In case you missed it, my word of the year is WELCOME, described by the acronym below. For more details on why I chose this word go here.
Worship – Making room for God
Embrace – Making room for my family
Learn – Making room to grow my mind
Care – Making room for my health
Offer – Making room for others
Minimize – Making room by clearing a thing or practice from my life
Everyday Blessings – Recording the little joys that occur when I make room
WORSHIP
Goal: Set daily and weekly prayer appointments.
I want my time with God to be on the schedule like any other appointment or task. I know this won’t just happen. Since it was an extra full month, I was not as consistent with this as I’d hoped, but it is a start towards a more consistent time of prayer.
EMBRACE
Goal: At least one family night.
With our kids getting older and all of us having different hobbies and interests, we find it easy to go our separate ways after we eat dinner. We wanted to do something spectacular like go look at a special light display, but we found that the closest one to our new area was over an hour away. We decided to get pizza and just hang out together.
LEARN
Goal: Finish current learning project.
I did finish one personal learning project, and I’m planning for the next one. I may share more specifics in next year’s goals.
Always, I’m learning through reading – one of my favorite pastimes. Anytime I recommend a book (or anything for that matter!), remember it is not infallible and I’m not recommending or endorsing every part of it. With that caveat, here are a few good books I read this month:
On Teaching Children and Teens (and so much more):
So the Next Generation with Know by Sean McDowell and J. Warner Wallace
I was intrigued with this book when I saw who the authors were. Sean McDowell has a Ph.D. and is one of the top 100 apologists of our day, but he still teaches at least one high school Bible class. J. Warner Wallace spent years as a homicide detective until he started to investigate Christianity using those same skills. Now, he pastors and teaches apologetics to students as well. This book is a great resource for parents, teachers and youth pastors who want their kids to really understand their faith and work it out in real life.
Fiction:
The Quantico Files #1 and 2 by Nancy Mehl
Nancy Mehl is the only author that has made me enjoy an Amish/Mennonite story. Not that I am against those religious groups, but I’ve never understood the fascination with them as a fiction genre. Mehl combines suspense with the Amish/Mennonite community in a realistic way while exploring some of the complexities of entering or exiting those religious communities. That being said, this new series has nothing to do with Amish and Mennonite cultures. Nancy Mehl also does Christian suspense well in the FBI world as well even while exploring another type of religious background.
On My Coffee Table:
I’ve alternated a few Christmas books from the library and one I own this month. I also put out a few children’s Christmas stories. Here are a few of them: Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas by Ann Voskamp, Christmas at America’s Landmark Homes by Patricia McMillan and David Strahan and Christmas Teatime: Celebrating the Holiday with Afternoon Tea by Lorna Ables Reeves.
CARE
Goal: Plan healthier breakfasts and lunches for myself.
I found a few healthy soup and salad recipes and got the ingredients for them so I’d have everything on hand. I did eat them most days when I was able to be home for lunch. I plan to do this more regularly because it’s much better for me than grabbing a quick sandwich.
OFFER
Goal: Multiple events and two family Christmas celebrations.
The boys and I went out to dinner together when my husband and daughter had a work dinner to attend. Our family attended my younger boys’ Christmas piano recital and the ladies in the family celebrated my mom’s birthday at a tea room. All of our children participated in a Christmas program at our church. I had a quiet dinner date with my husband right before Christmas so we could connect before the crazy chaos. We plan to celebrate with the Self side of the family and my parents on Christmas Day and the Davis side of the family New Year’s Day.
MINIMIZE
Goal: Clear out excess in cupboards, closets and Christmas things.
As we decorated for Christmas, we got rid of some old decorations we didn’t use. I also cleaned out the collection of jars that has already accumulated in the cupboards. I will do another clothing purge right after Christmas and clear out a few more kitchen cupboards.
EVERYDAY JOYS
A few more highlights from our December below:
QUOTES OF THE MONTH:
The time of business…is not different from the time of prayer. I possess God as tranquilly in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, where sometimes several people ask me different things at the same time, as if I were on my knees before the Blessed Sacrament.
A busy momBrother Lawrence, a single monk of the 17th century in Practicing the Presence of God
Kids need more than relationships. Relationships alone are not enough…If it’s only about relationships, you can expect students to find a community that will allow them to chase their passions without limitation or condemnation, especially if they’ve already decided Christianity isn’t true. But…truth alone is not enough either…Factual claims about God…can sound like little more than ‘Blah, blah, blah’ if they are delivered apart from an authentic relationship with someone who truly cares about you.
~~~~~We often approach this generation and demand they understand us first…But let’s humble ourselves and aim to understand before being understood.
~~~~~
Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Your job is simply to be faithful. Just be the person God has made you to be. Trust that God is the One who ultimately transforms lives. And remember, God will supply us with all our needs.
From So the Next Generation Will Know by Sean McDowell and J. Warner Wallace
Stir. Sip. Savor. You deserve it.
– From the Swiss Miss hot cocoa packet
But, how do they know I deserve it?
– My 11-year-old son
Disclaimer: On any music video I share, I am only attempting to share that particular song. It is in no way an endorsement of the artist, other songs they may sing or any ads associated with the video.
I hope you had a wonderful December and a beautiful Christmas. This is the end of my year of WELCOME. I will be choosing a new word and new goals for next year so be sure to subscribe to get the email in your inbox.