Hello, friends and February!
Today I am sharing the progress I’ve made on living my word of the year…PEACE. Happy to report there has been forward progress! And want to have a look at the progress, or in this case, the lack thereof, on my monthly goals for January. To give you a little hint about that, my February goals are going to look very familiar to you. Think of them as a good rerun, or leftovers that are reheated and better the second time around.
My Word of the Year, 02.2019
Have I mentioned how glad I am to be back home? So glad to be back to my routine, and my morning quiet time. And so thankful for the message I read on Thursday in Max Lucado’s Grace for the Moment. I am certain it was written just for me!
The Lord is Peace
The title of the message was “The Lord is Peace”. How perfectly coincidental – except we all know there are no coincidences in God’s world. It was part of the plan. I believe there are plans and there are these perfect moments of synchronicity. Which work as light for my path – the steps directly in front of me and further ahead on my path.
So, why was this message perfect for me? Aside from the obvious?…its title. Well, we are closing out the first month of the year. My family has, again, like all families, experienced stress. My up-to-recently-elusive word of the year is peace. Just as it was last year. Read more about my choice in January’s word of the year post.
Peace in 2018
But last year, I waited for everything to quiet (in my life) so the peace could begin. It never happened. I waited for life to return to ‘normal’ – but what’s that? Not even sure what that looks like. Or if I would know ‘normal’ if I saw it.
[source]
A few weeks ago, I told PC that I wanted my normal life back. Guess what he said? That the life I am living is my normal life. A whole lotta crazy and then a little sleep. I didn’t like that and protested. But he made some very good points toward convincing me that crazy is all I have ever known. It is my ‘normal’.
In Lucado’s message, I was reminded that God is peace. That knowing Him, spending time with Him is peaceful and restores peace to my life. He can deliver me to a few moments of peace to start my day. Then I can pull from those moments to find peace the other 23 hours.
Finding Peace
Instead of waiting this year for the perfectly quiet, normal day; a day filled with serenity and tranquility, I want to look for and find glimpses of peace in everyday moments. Moments that can restore me and arm me to take on my own crazy ‘normal’ the rest of the time. Glimpses of peace that can help me through the storms.
Peace found in:
- listening to a favorite song and singing along like “Calling All Angels” by Train and the lyric “Cause I feel us drowning in a sea spilled up from a cup.”
- chatting with Cady on Facebook messenger or replaying a message from her on my phone
- watching Lucia dance or take a bath via What’s App
- working out at the gym
- enjoying 10 minutes on the hydromassage beds
- standing in the therapeutic light of the Total Body Enhancement machine
- date night with PC
- holding hands with and hugging PC
- listening to and reading my books
- writing in my gratitude journal
- making my Valentine craft
- putting together my 2-tier tray, thank you Andrea, Carrie and Kellyann for the inspo
- crossstitching
- and biggest surprise of all – peace from doing my chores = pulling weeds, ironing, folding clothes
Most Importantly
Learning how powerful it is that I begin my day with quiet time. By doing so, I am arming myself for my ‘normal’ in the day ahead with the peace that fills my heart, mind, body and soul when I begin my day with God. When I begin my day with quiet time.
January and February Goals
My word of the year is a rerun and so are my goals from January to February. Take a look at my goal board for January. Compare those goals to the ones for February. Think of this as a little exercise to keep your brain sharp. Like those pictures where you have to spot the differences.
[source]
Just warning ya. You’ll be hard pressed to find 12 differences between my January and February goals, though. Unless you count the hearts I added instead of snowflakes.
- Workout 4X a week. We barely moved in January so if we darken the door of the gym a half dozen times, we will be way ahead of where we were last month.
- Clean and purge our bedroom. Hard to clean and purge your bedroom when you aren’t home. ‘Nuff said.
- Quiet time 5X a week. Easiest of all to commit to.
- Write every Monday. Instead of 3x a month, I am pledging here before YOU that I will write on my book every Monday. And at that rate I should have it completed before my 100th birthday.
Need to make this happen in February so I can move onto other goals sometime this year!
Your Turn
How are you coming on the goals or resolutions you made for 2019? Are you finding ways to live your word of the year, if you have one? Hope when we reconvene for a look at my progress this time next month, I will have all kinds of things to brag about.
This week, I hope to get blog posts written ahead of time so they actually go out when they should. We’ll see how that goes. Thank you for stopping by today and hope you will run back by again later this week. Be sure to say hi in a comment below.
Family hugs,
ShootingStarsMag
We all have to find peace in the small things, I think. And normal is definitely relative, but I’m glad you have all those little, lovely things to enjoy. Speaking of, I’m loving those three tiered trays that people decorate each season/holiday too. They are so cute!
I hope you do great on your February goals. I need to share mine, but it’ll probably be next week. Sigh. At least the “middle” of the month isn’t the end of the month.
-Lauren
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Make those February goals winter goals and see them through to the end of the season. I am not making great headway on mine but a blogger friend once told me ‘forward progress’ – that’s all we need!
I decorated my tiered tray and haven’t shared the photos but will this week.
Dara
That’s great that you are finding peace in the small things! And it’s fine to have the same goals again this month. Many of them are ongoing things anyhow!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Yes, so much better to stop waiting to be enveloped in peace and to just take peace when and where I can find it. May wind up keeping the same goals all year!
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
It sounds like PC knows you better than you do. It is nice to get someone elses take on your life. It can be an eye opener. And, yes, maybe your life is crazy and that tends to be the norm for you… that doesn’t mean you can’t embrace it or make little changes. I love your goal of some quiet time, I need to remember to do that. I’ve been sooo not into working out lately, but I’ve made myself. I really thought I was going to go back to bed WITH my workout clothes on this morning, but I went downstairs and did it.
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Good for you to keep after the workouts even on days you don’t feel like it. I feel so much better when I drag this raggedy behind to the gym or at least do a little run here at home on the treadmill. And getting some sunshine is important to me. Hope you will find a way to put some quiet time into your mornings. You could just try penciling in 15 minutes after the kids go to school. I use the time to get my head on straight, make my to-do list, pray and do some writing and reflecting and a bit of Bible study. It really, really helps me.
My adult life has always been crazy…those closest to me, and those who have heard bits of my ‘story’ tell me I have to write a book. But some of it is just too crazy to be believed. So my normal is pretty nutty. And PC is so wise!
Terri Webster Schrandt
Peace is a word most of us should use, Leslie! It is so hard to not be connected to everything, but knowing we have pace in the Lord is the basis of our faith and strength. I think your goals are fine, I have the same goals each month for the most part! I like that idea of writing in the book every Monday (or whatever day is best), otherwise it is too easy to procrastinate. Thank you for that idea–Monday is a great day for me to work on my “No Excuses Fitness” book!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I need a “No Excuses” fitness book and writing book!! Instead of waiting for my life to be enveloped in peace, I am finding moments of peace in each hectic day. So far, so good. Thank you for coming by!
Donna
Congratulations on your forward progress, Leslie.
I didn’t make any NY’s resolutions, but I did set two goals for February (Daily Exercise class, and regularly trying out new-to-me vegetarian recipes). I started on these goals a bit early and so far have successfully made it to Day 14. Only 24 more days to go! 🙂
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Good job on your two goals for February. Daily exercise class is quite impressive. I can’t seem to do anything daily – except eat and sleep!! I think you should do a post on your fav new-to-you veggie recipes. PC needs his meat but I could always throw a piece of chicken or a pork chop next to a great veggie dish!
Kellyann Rohr
It was nice of your PC to point out that your current life is your normal. I think it helps us to stop fighting against it and just accept it and find ways to live with it – that’s what I’m doing with my dad’s diagnosis and illness. You need to share a photo of your tiered tray! I’d love to see it!
xo,
Kellyann