Happy New Year

 Here comes 2014.
And I'm more excited than I have ever been before to greet a new year.

I've lost my voice a little bit here on the blog this year and I'm feeling stronger and ready to get it back a little bit.  On the one hand I feel like I have been on the blog less because I have been present so much more in my REAL life, on the other hand I miss doing some writing here for nothing other than my own record keeping and photos for relatives to see.  Sometimes it just feels good to sit down and type, and since I try to practice my photo skills (or lack thereof) on my children on a regular basis, it's fun to put some up here as well.

I have a new approach to this new year.  One that I should have taken a long time ago.  Kurt and I are focusing on ONE wildly important goal this year.  I'm focusing on ONE wildly important goal this year personally.  I'm going to be my best self.  I know it's broad.  I know it doesn't seem like much.  But I have questions to ask myself every day.  Many of these questions are ones that I have learned from Melody Ross and from Brave Girl Camp.  Many I have adapted to fit my own personal circumstances and my desires for the new year.

I believe there are little changes we can make every single day.  It is easier for me to make these changes when I remind myself that every 5 minutes matter, every 15 mintues can make a difference.
This year I choose to walk in charity.  I keep walking in charity.  Charity to me is the pure love of Jesus Christ.  This means that not only do I need to walk in the love that Christ has for me - so that I can remain filled and whole and be able to give to others, but also that I give that love to others because Christ so fully gives it to me.  My best self this year will be discovered as I walk in charity.

I hope your new year is awesome.  I hope you are excited about it.  I hope you love your life and are thankful for where you are at this time.   Here are a few of the questions that are helping me to make good choices each day.

Will working on this bring joy to those I love most?
Will spending time on this goal bring me personal satisfaction and peace?
Am I setting this goal to please me most authentic self or am I setting it for others ot see my accomplishments?
Is this goal worthy of my sacred energy, patience, and time?
Am I willing to let other things go that are not necessary in my life if thati s what I must do to be able to reach this goal?
Will I be able to keep my promises to those I love if I set this goal?
Will this goal challenge me to be better or will it keep me comfortable?
Am I making this goal from fear or from faith?

Those are just a few of my favorites from a 2 page list I typed up yesterday to use in my journaling and also this week when I have some ladies over to work on goals as well.  I have started having ladies over every month to discuss, support, and strengthen each other.  I'm so happy that I've started it and I have a huge vision for where that can go.

Another thing I'm working on this year is taking more photos.  I've neglected my photography skills and I want to practice again.  I want to learn new angles and new tricks so I've been getting the camera out every day.  My new take on project 365 this year is to make a 365 (a photo for every day of the year) book for each of my children.  This is a big project but it fits perfectly with spending time with my family and working on my photo skills so I feel it is a worthy one.   As each month progresses I will work on the book pages in memory mixer rather than leaving it all to the end of the year to complete.  That way when the end of year arrives (as it does all too quickly) my final task will be to send it to printing… not to begin putting it all together.  

Happy, Happy New Year.

I walk in charity.  I keep walking in charity.
E