Hair

Been working on getting my hair to the color I want..This is getting closer.  No unusual or funky colors...just going for a strawberry blonde.  I can work with that palette either going darker or lighter..different high lights, etc.  There's a bit of pink (fading each time from the crayon red) that turned into a champagne pinkish color.  I actually like it a lot.  Next time (May) we'll add in a bit more strawberry blonde color..just in time for summer. The 1st, 2nd, and last picture are probably a more accurate picture of the actual color.  Though you can see the pinkish color in Photo #3.  There is a lot of blonde with reddish in between.

Well worth the read.  Click on the word 'Waiting". 

Waiting

Snow falling.

CHOOSE

There is a site that is called OneWord365.  I came across it last year.   Still another 'My One Word".   The idea, of course is to have one word to focus on all year long, rather than a New Year's Resolution.  Off and on all last year, I attempted to come up with one word.  Create. Still.  Surrender.  etc.  None quite fit.  This year, just recently, Abba gave me my 'one word'.  CHOOSE. It is a word filled with meaning. 

It's a verb..a doing word..action.  It means to select FREELY and after consideration, pick by preference, to prefer or decide (to do something), to want, desire, to be inclined.  Synonyms include: accept, embrace, make up one's mind, determine and one of my favorites: espouse (to stand up for, adopt, embrace).

I have had an extremely rough year (especially since the end of June).  My stress levels are off the charts, my lack of sleep leaves me 'hurting tired', easily irritated, and frustrated (to name a few).  So CHOOSE seemed an important word. 

I have been reading Choose Joy 

Finding Hope and Purpose When Life Hurts by Sara Frankl and Mary Carver ) the link to the book will be given at the end of the post)  and I kept thinking that it was the choosing..the desire to have joy that made Sara different.  It wasn't joy that was the main word..but CHOOSE.  Then low and behold, I read in chapter 7 the following: 

I made a decision a long time ago time ago that I was going to choose joy. I even painted a big rectangle on my wall and printed it in big letters so I wouldn't forget to make that choice every day.  The major word in that rectangle isn't joy, it's CHOOSE.  it's looking around me when life is difficult and trading every complaint I have for something beautiful in my life that far outweights it.

And, boom..lightening bolt.  CHOOSE.  It's not as easy as it sounds--at least not for me.  I plan to get vinyl letters and put CHOOSE on my wall.  I want to see it daily.  I want to remember that each day, each moment, I can choose.  I choose my attitude, my actions, my thoughts, my reactions.  I desire to choose wisely, to choose  forgiveness, patience, love, justice, mercy, compassion and most of all, I want to choose JOY (the unwavering trust that God knows what He's doing and blessed me with the opportunity to be a part of..not despite what's happening in my life but because of it..  When everything earthly feels heavy, He gives me an internal lightness that can't be touched.--Sara's definition).

My 'one word' is a huge one for me.  May I choose wise--as Abba would have me do.  I desire to choose life (emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually).  I can't control others, or life, or my health, or situation...but I can CHOOSE how I handle each thing.  I can CHOOSE joy and that choice starts right now. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X47ZRLS/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1 

Christmas JOY

Christmas was so unusual this year with daddy being in the hospital.  I have not been sad or disappointed as I thought I would be.  It is what it is and I'm grateful we are here w/him.  I'm feeling joyful despite all that is going on around me. 

Last night our oldest and his fiancee' came over and gave their presents to us. We gave them 'stocking stuff' as we'll give them real presents in January.  We do this b/c of financial difficulties and they understand.  Grateful for that too.

  Below #1 Son's and fiancee's 'stuff'. 

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They got Stephen a special cup and ammo. ;-) 

Yep, another stuffed animal (at my age lol), the coloring book (mentioned in another WP post), wax for the birthday gift they got me (which I love), candy and an ornament from future daughter in love's brother. 

Stephen and also gave each other stocking stuff.  My stash :-) and close up of my ornament

Stephen's stash and ornaments--yeah a lot of sweets which he will have to eat at intervals :-)

 

Hope the holiday season brings you joy and blessings. 

NO CONTROL...SO I CHOOSE.....

Every Christmas Eve in the past we've had treasure hunts w/the boys and with my lover/husband. We make sugar cookies and ride around looking a lights.  Wonderful traditions , I listen to Christmas songs all night..waking up (usually b/c of pain like normal) but with the anticipation of what the morning will bring. In the a.m. the fun begins with watching the boys open presents and stocking, seeing what my lover/husband has gotten me, enjoying him opening his presents, a great big brunch and then a movie with the family.

This year, it's all different with my daddy being in the hospital. We knew it'd be different not only b/c of daddy's surgery but b/c of having two more in our home (that's an entirely different story)  We planned on my lover/husband and me opening stocking stuff tonight--maybe even looking at a few lights, waking up together and heading to the hospital with mama to get ready for 'check out'.   We thought he'd be able to be by himself tonight and come home in the a.m. The knee replacement surgery was more intense than anticipated, his 'sick' kidney is still giving him problems and pain.  He hasn't been able to get up and walk as needed.  His mindset isn't all that great.  My lover/husband stayed with my daddy (isn't he awesome?).  

We'd also planned on Stephen going back home tomorrow after spending some time with Son #1 and his fiancee) and having the two youngest (22 and 19) open their stockings while S took pictures.  Then we planned on having our Christmas Eve/Christmas when I return on Tuesday.  NONE of our plans have been what we thought they'd be.  I (we) had/have NO control over any of it.  

I started out sad tonight b/c this is the first Christmas Eve since we married 32 years ago that my lover/husband and I have not been together.  Sad, b/c Christmas will be spent at the hospital, and blah, blah, blah ;-) But,in the end I remembered Sara Frankl's words:

Maybe instead of looking at mind over matter as a way for us to control our environment and create desired outcomes, instead of looking at it as a way to force the universe to conform to our wants, we could see it as an opportunity to use our minds to make good choices regardless of the“matter.”

My mind has chosen, regardless of circumstance, to find joy in the little things. I can’t control the physical, I can’t control the outcomes, I can’t control others’ actions… but I can control my response.

I guess that’s my version of mind over matter

Yes, letting Abba control me in circumstances.   I choose to be content and grateful that my lover/husband is a great SIL, that he has already written me to say he misses me terribly and loves me, that I have friends praying for my precious daddy, mama and me and my family, that I can celebrate Jesus' birth with just me and Abba, that I have a diet dew and left over Chick-Fil-A nuggets.  I choose JOY and I feel better already. 

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Little Cutie's 2nd Birthday

Little Cutie's 2nd Birthday. Thanks to a Bible study group, she had a great day with awesome presents 

 A much needed coat...works great in the rain.

She loved this.

And she loved the boots

A princess and a horse...does it get any better?

Her mama made her cupcakes

In an outfit my oldest and his fiancee' got her.