Goals 2013

The goal is growth, not perfection.  This is my new favorite saying.  Hopefully I'll live it.  That would be life-changing for me because I have this horrible awful problem called perfectionism.  In my attempts at doing most things, I fall so short of my own standards that I land miserably.  By "most things" I literally mean "most" things:  cleaning windows, posting here, crafting w/ the kids or friends, exercising, cooking.  The truth is, there are few things at which I'm "great" despite my efforts, and that's the funny part!  I am a messy mess...BUT...I am learning to dust off my hands in life, and try again.  I am a slow learner because this process started about 3 years ago. 

Scripture I'm digging as I grow....

Psalm 51:1-17  Please read the whole chapter although it may not speak to you like it did to me because I've been awfuly vile lately.  There are a few verses that I can't get my eyes off of...
10-12.

I'll share them here:

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me

Verse 10 has been a life verse of mine for probably 20 years!!!!  YIKES!  MANY MANY decisions I've made have been after I examined my heart (my motives)...facebook posts, blog posts, texts come to my mind most recently. 

The other verses were basically handed to me Sunday at church.  I have become dependent on circumstances, others, even my own definition of success, truth be told.  And when they (or I) fail me, or don't meet up to what I had hoped or planned, I quickly lose the willingness to stay the good course....  I want to learn to be steadfast despite whatever.  I want to be joyful because it's who Christ created me to be.  I'm claiming these things.  Claim them with me. 

On another note, my kiddos are doing well.  School is winding down and they are ready for summer.  They've been spending lots of time outdoors on their dune racers, scaling the climbing wall on their swing set, swinging, and getting more comfortable with our never-tame wire-hair doggy.  They enjoyed spring break with grandparents and cousins.  They are getting old enough to help me in the kitchen, which is enjoyed by all but especially me, because I seem to spend a lot of time there!  I went to a Wildtree tasting and freezer meal workshop recently and added to my list of freezer meals.  We are trying Asian lettuce wraps tonight!  I don't get all into organic but Wildtree products are pretty yummy!  And who knows?  Maybe we will eat outside!  The kids LOVE to do that!

I am thankful for spring!  My tulips, in gran's honor, are about to bloom.  I hope the irises come up strong and tall like they usually do.  Last year, I had some problems with them.  They competed with my moonlight flowers my uncle gave me, and they won out, but for some reason, they didn't come up as much (as many).  That reminds me- need to see Uncle Ben about getting more moonlight flowers.  If you haven't ever seen them, they are gorgeous and bloom full and beautiful at night.  We planted them by our door so each night we could enjoy them!  I'm so excited for my ballerina rose bush, knockout roses, and my tiger lilies to grace us with their presence, too.  As I do every year, I'll be in the dirt planting annuals in about 3 weeks!  I'm thinking about taking my planter boxes on my front porch down and using all hanging baskets this year.  Things have gotten grown up around here in the 10 years we've lived here, and I definitely have some yardwork in my near future.  The tulips and roses need my attention for starters...they are just kind of "there" with weeds coming up around them.  Oh well!  That kind of reminds me of me and the perfectionism issue!  I'm trying to come up a flower but choked out by weeds!

I better go get my kiddos.  Relaxation music is playing in the background.  I could rock and type all...day....