in times of Thanksgiving and for counsel. Because, there is no greater counselor…

simply~

Dee

 

So, don’t you kind of like the dismal quality of January?

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Maybe I am crazy, but as much as the gray skies get a little old, I find comfort in them. I feel that January and February are months that I can recharge and get things done all at the same time. We don’t go to as many events, we stay in more, we do simple things like board games and reading a whole lot more. I mean, our schedule is probably still super booked for a lot of people’s taste. But, I find that I like the extra hours of solitude and nothingness because the rest of the year we are running like chickens with our heads off literally.

As you know, I have been gabbing on and on about getting rid of things and cleaning out the cobwebs and clutter. There is a peace in that too because we are at home in our habitat, chilling with our favorite movie in the background with our fave fat cat. Though we aren’t true couch potatoes, we veg during this time more than any other time.

I also tend to wear my glasses out of the house more during the winter, and less of the contacts. My overall ensembles are more chill. I still wear my almost daily dresses, but they are more dressed down with leggings and often times Uggs. I know, the shoes of the suburbs, and a real turn off for a lot of people. But I yearn for them after Halloween and am ready to throw them out of the door when April hits.:)

I digress. Do you guys enjoy the lack of sunshine during the winter and the more lazy feeling that comes along with the first 2/2.5 months of the year? Or is it depressing for you?

There are ways to make days brighter for those who don’t have a glass half full mentality about winter:

Keep Christmas tree up longer (if you have one and if it’s artificial), the lights are so pretty on cold winter nights

Create projects to fill up your time indoors like scrapbooking or organizing:)

Take a class that you have always been interested in like glassblowing, knitting, or cake decorating, etc

Work extra hours to either make more money or to accrue extra vacay days and you can spend spare time planning that fab trip

Plan a winter get together like a Valentine’s party or a Star Wars marathon or wine and cheese shindig

Hope some of these tips help you guys beat the winter blues if you have them. If you are like us and like the more chill time of the year, the parties and classes are still useful. We are throwing a Valentine’s sleepover party for my daughter and her closest friends in a few weeks that includes baking and fun heart inspired games. I am also signing her up tomorrow at our local Michael’s for a couple of 2 hour classes to help her hone some skills. They are 50 percent off tomorrow. Check your local Michael’s!

Have a lovely rest of the night and Saturday!

simply~

Dee

 

So, an update on the mad cleaning…

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I stayed up until 4 after typing about how I was a paper hound and guess what? I am proud 2 say that 2 desk trashcans full later, I got rid of a lot!!! I also cleaned off my French memo board above my desk and I took down all of the flyers and programs and ticket stubs. We have all of that craziness in one huge ziplock bag. I recycled countless cards and doo dads and even got out a cute unused photo album for babies to put in my friend’s welcome baby basket. So, I am stoked!!!

The big challenge for the weekend is the 6 vac bags/plastic containers of baby clothes. I hope I can at least eliminate one of them. I took a garbage bag of books and mugs and vases, etc to Goodwill today. I also now have a bag filled with dresses and outwear of my daughter’s that I am giving away tomorrow if my friend doesn’t get back to me by then. So, I feel so so accomplished!!!!!!!!

We are going to start collecting items for 2 huge scrapbooks and that will eliminate paper trail too as I go through some photo boxes and realize what is not important and what is. My daughter is so creative, so I can’t wait to see how the photos turn out. We started taking things off of her French memo board too, so it will have to be an expandable scrapbook for sure.

This is off of the subject, but I am on day 4 of my #21dayfix workouts again and I am finally stopping my cough. I feel the pieces of my life fitting together and my vision is clear. Now on to personal finance:) I know that many people are pumped at the beginning of a new year, but this is the first time that I have ever felt so motivated to really and truly make a change for the better. I don’t think there is any turning back for me at this point. Hope your day/year/week is going well for you!

simply~

Dee

Cover photo courtesy of thoughtsonwhite@wordpress

So, I am so organized now…

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I am so organized and so together on only the 7th day of January that I am even impressed with myself.  There is more closet space. More shelf space. More cabinet space. More drawer space. I am re-gifting, donating, passing things on to friends. My place still looks the same, but all of the places that no one could see by walking around, are just as tidy or almost as the open places in my home.

But (there is always a but), the big, gigantic, enormous albatross around my neck though is the photos and tickets and playbills and greeting cards. I don’t even know how to get rid of or say goodbye to a lot of it. I have given a hundred books away in the last few months. Clothes. Household items. But these little papers are taking up so much physical and mental space and the only issue!!! If I had extra cash flow, I would pay someone to put these things into scrapbooks or weed out the unnecessary.

Well, the if denotes I will be doing this gargantuan chore myself. So, starting this Saturday, I will tackle the giant plastic container of virtually every card from every important person in my daughter’s life and decide what makes sense to keep. I also have a butt load of cards that people have given me in years past, so I have to dive into that as well. But to ease my way into the mess, I am going to do my desk tomorrow.

Am I the only one that has a place for most everything, but for those uncategorized items, the desk is the go-to place? I hope I am not alone in the crazy collection of ticket stubs of every movie I have been to with my kid. Then there are gift cards with probably .52 left on each one of them. Programs from mediocre plays we attended are shoved in there. Random office supplies that I never use. Beat up pens from various banks and businesses I have never been to.

So, I guess this title was kind of a farce. I always have considered myself a planner and organizer. But after thinking about and looking through this paper jungle, I am beginning to retract my statements. So maybe I wasn’t being smothered with material items, but more like memorabilia. I guess that is what I get for being a sentimentalist.:) You should see the many containers of my kids baby clothes and books and toys. I don’t know if I can ever cut down on those items. Maybe one day. Hmmmmm…

simply~

Dee

So, is it wrong for me not to want to talk a lot this year?

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If you knew me in real life, you would know that I talk a lot. I am smart and funny and have a lot of smart and funny things to say. I am also critical at times and self-deprecating, but I am anything but quiet. But this year, I want to mute out the noise. Noise coming from me and from others. In my quest to purge material things, I also want to purge unhealthy people/situationships as well.

I have been contacted more than twice by 3 people this week that I would consider toxic or unhappy or in less dignified terms-real buzzkills. All 3 of them have issues. One more than the other 2. But I do too. I am a struggling single parent and I still am unsure what I want to be when I grow up. But, I don’t tell them every time I talk to them about every problem I have. I have learned to turn to prayer or to myself or through writing to heal some wounds.

I spent December doing fun things. My kid’s mega performance at a major university in D.C. was a big part of our month. The rest was family and friends and good food and great experiences. I was sick for half that month and still am, but I did what I wanted and was around people that made me happy. After December, I decided that I want to do that all of the time. Why should I be around people that do not make me happy?  Why should any of us?

So, I would rather be hermitish (not a word I know) than talk and deal with people that I do not value, or those that only call to bitch and complain to me. It’s like in their social media life all is well and they laugh and carry on with everyone online. But then I get to hear the real side. Maybe I don’t care to be people’s confidante anymore. I used to try to fix people and really felt value in being needed. Now I just want to live my life and read great books, eat great food, be around people that I love and vcvs.

Does it sound selfish? If it does, then good! I have never been selfish. I have always put others needs and wants and wishes in front of mine. I get that from my mom. Of course I will still put my daughter and my mom in the front of everything. But everyone else must stand in line from this point on! I have been ignored for months by people, but if/when I don’t jump to return a call they are all over me. It’s like good old dependable Dee. She will always be there. ALWAYSSSSSS. I don’t want to be anymore.

This year, is about fitness, finance and finding my happiness. Beyond that, I am unbothered. I don’t care if people don’t agree with my political opinions. I don’t care if people find me different and insensitive. I am going to give people what they give me. If they give me silence, they will get that in return. If they give me love, I will love them like crazy. But what I will not give anymore, is my time or myself to undeserving and uncaring and selfish folks.

So, I guess that this is my declaration for 2016. Or, my soapbox sermon. Or perhaps my “getting it all off of my chest” session. I hope that you all do what makes you happy in 2016 and always. It is very liberating to love everyone, but at a distance without the entrapment or all of the drama. God bless!

simply~

dee

So, what is grace really? And not the grace you may be thinking of…

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So, I am not talking about grace in the way that Madonna talks about it: “She’s got style, she’s got grace, Rita Hayworth gave good face…” (Vogue) I am talking about the Grace of God. Have you ever seen books about Grace in a Christian reference of the word?

I mean, I think that I know what “they” mean, meaning authors and pastors and other church going folk. But, I am not exactly sure how to be granted or how to get or receive or whatever terminology goes along with this holy GRACE.

So, I went to this website called allaboutgod.com. This is what I found:  Definition of God’s Grace – How do theologians define it?
“What is grace? In the New Testament grace means God’s love in action towards men who merited the opposite of love. Grace means God moving heaven and earth to save sinners who could not lift a finger to save themselves. Grace means God sending His only Son to descend into hell on the cross so that we guilty ones might be reconciled to God and received into heaven. ‘(God) hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him’” (2 Corinthians 5:21).1

So, I read that and thought, well duh-I knew that. But then it means= wow!!! I am falling short of deserving this Grace from God! So, I read some more and the synopsis was that it is God’s favor. I suddenly realized that perhaps I don’t seem to get anywhere in life, in the way that I would like is because I don’t fully appreciate this gift and privilege I have been given, called Grace. Then I wonder how in the heck I am worthy? Or, maybe I am not? Maybe my lack of faith, or concentration in regards to Christ is the reason I often feel stuck in different areas of my life?

I really want to turn a new leaf and try to accept and inhale and grow in God’s Grace. I am going to work to not take it for granted and especially since I have been armed with the knowledge (again) how awesome and extraordinary the gift of God’s son so that I can live is beyond words. I want to revel in it and know that with God’s Grace I can make it through everything and when I am an old person, I will truly understand what the hymn Amazing Grace really means.

Because if any of us are honest with ourselves, we are blessed beyond measure and don’t even realize how much so. We woke up today, we are reading a blog right now. As large as Grace is, so is the fact that we have life and often live it how we want not considering God in the many choices we make, yet God still has our back. That pure and unconditional love itself explain Grace at its core.

simply~

Dee

 

Image courtesy of musicblvd.com