Welcome 2016!!

Happy New Year!

Another year has flown by and I haven't posted much or visited other blogs as much as I like to.

I have really missed all of my friends whose blogs I follow and I have missed the joy I get from posting on my own blog.

There, I said it...JOY! About a month ago, I decided that would be my word for the year 2016.

Some friends and I went on a shopping trip to Fallbrook to the Vintage Marketplace. 

About half way through the isles of vintage treasures and handmade items, I spotted this:

I looked at it for a long time, but finished walking through and  exploring in the booths. I just kept thinking about that sign and how much the word "joy" meant to me.

As we were finishing up and getting ready to meet back at the entrance, I knew I just had to go back and see if my "JOY" was still there. It went through my mind, that I could get Mr. SS to find an old cabinet door and I could make this  for myself. Okay...only for 3 seconds, then I knew I just wanted to buy this one.

The young women whose booth it was in said she had made it and when I saw a baby in a stroller next to her, it reminded me of all the craft fairs I had done as a young Mom (with my friend Suzanne) trying to earn extra money for our Christmas gifts or other "necessities"

It gave me great "joy" to buy it from her.

Now, with a loving husband, 3 great sons, 3 sweet DIL's and 10 grandchildren, I have a lot of joy in my life.

I also have many caring friends and other family who bring me joy.

I have a home full of joy and great neighbors.

My sewing brings me joy, not only the sewing I do for fun, but my job of sewing for an income is a joy for me.

But, by choosing the word "JOY" for my word this year, I want more. I don't want it to just be about me.  I want to bring joy to others. I haven't quite figured that part out yet, but I want to.

I will be praying about it.

In the mean time, as I sit here in my trailer on the last night of our week at the coast, I am thanking God for all the JOY in my life.

Wishing all of you who read this a year filled with JOY!!

                                              

Where Did it Go?

Time??

It has been almost 2 weeks since I have posted. I just don't know where time goes.

My Mom used to tell me the older you get, the faster time flies.

I've always heard  "Time flies when you're having fun"

Well...I must be really old and having a ton of fun.

Guess the having fun part is a good thing, but the getting old part...not so good.

I've been reading all over blogland about choosing a word for the year. I see lists of resolutions, and lists of things to do in the new year.

I just haven't been able to get my mind around any particular word. and I haven't made resolutions for a long time.

I always have a list of things to do. I make a list every night for the next day, but nothing world stopping, just my normal chores, and a few things I hope to accomplish. I love checking things off a list.

I did think of a few things today and wrote them down so I can check them off as the year flies by.

On the top of my list this year will be to be in God's Word more. So # 1-3 have to do with that.

1.  Continue to read my Bible in a year (I started in April last year, so I have a ways to go)

    2.   Do my daily devotions from a book called Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.( My friend Gail recommened this.)

3.  Keep a daily prayer journal.  I haven't done this for several years and I think it will help me to remember to pray for those who I promise to pray for.  I also like looking back at the end of the year and seeing all the answered prayers.

I am an early riser, so those three  I do first thing in the morning with my morning coffee when all is quiet.

4. Then there is the usual of spending more time with Mr. SS. and with the grandkids, of course.

5.  Learn something new. I want to learn to machine quilt. Oh, I can stitch in the ditch and outline quilt, but I think I want to take a class.  I am still hand quilting a quilt I started last January. If all my grands are going to get a quilt before I die, I've got to do something different.

6.  Even though I no longer have a large house to decorate, I still love the process and hope to make a few changes to my RV small cottage.

7. Get serious about my Etsy store. I finally got it opened and put in a few things (even had 1 sale), but I really need to put in the effort to make it work.

8. This is just a pipe dream right now, but thought I would add it to my list. Some of my friends have said I could write a book about our experiences during the 6 years we lived in the mountains when our boys were young. I'm not a writer, but I would like to get some of that written down while I still have a memory.

I think I will stop here. I don't want to get overwhelmed. I have never been a goal oriented type person, and these are by no means resolutions. Just wanted to write some things down. At my age, if I don't write it down, I may forget it by tomorrow.

I never got this posted after our family Christmas Eve party, so am just going to leave you with this picture of all my grandkids. They are a precious bunch and I love them so much and each one blesses me in their own way 

Emmy, Drew, Madi

Lexi, Camy, Koby, Jack, Kyle, Cade

Brooke

God is Good!!

Life is Good!! 

A New Year and A Fresh Start

The view from our room in Laughlin NV., overlooking the Colorado River and Bullhead City, AZ.

We are here with our good friends Dave and Gail  (Victorian at Heart). We came over yesterday and took Historic Route 66 part of the way. It was a sentimental journey for me  because as a child, traveling with my family and pulling our  trailer we often traveled Route 66. Wish I would have taken a picture of the sign.

Speaking of signs...do any of you remember Burma Shave signs. My sister and I used to watch for them trying to make riding four in the front of our Ford pick-up a little less boring. They were signs with one or two words  that added up to a saying or joke or something. They were posted on fence posts and the last one would say Buy Burma Shave. Well, Mr. SS thinks I made that up, but I remember.

As for the New Year...Hope you all are blessed with the best New Year ever. We are thanking the Lord for pulling us through the last year and blessing us with health, a loving family and the support of good  friends. Also for providing shelter and food and all that we need.

We are thankful for the "fresh start" we have been given and are humbled by His love.

Last year my resolution (prayer) was to be able to be still and listen to what God has in store for me.

I stumbled along the way and tried to take back control, but for the most part I prayed more and waited more patiently for his answers and tried to listen. He has been there for us every step of the way.

My prayer for all of you is a New Year full of the Lord's blessings and "fresh starts".

(I must give credit to my friend Suzanne Notes From the Patch for the "fresh start" reference. She used it in an e-mail to me and it just fit our situation perfectly. Thanks friend.)

God is Good!

Life is Good!