Joining a friend in a battle for my life

A friend I have (Traci) http://scalingitback.blogspot.com/ that is getting healthy and has asked for others to join her in accountability and encouragement. I am joining her, and getting back on track with my physical well being. I am going to make reasonable but challenging goals for myself and I will revise them as I meet them to keep challenging myself. I will appreciate encouragement, but frankly don't do well with critics...unless you truly are loving me. Please join in if you would like--or just check in to see how we are doing. I will post probably only once a week, as you can see my past blogs--run infrequently.

My goals:
Short term:
Lose 10#
Drink 2 bottles of water a day, been drinking alot of coffee so adding this is necessary
Go to bed earlier and getting up earlier bed by 11, up by 8 (been going by 3 0r 4am up at 9-11am)
No caffeine after 4pm
Walk every day-no matter what
Start doing other exercising-weights, situps, etc (2 times a week)

Long term:
Summer goal lose 40#

Care Connection is coming together

Wow, what fun we are having! Three weeks ago, I began working in the office with husby...he is giddy (slightly weird ;-) ), and he keeps threatening to chase me around the desk--ha ha! We got to go to the Open Door Mission 2 weeks ago where we served homeless gentlemen. This week we had the honor of helping to make a meal at the Ronald McDonald house in Rochester.

For some reason, unbeknownst to me, the Lord has seen fit to ask us to take on this amazing ministry. He is asking us to believe in him, rely on him, and use the gifts He has given us for His glory...won't you consider going out to share His love with others? Give a call or email if you would like to join in on one of the many opportunities to serve.

I think...

But I am not sure...

I want to do alot of great things but I don't know if I should...

Quilting Bible study...fun-just started but the project frankly is overwhelming me. Not sure I love the pattern--totally feel released to just do a tablerunner or square for this one.

Beth Moore Bible Study--again just started--overwhelmed at the thought of all the work, but in submission to the Lord I am doing it...He has already met me and showed me-He is in this for me, and directed my steps to this place...how I needed that!

I wanna teach this darling young lady I have become acquainted with, how to do needlework of different types. My heart says YES!

Civil War type mini quilt club--wanna, really wanna--released by sweet husby to do it---trying to not talk myself out of it. See, it is something for me, just me...I don't do "just me" well. I always have to be making something or doing something that has a reason to bless someone else... TRYIN' to not talk myself out of it...

Doing office work for a dear woman of God-whom I love very much...in my mind I condemn myself that I am not there more, my heart knows I am there when I can. The two really need to meet more often and make the joy come back.

Dear husby has a new position at church as the Care Connection Director as well as his Facilities Manager Position...it includes me. I am a feeling a bit like I am in over my head on this one. I know that I know, that I know, God said, "You are to do this, I will be your strength." Frankly, I feel tired just thinking about it. Again, it is the whole mind and heart needing to get on the same page. I know I will get there, He isn't finished with me yet...

So, I think all things are good, but not all are good for me...Lord keep directing and I will keep stepping!

Crazy how time flies when you are having fun!

Life has just been flying by like crazy. In list format this has been what I have been up to in the last few weeks.

Taking down Christmas decorations-3 full weekends after Christmas but only 4 weekends after I had put them up...

Two major doctor appointments...

Cafe ministry stuff...one dear team leaving, another new one joining--God is so faithful how he works everything out.

6 hour trip TO Nyack, NY to visit my bestie and her family...stayed for Wed night thru Fri afternoon

8 hour trip HOME from Nyack, NY--got lost coming home--OY is all I can say

Planned and prepared meals for Elim Fellowship's Youth Leader Summit--Pizza, and subs for 120 youth leaders and 1 catered meal for 16.

Quilt Bible Study

Trying to organize my crap room--err--studio...trying is the key word

Planning and working on two very special quilts for two very special friends.

My phone died so I had to reenter all the info===huge pain in the tushy

Watched many seasons of Law and Order SVU.

Now moved on to Bones season 3.

Had special time with Sen, then said bye as he headed back to school. Miss him soooo much!

Continuosly working through the loss of mum. Sometimes I am so at a loss of how I will get past her not being here. It is so weird how it hits me, and overwhelms me with sad feelings. I think I just keep wishing I had had more time with her. I know she knew I loved her deeply, just want to tell her again...

Baby shower for a friend, birthday party for another.

Spending time with a dear friend who is moving...coming to terms with her not being easily accessible to me...my heart is hurting with this one. BUT God is working on me to know He is here for me all the time and she is not moving too far away.

Reading Jennifer Chevearinni books...too many...really good, fun reads

Started a Beth Moore study on David today.

Shawn was given a new position at the church and last Friday the members were told. He is now the Care Connection director and I will be assisting him in the position. Care Connection is the outreach branch of EGC, whose purpose is to go out into the world to physically show God's love to the needy. It is an awesome responsibility, but is exactly where our hearts have been desiring to work for some time. It will be so exciting to see what God has planned for all of us as we move forward with this ministry. CC is such a great way to show love in real and meaningful ways.

Spending time with Shawn, he becomes dearer to me everyday. How God blesses me, teaches me and woos me-through this man--captures my heart.

That is mostly all--have to get up early tomorrow--helping a friend cater food for a conference this week. It will be a great time, busy but fun...see ya on the other side ;-)

To Know You - Casting Crowns

Paying it forward

I have been reading a blog recently called Laundry on the Line, http://laundryontheline.wordpress.com/ . She is doing a "pay it forward" so I have decided to participate. For the first 3 bloggie friends who make a comment on my post and decide to do it as well on theirs. I have wanted to do this for a while and so I am going to now!

How this works is: the first 3 people who comment on this post, that they want to participate AND blog on their blog that they are going to participate and give as well, those 3 people will be the happy (I hope) recipients of something handcrafted by me. It will be something quilted so please tell me what your fav color combo is and I will do my very best to make something special for you. I will be visiting your blogs to see how I can make something atuned to your liking.

So, let's start out our year with giving, may you be blessed with doing so!

Another project finished

So I finished T's spiderman quilt. The blocks have a center piece taken from a "fabric book" sold by JoAnns. It was the only spidey fabric we could find other than flannel. I have to laugh, because although we didn't find what I had in mind--God had a plan. Shawn found the panel and then the other 3 colors came together so easily. The dark color framing the panels is actually navy but looks black, I think it makes it perfectly look like a film strip. Pretty appropriate in my thinking. The center block has T's name embroidered by Joyce Blowers and then I zigzagged around the outside to mimic the other blocks.

T seemed to like it, but at 7 I understand that the erector set had more appeal. I hope he will see it someday as the labor of love that it was.

I spent the last 2 days also finishing the tablerunners I was doing in the bible study. They are completely finished-but no pics yet. Also, a friend and I had started on some door hangers for Christmas, and the season got away from us, I just finished these and honestly I think they will be table runners too. I will post them later when I get pics of those too.