Welcome 2020!

A new year...New beginnings...The first day of a new year stirs up anticipation of hope and excitement in my heart like when you open a new notebook to the first clean page and prepare to write. The possibilities seem endless...

It's the perfect time to reflect on the goals I set up for myself last year, both personal and creative, and make new plans for the things I want to strive for in this new year.

My quilting goals for 2020:

1 - Make donation quilts for Bridgehaven.
~ In 2019, I only donated 7. I want to do much better this year. I hope to double that number. 

2 - Continue to use up my stash.
~ I did really well last year, but it will always be a goal to use up what I have. 

3 - Continue with being very selective about what I add to my stash. 
~  I did really well in this area last year, as well. I was tempted many times to buy fabric because it was pretty, or on sale. I have to say I have zero regrets about not buying fabric I wanted. Just because I love something doesn't mean I have to own it. Too much fabric in my stash overwhelms me and causes my creativity to shut down. Less is more in my world. 

4 - Learn one new technique out of my comfort zone.
  ~  I didn't do this one last year, so it is added again to this year. Not sure what that one new technique will be, though. If you have some suggestions, feel free to share!

5 - Set up a notebook to keep track of my projects as way to record what I created as well as keep track of who it was gifted to, fabrics used, pattern used, etc. I hope to share more on this at a later date. I am still in the figuring out how to set it up phase.  I purchased Chic Sparrow travelers notebooks for this purpose, so I must use them!

6 - Sort through my fabric and scraps. It's time for some of my fabric to find new homes,  someone who can use and love them.

My personal goals for 2020:

1 - Love my husband more.  

2 - Memorize at least one new scripture or sections of scripture a month. 

~ In 2019, I memorized 29 verses, which boils down to 18 sections of Scripture. My longest memorization was Titus 3:4-7. I use the Bible Memory app and I find it to be helpful. I did buy the full version, but you don't need to. 

3 -  Read my Bible regularly  

~ In July of last year, I downloaded the Reading Plan app and found a  beginners reading plan that took me through some of the Bible in 5 months. I have tried many times to read the Bible in a year and failed. The beginners reading plan took out most of the law so it was easier to get through and it was an encouragement to know I could finish what I began. This next year, I am going to read the Bible using the Five Day Plan. The goal will be to get through it in a year, but I will not fret over it taking longer than that. The goal is being in God's Word regularly and learning more about Him, not how fast I read through it. One way I help myself to stay engaged with my reading and to help my mind not wonder too much is to have the ESV Bible app on my phone read it out loud to me while I follow along in my Bible. 

4 - Continue to stay on the Low Carb High-Fat eating plan. 
~ 1000 x's YES! The KETO way of eating has changed my life and the life of my husband. My arthritis is gone. No more aching knees and hips. I've lost 55 pounds and went from a size 14-16 to a size 4 - 6. 🙌Russ is no longer pre diabetic and has lost over 50 pounds. He went from a size 42 waist to a 34. 👏 Our only regret is we didn't start this change earlier in our lives, but we are grateful we did when we did...

5 - Be an encouragement with those I meet. Greg Koukl at Stand To Reason sums it up well in his mentoring letter: Give 'Em Heaven 

~ Everyone has a story. Everyone has suffered in some way or is in the middle of suffering. When I was in the midst of great suffering six years ago, having someone be kind made my pain so much easier to bear. And you now what? 
Being KIND is not hard! 
Extending GRACE is not hard!
My goal last year was simple. When shopping, I wanted the people working there to know they were appreciated and give them reason to smile. One store where I frequently shop offered me a job 3 times this year. I politely declined, but it's nice to know they are happy to see me when I stop in. 😄I'd like to think I made a difference in my corner of the world by bringing some kindness to those I have met and I want the same for this year. 

6 -  One of my favorite t shirts says: Hold on I've gotta overthink about it. I would like this to NOT be true of me, so this year, I am going to make a conscience effort to stop 
overthinking. 
every. 
little. 
thing. 
The bonus will be it won't take me hours and hours to write one simple blog post. A girl can dream, right? 

I'd be interested in hearing what your dreams and goals are for the new year. Please share! 

A new year...New beginnings...The first day of a new year stirs up anticipation of hope and excitement in my heart like when you open a new notebook to the first clean page and prepare to write. The possibilities seem endless...

It's the perfect time to reflect on the goals I set up for myself last year, both personal and creative, and make new plans for the things I want to strive for in this new year.

My quilting goals for 2020:

1 - Make donation quilts for Bridgehaven.
~ In 2019, I only donated 7. I want to do much better this year. I hope to double that number. 

2 - Continue to use up my stash.
~ I did really well last year, but it will always be a goal to use up what I have. 

3 - Continue with being very selective about what I add to my stash. 
~  I did really well in this area last year, as well. I was tempted many times to buy fabric because it was pretty, or on sale. I have to say I have zero regrets about not buying fabric I wanted. Just because I love something doesn't mean I have to own it. Too much fabric in my stash overwhelms me and causes my creativity to shut down. Less is more in my world. 

4 - Learn one new technique out of my comfort zone.
  ~  I didn't do this one last year, so it is added again to this year. Not sure what that one new technique will be, though. If you have some suggestions, feel free to share!

5 - Set up a notebook to keep track of my projects as way to record what I created as well as keep track of who it was gifted to, fabrics used, pattern used, etc. I hope to share more on this at a later date. I am still in the figuring out how to set it up phase.  I purchased Chic Sparrow travelers notebooks for this purpose, so I must use them!

6 - Sort through my fabric and scraps. It's time for some of my fabric to find new homes,  someone who can use and love them.

My personal goals for 2020:

1 - Love my husband more.  

2 - Memorize at least one new scripture or sections of scripture a month. 

~ In 2019, I memorized 29 verses, which boils down to 18 sections of Scripture. My longest memorization was Titus 3:4-7. I use the Bible Memory app and I find it to be helpful. I did buy the full version, but you don't need to. 

3 -  Read my Bible regularly  

~ In July of last year, I downloaded the Reading Plan app and found a  beginners reading plan that took me through some of the Bible in 5 months. I have tried many times to read the Bible in a year and failed. The beginners reading plan took out most of the law so it was easier to get through and it was an encouragement to know I could finish what I began. This next year, I am going to read the Bible using the Five Day Plan. The goal will be to get through it in a year, but I will not fret over it taking longer than that. The goal is being in God's Word regularly and learning more about Him, not how fast I read through it. One way I help myself to stay engaged with my reading and to help my mind not wonder too much is to have the ESV Bible app on my phone read it out loud to me while I follow along in my Bible. 

4 - Continue to stay on the Low Carb High-Fat eating plan. 
~ 1000 x's YES! The KETO way of eating has changed my life and the life of my husband. My arthritis is gone. No more aching knees and hips. I've lost 55 pounds and went from a size 14-16 to a size 4 - 6. 🙌Russ is no longer pre diabetic and has lost over 50 pounds. He went from a size 42 waist to a 34. 👏 Our only regret is we didn't start this change earlier in our lives, but we are grateful we did when we did...

5 - Be an encouragement with those I meet. Greg Koukl at Stand To Reason sums it up well in his mentoring letter: Give 'Em Heaven 

~ Everyone has a story. Everyone has suffered in some way or is in the middle of suffering. When I was in the midst of great suffering six years ago, having someone be kind made my pain so much easier to bear. And you now what? 
Being KIND is not hard! 
Extending GRACE is not hard!
My goal last year was simple. When shopping, I wanted the people working there to know they were appreciated and give them reason to smile. One store where I frequently shop offered me a job 3 times this year. I politely declined, but it's nice to know they are happy to see me when I stop in. 😄I'd like to think I made a difference in my corner of the world by bringing some kindness to those I have met and I want the same for this year. 

6 -  One of my favorite t shirts says: Hold on I've gotta overthink about it. I would like this to NOT be true of me, so this year, I am going to make a conscience effort to stop 
overthinking. 
every. 
little. 
thing. 
The bonus will be it won't take me hours and hours to write one simple blog post. A girl can dream, right? 

I'd be interested in hearing what your dreams and goals are for the new year. Please share!