One Word Resolution

As 2011 draws to a close and 2012 begins, I want to share a blog post written by our friend Brad Dunlap. He posted this last year and it was a life-changer for me.

Brad suggested picking one word and commit to that word for the year. That actually seemed like something I could do. So, I decided to give it a try in 2011. I sat down to contemplate what my one word should be and the word REFRESH came to mind. And, let me tell you I quickly dismissed it because that didn't seem cool enough.

And as quickly as the word rattled around in my brain, some Bible verses came to my mind. (Trust me...this doesn't usually happen to me!!)

Acts 3:19 - Repent, then and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing my come from the Lord and that he may send the Christ, who had been appointed for you--even Jesus.
Proverbs 11:25 - A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

Little did I know at the beginning of January how the Lord was leading. I may have initially thought that refresh would mean that I would relax/rest and be refreshed. No way!! Nothing could have farther from the truth.

Here's what I have been up to in 2011 and I am so thankful for every moment!!! And, I'm wondering what the Lord has in store for 2012.

What about you? Will you set resolutions for 2012?

All I Want For Christmas...

Technology amazes me!! When I was growing up we didn't have cell phones, Facebook, the internet, instant streaming videos, digital cameras, laptops, Ipods, Kindles etc. I remember having a handheld computer football game with different colored dashes that you could move with arrows and I thought that was sooo cool. I remember getting up on Saturday morning to watch cartoons, the highlight of my week. There were three channels to choose from. (No, I didn't walk to school 3 miles both ways uphill in the snow).

Since I grew up in the dark ages, I'm a pretty huge fan of technology. I have fully embraced technology. Well maybe not fully, we don't own a flat screen TV, have an Ipad or a Mac, so I'm an still old school in many ways.

However as I type this, I am on my laptop in my bed with my coffee sitting beside me, cozy and comfortable. My youngest daughter attends a virtual school. I work at a non-profit and the staff all works out their homes. I communicate with 50+ volunteers on a weekly basis via email. Facebook keeps me connected to friends and family near and far. Pinterest...what more can I say?

I rely on technology on a daily basis.

But I am realizing technology has a dark side, a really dark side. Sometimes I wonder if so many choices and the ability to do what we want to do when we want is feeding the monster of selfishness. I wonder if technology has really complicated the teenage years, as if they were not complicated enough. I wonder if technology fractures families. I wonder if technology becomes a substitute for relationship. I wonder...

As we head into the Christmas holidays, I want to ponder all these things that I wonder. I'm thinking it is time for me to control technology, not allow technology to control me. What does that mean?

I don't know.

Of course if someone gave me an Ipad, I wouldn't complain :-)

Blog Hog No More!!!

This morning I spent some time looking back at this blog and realize that I'm really glad I blog because it gives me perspective. It helps me quickly look back and glance at my life. For me, I didn't start a blog to make money or become an accomplished writer or even develop a following. Which is a good thing because I haven't done any of those things :-)

Why did we start the blog? Because we live far away from our families and are terrible about sending pictures. We decided to use technology to our advantage and eliminate guilt from our life (well maybe not eliminate, but at least reduce it).

Actually David started the blog in 2005 and I hijacked it in 2006. Crazy that I have been blogging for six years. This blog does tell our story over the past six years. I am thankful for every moment!!

As 2011 draws to a close, I realize that my time as the primary author on this blog is drawing to a close. It is time for me to turn the reigns over to my family and allow this blog to be a reflection of our family. It is time for me to quit being a blog hog.

We'll see how that goes!!