I'll Do Better... Happy New Year!

I'm still here! I'm still alive and well! I'm still thinking about sitting in the chair to write --I just haven't actually sat down much to write as of late!  

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In fact, if I'm totally honest --this post has been in my Drafts folder since July? Yep... July!? I'm not sure if I have ever blogged LESS in a year than I did through 2020.  

Seven Posts... all year long. Seven. (And one of those was a Guest Post!) 

That's not great.  

I had plans... plans to edit and publish the Bible study and a few more mini-books from the 31 Days Devotional series.  I had plans to create more --not less. I DID manage to write the monthly newsletter each month this year, so there is that! But I have missed the sitting down to tap out words.

Here's the deal... 

Here's the ONE thing I would do differently in 2020...

I would write. 

I would write my way through it --on the blog AND in my journal. 

I probably only have about 7 entries in my journal as well!  That's not many words for a writer!  This is the year, more than any other, that I questioned my call and my gifting.  This is the year that I decided I didn't have the bandwidth, the discipline, or the desire anymore to sit in this chair and pour out my heart on a blank screen... this is the year I questioned if any of it mattered.  

Sure... I'd been shying away from this corner of the interwebs a little at a time for a few years... because, well --Life, man! 

I'm an Enneagram 2 and I don't want to bring anyone down! I much prefer to write out of a space of Happy and Bright... Shiny and Hopeful! (After all, I want you to like me! As I said, I'm an Enneagram 2!) The reality is, however, even through the Hard and Heavy things --before this year and during this year filled with global pandemics and gross politics-- Bright, Happy, Shiny, and Hopeful lingered nearby!  They're like Bob*... They were never gone! 

As challenging as 2020 was, there was still plenty to Praise God about in it. His Presence and His Peace still clung to us and gave us Light and Life! He still walked right beside us... giving us Wisdom and Grace in the midst of Worry and Grief! 

We didn't just survive this year but in many ways, we thrived! My Honey got a job... and not just any job but one that he would have never ever picked --but it was so Holy Spirit and it has been such a blessing! It seems custom-made for him and he is being stretched to learn a whole new industry but he is happy. Happy going to work.  You guys... you just can't know what a gift this is unless you or your spouse have walked through a similar kind of hard career season!

My job continued to stretch and to bless as well! Thankfully, we found out the majority of my job could be done from home so I was able to work through the whole lockdown/quarantine shutdown phase of COVID19! (In our state, Real Estate Agents were considered essential workers so while we did have restrictions and we had to make many adjustments, we were able to work all year long!)

I could go on counting gifts, but really this post isn't about that. 

On New Year's Day --I think it's important to reflect and look over the good and the hard... to really take inventory of what you went through --whether surviving or thriving. To think back over the year and take note of what you learned and what stands out... Gratitude continues to play a huge role in our lives and in how we live out loud this faith we have in Jesus --the only One who holds it all together --and my, how He held us all together through last year!

What this post is really about is this: 

In 2021, I want to do better!

I want to do better in sitting in my favorite spot with a bit of quiet and coffee and actually rather than just pondering things in my heart, I want to remember the value of writing it down and reading it back and so often when I write is when He most clearly speaks to me! Sometimes, sure, those words may bless you --but always, they are for me first! I am the master at preaching to myself!  

Much of 2020 went only 1/2 processed because I didn't make or take the time to write it out!  I want to do better at sitting in this chair and sharing at least some of those words with you here in this little corner! (You know... like in the olden days!)

So... this is my New Years Resolution if you will:  

To Do Better... 

    To Write More... 

        and sometimes, some of that writing will show up here!

I am pretty sure we will do another year-long Bible study this year... so stay tuned for more information regarding that new series! (And I still have hopes of publishing our Study through Colossians as well as a few mini Devotionals. I just keep hitting a technical wall and I haven't been able to find the problem.  Maybe my timing was just off... who can know?  I'll keep you posted on that front!)

I can also tell you that I will be keeping up with our monthly Newsletter, so I invite you to subscribe to that to stay in the loop! (It's free and hits your inbox once a month!) 

And since it's New Year's Day... you know you can expect two new posts very, very soon: The Prophetic Word for the Year and my OneWord post. 

 (Lookie there... once those two are written, I've already tapped my way to 3 new posts, and it's still early January!)

Happy New Year, Sweet Friends!

Maybe let's ALL resolve to do/be better this year

and let's purpose to remember to:

We are still podcasting, too! (But, in full disclosure, that took a hit this year as well!) We are planning to sit down to chat this weekend a bit about 2020 and a bit about what lies (or what may lie!) ahead in 2021! We did make the move over to Anchor.fm and you can find us and listen in anywhere you listen to podcasts!

THE CHANGING OUR MINDS PODCAST is somewhat non-bloggy related and I co-host it with my all grown up Girlie, Kayelyn! We cover a lot of topics! Faith plays a part, sure... but it is more like joining us for coffee as we catch up on the couch or sitting around a table! We talk about whatever is on our minds and often reveal things that we used to think we knew... but we've changed our minds! We'd love to have you join us at the table or a comfy couch as we catch up over a cup of something yummy and share life together! We invite you to SUBSCRIBE here to have the Podcast sent to your preferred listening device so you won't miss a thing! Also, follow us on Facebook to join in on the conversations!

* = If you get that reference, you really ARE my people!