Word of the Year {Renewal}

I love it when people choose a word of the year.  I read about it for the first time in one of my magazines.  And I vowed that I was going to have my very own word of the year too.

Some choose their word randomly, some put words in a hat, I decided to CHOOSE my word because it is not only fitting for my position in life, but it is something I need desperately this year more than ever before.

My word of the year for 2013 is Renewal.   

RENEWAL

I need it for sure.

In some ways I have had such a hard year struggling with my TMJ and when you don't feel well, it brings complications into all areas of life.

Some think that my jaw issue has something to do with my allergies which have been at an all time high this year.

I hate to even write it down, fearing that speaking of it will make things worse.

But this year I need to face it, and try everything I can to heal and regenerate.

Not exactly sure how I will go about it, but I am going to try my hardest.

Renewal.

I have lots of things I want to renew; my relationships,  my trust in God, my health, my energy, my love, I could count to a million on things I would love to renew.

In fact, this is such a great time to experience renewal, for after all, isn't that what the New Year is all about?

Freshness, newness, a brand new start to everything.

Oh how refreshing that sounds.

Renewal.  What does renewal mean?  I like to know EXACTLY what my word means, so I looked it up in the trusty dictionary.


And here's the dictionary definition of my word.

re·new    (r-n, -ny) KEY

VERB:
re·newed, re·new·ing, re·news
VERB:
tr.

To make new or as if new again; restore: renewed the antique chair.
To take up again; resume: renew an old friendship; renewed the argument.
To repeat so as to reaffirm: renew a promise.
To regain or restore the physical or mental vigor of; revive: I renewed my spirits in the country air.

To arrange for the extension of: renew a contract; renew a magazine subscription.
To arrange to extend the loan of: renewed the library books before they were overdue.
To replenish: renewed the water in the humidifier.
To bring into being again; reestablish.

VERB:

intr.
To become new again.
To start over.

 And that's it.

Ahhhhh!!  Refreshing to read it.

And, really, I don't have much to add.  Pretty much explains my year's goal completely.

Oh how I need a complete renewal in my life. 

Now I realize that I will have to work to experience renewal...it doesn't just happen by accident.
But I know that with God's help I can experience renewal like I have never felt before.

I can't wait.

Do YOU have a word of the year?  Anyone else want to join me in choosing a word for YOUR year?

I put a linky underneath my post if you would like to write a word of the year post and share it here.  I will keep the linky open for a week.

Happy New Year and hope you all can experience renewal this year!!

These are my two resolutions for the year...if I can do these, I have accomplished everything I ever set out to do.

New Year's Resolutions {Frame & Garland}

As soon as I saw this cute little New Year's frame in Celebrate Magazine, I knew I had to make it.

It's so super easy and cute, I think.

And it's a great way to remember your new year's resolutions.   The printables are right on Celebrate magazine's site...and there's actually a whole New Year's printable party there too.

I simply ADORE that magazine.

Here's how I made everything.

1.  First, I painted the frame with Martha Stewart Metallic Gold paint, followed with a spray of gold glitter paint.  Then I painted on some white milk paint over the top of that.  After everything was dry I distressed the frame so that the gold would show through.

2.  I wasn't as happy as I thought I would be with the results since I wanted more of the gold to show through.  So I took some of the Martha Stewart gold paint and used my finger to dab it around on the frame where I wanted gold to show up.

3.  Then I took some gold ribbon and stapled it on the back of the frame as tight as I could.  The clothespins are painted gold as well.

4.  Lastly, I wrote resolutions, and pinned them onto the ribbon.  I like how it all turned out!

5.  I also made a cute little garland out of fabric ribbon and gold ornaments attached to the ribbon with clothespins. So super easy to make!

And here you have it...fun sparkly New Year's decor!

Hope your New Year's is filled with fun and love!

Never Left Behind

One of my New Year's resolutions is to share more about myself with all of you this year.  I tend to hide behind my blog and not really let anyone know who the girl behind the blog is.  So throughout the year I want to share things about me and my family that you may not know about us.  Hopefully that is a good thing!

And I am going to start today by sharing some of my thoughts on New Year's resolutions.

So it's the start of a brand new year and I'm already feeling left behind.  As always, I ended this year with a whole TON of resolutions that I was going to start come 12:00 am New Year's Day.  And this year more than any other, I have wanted SO badly to do A LOT of things differently and better than I did this past year.
Now there's absolutely nothing wrong with that resolution.  Except for that I already am not getting as much done as I was hoping I would.

No, I'm not saying I've already given up on my resolutions AT ALL.  But why oh why when things don't work out the exact way I was hoping and planning they would, do I get discouraged and think I missed the boat altogether??  Any of you struggle with that feeling?

I am thinking I need to remember that I am human and can't do everything perfect all of the time.

I always feel behind the rest of the world for some reason.  Maybe I AM behind.  Ha!  I think sometimes I forget that time is time and no time is better than any other time to start fresh.  {Did you catch that?}  Here I am only six days into the New Year feeling behind when really I have all year to still get my things done.

{Really, why am I getting all worked up about it already?!  It IS only January 6th after all...}

So here I am at the start of a new day, hoping that I will get more done than I did yesterday.  And I guess that's all I can hope for, right?  To do better than I did yesterday at reaching my goals.  I think I just get discouraged too quickly don't ya think?  I think I am too much of a perfectionist sometimes, thinking that if I don't do it perfectly, I can't do it at all.

I need to remember this...

One of my HUGE New Year's resolutions is to get my house organized.  And in the process of that to get rid of a whole BUNCH of stuff!  Easier said than done, but Dave and I worked for about four hours the other day throwing and de-junking the basement so we are at least started now!!

And I really want to spend less money on frivolous stuff and spend more on significant stuff that can actually help me with my organizing goal.  BIG resolution since I am the world's most dedicated shopper.

Seeing I have had these goals for some time before the start of the year I was somewhat shocked (though not really, since we seem to think a lot alike in most situations) to see my thoughts written in another blog post written by BFF Bec at Little Lucy Lu.

I just LOVE her post about living simply and I really want to move in that direction during this new year.
Easier said than done. But seeing this quote makes me want to more than ever. 

I need to change my focus and instead of thinking about what I haven't gotten done, 

I need to think about what I have gotten done.

I need to remember that MY plans are not necessarily God's plans for me...

 

And that when I get overwhelmed God doesn't...

My biggest and most important resolution for the year should be

to walk closer to God than I ever have before.  And that in itself shifts the focus to where

it should be, on God and not me.

I am NOT even close to perfect (I think we have made that one clear)

BUT...no one else is perfect either.  And I forget that

sometimes...A LOT actually!

And I must never give up on my goals, because 

having goals is healthy even if I don't fulfill each of them

the way I wanted to.

So here's to an awesome New Year filled with God-filled goals and

a resolution to take each day one at a time, doing what God wants me to do

and leaving the chaos for HIM to deal with...

God NEVER ever leaves us behind...in fact, 

He is the one that stays behind and picks up ALL 

of the pieces we have dropped along the way.

Happy New Year and hope you remember to take God with you as you accomplish all of your goals.

My New Year's Wish For You

Happy New Year!!

May you have

PEACE, LOVE, JOY,

Kindness, HOPE,

Independence,

PASSION, Success,

Friendship,

Rest, Faith,

Comfort, Excitement,

Laughter, Family,

Happiness,

Freedom, Freshness,

A NEW HEART, 

A NEW LIFE,

JESUS.

Hope 2012 is the best year ever for each one of you!