What do Jesus & Malcolm Butler have in common & O how I love Mississippi

February 2, 2015February 2, 2015 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

So, did anybody see what happened on t.v. last night? As in football? As in Super Bowl Football? Well, I may or may not have skipped some of the game. I did try to watch some of the half time show. But ya’ll, Katy Perry. I just can’t. I can’t get past the kissed the girl & I liked it song. I did pull my 11 year old out from in front of the t.v. when Ms. Perry started belting that one out. I would say in the least, she probably has hundreds of songs in her arsenal to sing. But she chose the kissing the girl song to sing last night. Sorry (not sorry). It just aggravates me. If she were here, my Mama Boyce would say, “She needs them legs striped.” Meaning in northeast MS language she needs taken out behind the woodshed. Which means, oh well, she just needs to stop it.

Malcolm Butler – New England Patriots Super Bowl 2015

Anyway, let’s talk about Malcolm Butler. Did you see him make the winning play? Malcolm. Butler. Won. The. Super. Bowl. Now, let’s talk about where ol’ Malcolm is from. West Alabama? No, that’s where he went to college. New England? No, that’s who he plays for.

Did I hear someone faintly say, MISSISSIPPI??

As in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Really? Mississippi? My Mississippi? The one that has the lowest education rating in the nation? The one that has the highest obesity rate in the country? The one that you never hear anything nice about. Yea, that Mississippi. The one that gave birth to Elvis Presley. Well, not really. His mama did, but you know what I mean. The one where the famous author John Grisham is from. The one where other great authors like Eudora Welty, William Faulkner & Tennessee Williams lived & worked. The same Mississippi, in which I have been asked, if we have indoor toliets & running water.

The one where Eli & Peyton Manning came from. The one that is home to the John Stennis Space Center (NASA’s Center of Excellence for rocket propulsion testing isn’t in Houston, or even Florida. It’s Stennis Space Center in South Mississippi.)

I’m not trying to chase a rabbit here. I am just trying to make the point that even though Mississippi gets a bad rap, somehow, somewhere we have done some things really right. So for all you skeptics out there, the guy that won the Super Bowl for the New England Patriots was from the wonderful, fantastic, beautiful, & marvelous state of Mississippi. (I must apologize to all of my English teachers for that really long sentence there. When I get excited, I forget that periods are free & I can use them anytime.) You may be saying how could that be that he’s from Mississippi? Well, it just can. (That’s my best explanation right now.)

Nazareth from the South

There was a time when someone questioned the place where Jesus was from. He was from Nazareth. According to www.bible-history.com, in Jesus’s time Nazareth had an evil reputation .It has generally been attributed to the Galileans’ lack of culture and rude dialect. There was a man named Nathanael, who asked a question about Jesus.

“Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” John 1:46

Nathanael was himself a Galilean. He may have said that because Nazareth was such a common term of contempt among the more “righteous” Jews in Judea. Thank goodness one of the disciples, Philip, was there to say,

“Come see.”

I am happy to say Christ’s being from Nazareth has not had too bad of an effect on His message. I would think He put Nazareth on the map. There may have been some questionable things going on in Nazareth, however, evidently, obviously, there were some really right things going on too. Am I comparing Malcolm Butler to Jesus? Well, maybe sorta. Sometimes it’s as easy as looking for the good instead of the bad. The cream always rises to the top. So did Jesus & so did Malcolm. Before you stereo-type me or Malcolm from being from Mississippi, remember, everybody has to come from somewhere. By the grace of God, we were born & raised in one of the best places on earth.

Thank you for stopping by to visit with me today. You are most welcome to come by any time. As for me, I have to be going, because I should be washing clothes.

If you want to read more about how Mississippi is awesome sauce & the cat’s pajama’s, you can go here.

To read more lovely poetry about our wonderful state by the talented Patricia Neely-Dorsey click here.

Photo credits:

Yahoo! Sports, http://www.patricianeelydorsey.com, http://www.prayfit.com, http://www.mississippibelieveit.com, blacksportsonline

Reba sings & the storms of life

January 28, 2015January 27, 2015 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

I was driving along in my car, listening to my radio. A song by Reba McEntire came on. The longer I listened to it, the more I liked the message. It just spoke to me. You know things just do that sometime. You can read about how sometimes cooking shows speak to me here. Anywhoo, this song was called “Walk on”. Here are some of the lyrics:

Oh ain’t life wonderful

When everything is right

But sometimes wonderful

Can fall apart sometimes

When your troubles knock you down

Pick yourself up off the ground

And walk on, walk on

Nothing ever stays wrong that long

Walk on

Oh don’t, don’t just stand there in the storm

Walk toward the light till you find the sun

You’ll be better off in the long run

And walk on…..

Have you ever been in a storm in your life? Mama always told me this about life,

“Life is a battle. You are goin’ into one, in the middle of one, or comin’ out of one. If things are good right this minute, get ready because something’s bound to happen.”

I know she was relating to this verse.

I Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Many times problems come our way, that are just out of our control. We have to go through a storm that we never created. We need to realize, like the song says, “Nothing ever stays wrong that long.” Oh, I mean, you can have a bad day, week, month, or year, but it all go away at some point. I have learned I am going to have problems. It’s all in how I handle them. How I act. How I treat others, that will make me grow in a positive direction.

Something else the song mentions is “don’t just stand there in the storm.” When troubles come our way, we have got to keep moving toward the positive. Finally, we will reach the other side. That’s where we will get some rest & be able to better help someone else through a trial. Ain’t that all it’s about? Serving others & being a light- even when your light may get dim. We have to keep going, so that we can continue to live for the Lord. Jesus will always be our security & He will always be there for us.

Psalm 9:9

The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble. (NKJV)

What is your struggle today? Whatever it is, please don’t let it get you down. Keep on moving through the hard time. Before you know it, you will be on the other side of it, with a brand spankin’ new perspective. Pray for the ones who are having a hard time. There are a couple of people, that I will never get over passing away. I miss them everyday. So, take time out to remember in prayer, those who miss their loved ones. And a totally random note about Reba- when Miss Neenee was about 4 years old we would watch the t.v. show “Reba”.

One day, Miss Neenee yelled from the living room,

“Mama come here!”

With a tone of urgency in her voice I went quickly. When I got there, she was watching a video of Reba McEntire. She said in her most surprised southern voice,

“Mama, Reaba sangs!”

Funny, it never occurred to me she knew Reba as an actress & not a singer.

Thank you for stopping by to visit with me today. I have enjoyed having you here. As for me, I have to be going because I should be washing clothes.

photo credits: pinterest, http://www.hollywoodallstarz.blogspot.com,www.famousbase.com,www.fanpop.com

Super Bowl Snacks

January 27, 2015January 27, 2015 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

The Super Bowl is this Sunday. As in this Sunday. Wasn’t Christmas just yesterday, or something? I don’t know about you, but time is not waiting around. We normally do our couch-gate thing. It usually goes something like lots of chips, dips, finger food kinds of things. And I just found out who was going to play. It really doesn’t matter. Any reason to eat is just fine with me. I have been looking around to see what will be on the menu for this year. Here are some yummy things I may try:

Well, this looks a little complex. I may not try this, this year. But I thought it was totes adorbs or totally rad or awesome sauce or whatever it is that you say now a days when something is to your liking.

How cute is this cookies & cream cheese football from http://www.getcreativejuice.com?

Chocolate covered strawberry footballs. Where do they get this stuff??

Now, that’s my kinda couchgating food.

Who doesn’t want a snack stadium at their Superbowl Party??

Whether you are a Patriots fan or a Seahawks fan, hopefully, you can find something on this post to make your Superbowl Party, well, super. I hope you have had a great week. Things have been busy around the house. Getting ready for some company this weekend. Until next time, I have to be going because I should be washing clothes.

photo credits: http://www.closetcooking.com, http://www.skinnymom.com, http://www.getcreativejuice.com,www.babble.com, http://www.buzzfeed.com,www.mymommystyle.com

Don’t tell me to smile & what to do when it sunshines

January 21, 2015January 21, 2015 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

In life, I have found this to be true- you just never know what someone else is going through. The other day, I was at the pharmacy picking up my medicine. There was a man ahead of me. I was practicing waiting patiently. I say practicing, because there are times I get sorta disgruntled, when I have to wait. These days, I am so busy, that having to wait on someone else can put me out a tad. This previous statement comes from the same lady that is the biggest time waster that ever was, which also has a love hate relationship with time management. So, I know, I need to clean off my own door step before I even consider making mention of anyone else. There, since that elephant is out of the room, I was standing in line at the pharmacy when I noticed the lady behind the counter looking sort of perturbed. The man, in front of me left, & I stepped up to the counter. I told the pharmacy tech what I was after & she got my bag. As she was ringing it up, she said,

“Do you know what that man said to me? He told me to smile.”

Then she shared with me how her daughter had run away from home at 18 years old. She said she had not seen her in several years. She said she had heard her daughter had gotten married & actually only lived a few miles from her house. She said some days it was all she did- was to think of her daughter.

She then said, “You know with that on my mind, sometimes it’s just hard to smile.”

At that point I felt I needed to share with her the 5 cent version of the situation with my son. I told her my 23 year old son left home several years ago. That he’d had 2 car wrecks (while under the influence) & chose to do drugs & drink, still. Now. BUT, that God was good & he took care of things in His own way & time. I told her I would be praying for her & she said she would be thinking of me, too.

Nahum 1:7 says

⁷The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. (NKJV)

Lord have mercy! Who in the world would have known that innocent little drug store visit would have been a chance to encourage somebody? You just never know what other people are going through. That’s why I HATE it when some well-meaning person tells me to smile.

If I look that disheartened, just ignore me, or say“Bless your heart,” or how about “Have a good day”?

Those kinds of things would be much better than,

“Smile, it can’t be that bad.”

Really? Because you don’t know if my heart has just been ripped out & stomped flat by somebody I love or if I am doing ALL I can to put one foot in front of the other or if I’m just sour person. Why take the chance? Just be nice. That’s all we need anyway. A little kindness.

The apostle Paul gave this commandment to the church at Ephesus:

Ephesians 4:32

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (NKJV)

That means I need to be kind & you need to be kind, because God was kind to us. He sent His son to die on the cross for our sins. Do you think God was smiling when He did that? Probably not. And I bet nobody was saying to God that day:

“Smile, it’s not that bad.”

Because you know what? Sometimes it just is that bad & we need to be kind & tenderhearted toward each other. Many times people need compassion. Not somebody barking at them to get over it. What if they don’t know how? We need to be ever mindful of others. It’s just considerate. Be prepared to help & encourage whenever you go. Kind words will melt a broken heart quicker than anything.

Thank you for stopping by to visit with me today. Sunshine! Finally, coming through these windows. Loving this 60 degree January weather. What exactly do you do when it sunshines? You get out & enjoy it. Just like we did.

Playing with rocks, no less.

Always a good time with a rock.

And this cute puppy dog.

I hope you have a blessed week. Until next time, I should be going because I should be washing clothes.

photo credits: k.love.com,www.dianalamb.com

Why I go to church & what’s up with all the rain?

January 14, 2015January 14, 2015 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

If someone were to ask you, “Why do you go to church?” or “Why don’t you go to church?” what would your answer be? Some folks may not go to church because they have had a bad experience there. Some may not go because they just don’t feel the need to. Some may not go because they don’t know how important it is. You may say I go to church because I want my kids to go. Or some may go to church because that’s what their parents did. Others may go to church because they are Christians & it’s the right thing to do. Today, I want to talk about why I go to church.

First, I want to go to heaven. With that, I believe Jesus created us to be social creatures. He was with His friends, a lot. He was a preacher to audiences of thousands on several occasions. He fellowshipped with many & hung around with a group of guys, most of the time. It goes without saying, we need to be with other like-minded folks.

The Hebrew writer gave a commandment in Hebrews 10:25

²⁵not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (NKJV)

What assembling was he talking about? Worship service & whenever else the church decides to meet. That commandment was given to me, you, & whoever else is a child of the Lord. With that, I have a responsibility to the Lord to be with my group, the church, when they meet. Not because the Lord is trying to be mean & keep me from sleeping in on one of my days off. Or because He doesn’t want me to catch my favorite t.v. shows. He knows us. He made us. He knows we are like those that made the golden calf to worship, when Moses didn’t come down from the mountain quick enough. (Exodus 32) He knows we have to be reminded of His love for us & His purpose for us. What better way than by taking the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week? I Corinthians 11: 22-26

²³For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; ²⁴and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat;^[b] this is My body which is broken^[c] for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” ²⁵In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”²⁶For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

He knows we need each other to help each other along. Life is hard. Sometimes we may not have a physical family on Earth, we can count on. He knows we need to know we aren’t in this thing called life alone. He knows what I need. Which is the company of others. He knows I am stubborn & if He did not tell me to do something, I might not do it. One reason I go to church is because I want to go to heaven.

Second, I need the support of the church. I need people who love me & know my heart. I need people who I can count on in this ol’ world. My church family is that. Those are some good, salt of the Earth people I am with at each meeting. If I need anything, they are there for me. They are there to support me when things are good. They are there to see me through when things aren’t so great. I need that fellowship.

Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (NKJV)

We had a lady that came asking for prayer on Sunday night. Her grandson prayed for her & his family. It was truly God at work. The young man was tearful & hurting. He prayed a short prayer for help to make it through their hard time. I know the Lord heard it. Some of us didn’t even really know the grandmother or grandson. But that did not stop us from standing in line to tell her we were there for her & her family. That we loved her & that the Lord loved her. And it don’t matter if anybody in that church house knew those people or not, they needed help & prayers. That’s what we are there for. When I am involved in church, I never have the feeling that I don’t have anyone to turn to. Feelings of hopelessness aren’t common. I know there are people in my life that care about me. Those are people from my church. As a matter of fact, I kinda like those people. When I say kinda I mean REALLY love my church peeps. Another reason I go to church is I need the support of Godly people.

Third, I want to help my family go to heaven. I believe it is just as much my responsibility to raise my family spiritually healthy as it is to raise them physically healthy. If I don’t tell my loved ones about the Lord, who is? If I don’t try to teach my family about Jesus, they may just believe anything anyone tries to tell them. Whether it be true or not. And that’s not good.

I go to church because I want my kids to learn about Jesus & become spiritually strong. I want to give my kids the best chance they have at knowing the Lord & going to heaven one day. And isn’t that all we can hope for? No matter what is going on around me, I have to make sure I am a good example. I can’t expect my kids to love the Lord, if I don’t. I can’t be disappointed that my kids don’t study the Bible & go to God for help, if they don’t see me doing it. Still another reason I go to church is to help my family go to heaven.

Fourth, I go to church because I NEED it. I need to hear the preacher tell me what I should be doing & how Christians should act. Not that I don’t know, but because I’m just human. I need reminding, continually. I need to see my brothers & sisters in Christ. I need to feel the comfort & warmth of being with God’s people. I need forgiveness. I need to remember what it’s all about. I need to sing songs & pray prayers. I need to listen to scripture read. I need to be held accountable for my life. I need my faith strengthened. Just like the members of the early church had the same need:

Acts 14: 22 ²²strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”(NKJV)

Humbly, I need to remember Jesus died for me on a cross from my sins. If I am not there, all these things may begin to seem not so important. And these things are the MOST. Important. Things. Ever. Last but not least, I go to church because more than anyone, I need it.

Thank you for listening to me tell why I go to church. Please don’t think I look down on people who don’t go to church. I’m just telling you, though, if you don’t you are really missing out. The blessings you receive & the standard of living is like no other. On a random note-I cannot even handle hearing people say they don’t go to church because of the hypocrites there. There are hypocrites that go to the grocery store & Walmart. Does that keep you from going to one of those places? I will tell you like I tell my kids. Church is a public place. Anybody can go. That means there may be some hypocrites there.

My father-in- law used to always say this,

“You can either go to church with hypocrites, or you can go to hell with them.”

I don’t think I have to say much else past that.

I am so glad you stopped by to visit with me today. I hope you are having a good week. I hope it is warm & sunshiny wherever you are. Because it is NOT here in northeast Mississippi. However, I will choose to think of the long, stiflin’ hot, muggy, humid days of summer & thank the Lord for a little cold weather. We have had our fair share of rain.

I don’t even know what our weather is doing anymore. Rain. And lots of it. Cray. Until the skies are full of fluffy clouds and bright sunshine again, I have to be going because I should be washing clothes.

You don’t have to go to church, you get to go to church.

photo credits: heartprintsofgod, http://www.cedarspringschurchofchrist.org,www.exclusiveblend.wordpress.com,pinterest

Taylor Swift: Nice or needs attention?

January 7, 2015January 5, 2015 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

Have you seen the video of Taylor Swift giving away gifts to her fans for Christmas? She has been dubbed as Taylurking. It is where she has sort of stalked some of her fans on social media. Then, learned what they like, where they work, go to school, what their kids & friends, names are, etc.,. She bought presents for these people in regards to what their interests are. The video has been circling around the internet. I saw it shared by someone on Facebook. If you missed it, you can see it here.

I watched it. My first knee jerk reaction was, “That was nice of her.” Then, I got to thinking about it. Being the first class skeptic I am , I have a few questions.

1. Who filmed this? Obviously, it was intentional. Not just some random personal videoing going on.

2. Why did this individual/individuals video it? Was it just for fun or entertainment? Then, they got the idea, “Let’s make a video for the internet so everybody can see how amazing Taylor really is?”

3. Why did Taylor feel the need to display her kindness? Albeit, this was a well thought out, good hearted, thing to do, why toot your own horn, Taylor?

4. Did Taylor feel the need to have praise for what she did?

5. Am I looking at this all wrong?

6. Why would she have not done these kind deeds & kept this as a special memory of friendships with her fans?

I saw a comment by someone on the Facebook post stating Taylor had recently been to a children’s hospital. They said she spent more than normal celebrity time with the patients & no one knew about it. Ok. What’s wrong with that?

This is what Jesus says about doing for others:

Matthew 6:1-5

Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. ²Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ³But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. (NKJV)

I am not a Taylor Swift hater. As a matter of fact, I like her music. I think she made a very strategic move going from Country to Rock. It was inevitable. To my knowledge, she has not publically twerked or sung songs about kissing girls & liking it. So, she has that much about her. I can let my 11 year old listen to her, without much worry. But, this video stunt is kinda like being classy. If you have to tell someone you are classy, then are you? If you have to make a video about what a big heart you have, then do you have a big heart? Someone help me get through this. Any insight is welcome.

I hope you are having a great week. Whoever is praying for rain, in northeast Mississippi, please stop. We are good. Until the sun shines again, I have to be going, because I should be washing clothes.

Me & my girl Taylor PDAin’ it up.

credits: yourecards,youtube

One Word for 2015

January 5, 2015January 5, 2015 / kstrick7 / 2 Comments

I had been thinking about my One Word for 2015. In 2014 it was Pray. With that, I focused my year on prayer. With prayer always being in the forefront of my mind, I saw things in my life start to change. I am so glad I took the time to focus on prayer. It has made the world of difference. So, it goes without saying, while I was doing all this praying, I began to feel more thankful. It has truly been a humbling time. I gave it some thought (with some help from my friend Falen) & have declared Gratitude as my One Word for 2015. I want to keep this thankful vibe going. It sure does make things more peaceful in my life. When I am thankful, I become richer. I become happier. I become more humbled. I become mindful of the fact, I don’t “do” all of this myself. I have Someone greater, wiser, & more concerned about me than anybody else, watching out for me. That’s where the peace of mind comes in. Realizing the Lord cares for me. Little ol’ me! That makes me feel good. Like chocolate gravy & biscuits good.

I saw where Falen had announced her One Word on Facebook. I immediately commented as to where she snagged her beautiful button. She made it. And because she is AWESOME on a daily basis, she offered to make me one. Here it is:

From this One Word, I will focus on being thankful & grateful this year. I can’t wait to see what 2015 has in store for us! God’s blessings were all over the place last year. I know He will bless us in 2015. And p.s. THANK YOU Falen for taking your time to create this gorgeous new addition to my side bar!

Ephesians 5:20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (NKJV)

I hope you have made some goals for 2015. I have my list & want to do my best to put them into action. I am even doing a Bible study with Melanie over at Only a Breath . I know it will bless my heart. Go on over & get your daily dose of blessings, too. Until then, I have to be going, because I should be washing clothes.

Happy New Year from I should be washing clothes

January 1, 2015December 30, 2014 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

clothes line mittens Wishing you a Happy & Safe New Year from I should be washing clothes.

photo credit: Pinterest

What I didn’t do this year & what I did

December 30, 2014December 30, 2014 / kstrick7 / 2 Comments

How was everybody’s Christmas?? I can’t believe it’s the end of 2014. This time of the year we all begin to reflect. We reflect about the year that has past. We think about the things we did well & the things we could have done better. Here are a few things that may or may not be a complete list of how I did not accomplish everything I set out to do in 2014.

1. We did not go on vacation. Vacations take money. Having food, clothing, shelter & transportation takes money. Can I hear an amen?? Sometimes you have to think about it,

“Shall I eat crumpets on the terrace in a Parisian like setting, sipping tea from a bone china cup, with my pinky up in the air, speaking in a British accent or keep my power on at home?”

Decisions, decisions.

2. I did not get a publishing deal for writing the most empowering & inspirational blog articles. Doesn’t everyone, who has a blog, feel like one day- a major publisher is going to be scanning the blog world for awesome content & stumble upon their blog? The said publishing company will automatically want to strike a deal & sign the blogger on. From that point on, all their writing dreams will come true. You will get paid enough for your writings that you can quit your day job & sit at home in your pajamas all day long, hammering out intriguing content, & eating bonbons. What?? Am I the only one that thinks about this??

3. I did not physically assault anyone. Even though, I have been tempted to flog a few folks. Not saying that 5^th grade is hard on me, this year. My Miss Neenee takes it all in stride. However, I have had thoughts of telling off a few folks for being rude to her, embarrassing her, & humiliating her. I have exercised my ability to keep my mouth shut & control my emotions. Mainly because my husband says this is all a part of her growing up & establishing character. I however do not always see it as such. People are just hateful sometimes. And when it’s to one of my kids, I take it SUPER personal. However, I have done my level best to not become a hater, as well. And too, I don’t want to be remembered as the crazy mama. That can have a reflection on your kids, as well. Also, I am quite convinced, at this point in my life, if I give someone a piece of my mind, before long, I may actually need it back. I’m not as young as I used to be. I don’t need to be giving away pieces of my mind. Especially the parts that remember stuff. I have become quite the good forgetter. Just a thought. ***On a side note, I did not have pounding someone on my to- do list for 2014. It’s just a mention.

4. I did not do as many 5k races as I normally do. Something was always happening when the races were scheduled. I did register for a 10k & got mono that same week. So, I didn’t get to go with my race companion Jen, to it. As my daddy says,

”Those who want to find an excuse, can find all kinds.” And he’s right.

5. I did not make any major exercise equipment purchases. I really had planned to. I really had wanted to exercise more. I want to be healthier & make my family healthier. That is something I will put into action this coming year. Right now, I am all about seeing how quickly I can get my pajamas on, when I get home from work. That is all. No excuses. Refer to Daddy’s comment on #4.

Now, for the things I did accomplish this year:

1. I began couponing. Not extreme couponing, but paying attention to what I buy + finding coupons = saving money. And who doesn’t want to save money? I put the Kroger app on my phone. I can use my Kroger card & you know what? Kroger gives you free stuff. You should know every Friday, Kroger has this thing, my favorite Kroger Crazy blog lady calls Kroger Friday Freebie. You go on the Kroger website, go to coupons, & type free in the search box. Then, just download the digital coupon. Freebie Friday is a life changer. Realizing that, my old grocery store never wanted to give me anything free. Or $.10 off per gallon of gas. Oh & sometimes Kmart does double couponing. That can get pretty ridiculous. But, free stuff from Kroger? That’s the cat’s pajamas or totally cray cray. Whichever you prefer.

2. I read the New Testament in the Bible. I have done this a couple of times. Every time, I am proud I took the time to do it. I find something different, I had never considered before, with each reading. You can actually read the whole New Testament in a month with reading only 9 chapters a day. Or here is a schedule to read it in 90 days. I usually opt to do this between Memorial Day & Labor Day. Probably gonna do it again, soon. It’s so worth it.

3. I prayed. A lot. And you know what? That’s a bigger life changer than the Kroger Friday Freebie. I started judging less. Paying attention to what others were going through more. Forgave quicker. And realized more & more that being thankful is where it’s at. Everything else just kinda falls into place after that. My One Word for 2014 was Pray. That was a wonderful focus to have for this year. I sure did reap the benefits from it.

4. I became a Grand, again. My sweet granddaughter was born in March. She is such a blessing. I have loved being a part of her 1^st year of life. As chance would have it, Mr. Sweetie Pants, who is now 3, is pretty much o.k. with her being around. The only time he gets a tad disgruntled is when I keep them at the same time. He will firmly suggest I put her down. Other than that, it’s all good. He just don’t like sharing. But, that’s ok. We work it out. He gets lots of chocolate when she’s around. Unless his dad is reading this, then, I mean he gets lots of milk & vegetables.

5. I have been able to serve my family & Lord. I have been blessed with my earthly family & church family. My family is just getting bigger & bigger. I love it. I have always wanted a big family. We all get along & take care of each other. I just can’t imagine it being much better!! I am so thankful for my church family, too. I have a Bible Class that I totally adore. I cannot tell you how much I look forward to being with those kids each week. They are precious. I never take these things for granted. When my mama got sick, one of the things she missed the most was being able to serve others. For once, she was the one being served. That was hard for her. So, I try my best to realize being a servant is a privilege. I don’t have to do it. I get to do it.

So, there’s my lists. I will be working on my goals for 2015. If you know of anything I need to be doing or need to stop doing, let me know. I’m always up for suggestions. I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week. As for me, I have to be going because I should be washing clothes.

…Forgetting those things which are behind & reaching forward to those things which are ahead. Phil 3:13

photo credits: mymcbooks, myfrenchcountryhome,BlogSpot.com,keepcalm-o-matic, humblepiety.BlogSpot.com,aletheiaagape.BlogSpot.com