Monday, April 8, 2013

Month Two, Catch Up

My last post said I was reevaluating my foods for this month. I did and have decided on what I wont eat as opposed to what I will. What I am not eating this month are broken down into categories - kind of. They are: 1. Coke of any kind (not really something I drink normally but on occasion I want one) 2. Snacks, Chips, etc - never realized how much I snack on chips and pretzels until this last week 3. Desserts 4. Comfort Foods - this too is hard because I dont really know what I consider a comfort food until I feel guilty for thinking about eating it. lol 5. Coffeehouses - no mas fraps :0( 6. Pasta - and we eat A LOT of pasta 7. Fast Food - again not something I do a lot of but I figure I will continue this from last month's no spending So, in the last week I did mess up twice. The first time, I didn't even realize it until Randy and I were talking the next day about the 7 categories I wasnt eating in this month. oops The second time was yesterday. We went to a Starbucks and I was going to get a water. Somehow I walked out with a Caramel Machiato. I am still trying to decide if this is a true mess up. When I thought Coffeehouses, I really was just thinking Fraps. But really all you would have to do is add ice and blend and my drink could be a frap, so...... TTFN

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Month Two - What We Eat and Aiming Higher

Today is Day Three of Month Two and there have been some changes. Day One was awesome! I only ate from my allowed foods and did not partake on pizza, birthday cake - two opportunities, or spaghetti. What I did experience was awful Acid Reflux. Time to rethink this month. I know that the concept is tied to the theme of "7" but what we have decided is that for us, it was be a focus on what we are eating as much as it will be a focus on what we aren't eating. Meaning, no bread/butter, ice cream, snack foods - pretzel, chips, etc; no dessert or cokes; nothing that is bad for us. Only what is good for the body. We are sticking to water, fruits, veggies, rice, chicken, fish, etc. I have to say that even though Day One was "perfect", I got more joy out of Day Two. I wanted a Coke and did not have one (not something I normally drink, just craving one); I didn't get a cookie/dessert at Panera where I took the kids for a BDay lunch; I didn't eat any birthday cake at the house (and it looks GOOD); I didn't eat any of the super yummy chips they get from Moe's EVERY Tuesday night (I usually eat a couple handfuls before I run out the door). So, for now, we are happy with our choice for this month. Part Two of this month I have yet to work on as I have not really thought about it until now......so, that will come in a post or three. TTFN

Friday, March 29, 2013

Month One Reflections

Now that month one of curbing my spending is over, I still find myself not wanting to spend. Which was the point. One of the main contributing factors to not being too tempted is the fact that we are on a single income that just pays our bills. With our move to FL, we changed some things. One of those is that I am now the bread winner and Randy gets to take some time to figure out what he wants to be when he grows up. I think if I had tried this in VA, it would have been a lot harder. As I think back on the month, I know I would have done somethings differently but really the point was to stop buying just because I can. I have a $20 in my wallet, so I must need to spend it. Thankfully, after 4wks of having the $20 in the wallet and not "needing" to spend it my attitude toward spending has changed. Which, like I said, was the point. We as a society have become too accustomed to the buy now, buy anything, buy as much as you want mentalities. Kids are not generally taught about saving for what they want. Their parents buy it for them - in the middle of the week, for no special occasion. They have no concept of saving for a rainy day or giving to someone else that has less than they do. It is all about me and mine. Somewhere along the way, the giving nature of my generation and the generations before me, has gone to the wayside. Instead of the question being, "what about them?" it is now, "what about me?" Where is Mine? He has more than I do. That's mine. The concept of sharing or giving when you are done with it seems to have taken a detour and hit a dead end road. When are we going to - as a society - get back to helping out one another because we should, not just when it is convenient and costs us nothing? I have two more days to think on this. I'm sure I will have more to say on the matter before I switch gears to food. But, TTFN

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Month One, Day 19-23

I have discovered in looking back at my original post about this month, that unbeknownst to me I am staying true to Part Two of this months mission. I've had small splurges this month that were calculated and necessary. I have not over purchased anything and given thought to use what I have had on hand. For the first part of this month's "fast", I think I have done very well in curbing my unnecessary spending. There have been multiple times where I thought of getting something and stopped myself because "I'm not allowed." There have been other times where I could have made a purchase but put it off for next month - mostly books and songs from iTunes (even though I have credit on iTunes, so I would not necessarily be spending "money") I think so far, this month has been good. Not just in my following of the rules, but for me in the realization of how much money I spend on things I can do without. My prayer is that when this is over, I stick to the curbing and not spend out because I "can." Only Five more days to go and then we move on to food...... TTFN

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Month One, Day 16-18

I guess after Sunday being our day to spend, I was already back in the habit. I am super tired this week as I am helping my little sister with her kids while her Honey is out of time. I needed a sugar kick. I bought a Frap. I did not fall asleep driving. I think that is a pretty good trade off.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Month One, Day Fifteen

Yesterday was the day. I spent money. I went to work at 1pm, forgetting to eat lunch. By 4pm, I was shaking. I had to get something so I did. I felt slightly guilty but knew I had to do it or pass out......

Friday, March 15, 2013

Month One, Catch Up

God has been doing some amazing things with Randy and I and I just havent thought to post on here. I kinds get tired of saying, "well I didn't spend any money today." I will say that on Weds I felt like I needed to put money in my wallet. I didn't know why, but I did it anyway. Randy and I had a Connect Group at Church. Afterwards, we realized he had not eaten all day. So we went out. I paid. Glad I had the money on me. :0) TTFN

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Month One, Day Eleven

Somehow my days got screwy. Dont know which one I am missing, so I will just continue. Yesterday I didn't really have time to even contemplate buying anything. The grandmother of the family I work for lives with them and last Friday she went into the hospital to have a tumor removed from her bladder. It was much bigger than they thought and invasive. Three surgeries later, they were done and she is still there. That has put a kink in the way the family normally does things so it is a little hectic at the house. But it's all good. She is suppose to come home today and she and I are going to get to spend a lot of time together as I will be providing her at home care and car service. :0) Today will be another doozy but bring it on. TTFN

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Month One, Days Nine and Ten

So, I think I've decided catching up at night might not be the best idea. I never remember until it's too late. Poo! To catch up, nothing new to note. I will say that since today is our day together, Randy did "buy" me a drink at Teavana. I say "buy" because we totally forgot to pay. Seriously. Yes, we will go back and pay but we didn't remember until it was too late. I will say that God is moving in other ways in our lives and it is good. TTFN

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Month One, Day Eight

Today I did not even have time to think about the possibility of buying anything. The family I work for was MIA - Dad is in LA and Mom was at the hospital with her Mom who was having surgery, which turned into three surgeries. All I thought about yesterday was what kid needed to be picked up at what time and take to where. Oh, and get dinner on the table - at two different times. So I guess yesterdays spending restrictions were left in tact by the end of the day.....actually, now that I say that. I knew Randy would not be home when I got in and I thought about getting a bite at the local pizza joint. What stopped me wasn't the fast but the lack of funds.....I would like to think that I would not have gotten the very yummy salad and equally yummy canoli had I had the money.

Month One, Day Seven

No. I did not forget. At least not to blog. I forgot my password and I could not get in....for two days! Password reset. Moving on. Today I realized I was making excuses for myself as to why it was okay to let others spend on me. The point of this month's fast is to not spend anything unnecessary. If I am really going to feel the "pain" of that, I need to not allow others to spend on me. The exception will be if Randy and I are out and it is meal time. I will let him buy me food.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Month One, Day Six

Today started with me spending money. On gas. I'm allowed. :0) The rest of the day flew by without one thought of money - spending or saving. I am sure tomorrow will be just as wonderful. I am not looking forward to the weekend. I did want to take a moment to talk about the order of my Monthly Fasts. I had thought about switching it up and doing Possessions - Clothes - Food, instead of Food next month. We have A LOT to get rid of and I don't know that we can wait until May. If I wait, I don't know that we will have anything left to make the exodus out of the house. However I decided to keep it as it is. Randy and I have been working out together in the mornings and we are making better food choices. I think having Food in April will help us continue along that route and having Possessions in May will help me get rid of the clothes I will no longer fit into. That being said, I am VERY thankful I was born on the 29th and not the 28th. It means I can have cake for my birthday next month. TTFN

Month One, Day Five

Yes, I know this was suppose to be yesterday's post but Randy and I stayed out later than usual. I wanted to get up and post but when he posed the question as to who the Blog is for and my only answer was myself, I stayed in bed. I do want to go back to Monday as I did not really say anything that day either. Monday was actually kinda rough. Not really in the sense that I had to refrain from convincing myself not to buy anything but from a migraine. We did not get a chance to hit WalMart on Saturday or Sunday and I ran out of my International Delights Lite Mocha. I usually drink it on my way to work. Not because I "need". It does absolutely nothing for my ability to stay awake or to wake up. I like the way it tastes and it makes for a good way to start my day. Well, it seems my body does not like that I went without for two days and rebelled. My only course of action would be to have a Sweet Tea - McD's. But since I am not making any unnecessary purchases, I passed them all day long. By the time I got home and ate, I couldn't keep my eyes open from the pain. Thankfully, Randy did make it to WalMart during the day and I had some yesterday on my way to work. (And, yes. WalMart. No one else carries the Lite version. At least no where we have looked and he looked.) Now for yesterday. Again, I myself spent no money. I was not really even tempted yesterday to do anything that would equate spending of the money. However, Randy is responsible for dinner and we went to a mid-week Church Service last night directly after I got off work. He bought dinner. It was yummy, even if we did eat it in the car. After the Service, he wanted to hang out at Barnes & Noble and offered to buy me a drink. I accepted. It too was yummy. I still have not bought the Chronological Bible I want, but I did find the Topical Bible on paperbackswap.com and it was shipped out to me today. For Free. That is all for yesterday - Day Five. See the next post for Day Six - which is actually today. TTFN

Monday, March 4, 2013

Month One, Day Four

Nothing happened today. Will post tomorrow some thoughts I have in general. Tonight my internet is wonky so I am not going to linger. TTFN

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Month One, Day Three

Today was a good day. Besides the fact that we love the Church we have decided to become a part of, I got a new book I didn't have to buy (Randy bought it for me when I told him I would have to wait until next month to get it.) and dinner was free. We went to my sister's house to have dinner with her Honey and the kiddos. The only money that left my wallet today was my tithe and it felt good. TTFN

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Month One, Day Two

So, yesterday I got a Silpada Catalog in the mail and I realized I really have changed. It held no allure. I looked at it and sure it was nice and there is a pair of earrings I wouldn't mind having, but really. Do I need them? Do I not have enough jewelry you could choke a cow? Now it is sitting on our "Dining Room Table" - really a card table right now as we are still unpacking - and there it will sit. Randy wanted to know if I had found anything I wanted and I could honestly tell him no. Now for today. I bought gas. That's it. We spent the day out but no money....oops. Yes, I did. I forgot until just now. We left early and I forgot to eat. Well, early for a Saturday. I was starting to get a headache and could feel the shakes coming on so we pulled into a Dunkin Donuts. No, I did not get a doughnut. I got a sandwich. It was necessary. Now back to the rest of the day. We did go to Outback but thanks to my Dad and Stepmom, it was a gift card and Randy paid the tip. (He is not participating with me this month.) We even went to a Consignment Store and I spent nothing. There was not anything that was the least bit tempting. It felt good to leave without any bags or packages. After lunch, we stopped at a BAM and sat in the cafe for about an hour. There was a Bible I would have liked to have gotten, actually two, but I left without them. (One was Nave's Topical Bible; the other a Chronological Bible.) When Randy got his coffee, he asked if I wanted anything. I told him no thank you as I had a water in the car. I would have loved a hot chocolate but isn't that the point of this. A Fast without anything that tempts you really isn't a Fast is it? There has to be something you make a conscience effort to deny yourself. For me today it was Hot Chocolate. Who knows what it will be tomorrow. TTFN

Friday, March 1, 2013

Month One, Day One

I almost blew it before it even started. Seriously. I realized I was ready for work about 15mins early and decided to use that time to drop off two large trash bags full of clothes. (I know. Why not what until the Possessions month and count it. Kinda cheating, so no. I dropped them off.) The Thrift Store was open so I decided to browse. I can THIS CLOSE to buying a set of Robot Popsicle makers - $2 - and a CakeSicle Maker - $3. I decided I didn't need them and got in the car. As I am driving away, it dawned on me that I am not suppose to be making any unnecessary purchases this month. Geez! Been looking forward to today for a month and I can't even go a day without trying to spend money. And if that wasn't bad enough, I just spent the last hour organizing a new playlist on iTunes. I decided to see what new Praise & Worship is out and again came THIS CLOSE to buying an album. As I was listening to all the previews, I thought, "You can't buy that now. Duh!" So, at the end of Day One the only money I have spent is my rent. It falls under "Bills" so I have not fallen off the wagon. Yet.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Lighten Up the Stress

Month Seven. The last month. I am praying that by the time I get to Sept I will be a new creation in Christ. That my thoughts and actions will be more focused toward Him and that I will be more of the example He wants and needs me to be. If I'm not, this month should get me there. This month both parts are about being less stressful. Part One is taking the time, 7 times to be exact, during the day to pause and say thank you to the One that makes it all possible. There are specific things to pray and times to pray them. I will be setting my alarm every night to wake up and pray. Then promptly going back to bed. My prayer now as I type this is that I wont spent September tired. Part Two is all about Lightening Up. I'm going to Sing in the morning - which I actually do now in the car on the way to work; Be more aware of the feelings of those around me and acknowledge them; Be a Treasure House of Memories - that's right, the scrapbooks are coming out with all the tape, paper and stickers you can image; Take Time for Projects - I am going to purposely set aside time to spend with my nieces and nephews who are only 35mins away. As for a book, I dont know yet. My experiment will be over, thus no book for the next month's anything. But we'll see. I'm sure God will have something in mind for me by then. And tomorrow it starts. I have been thinking about this all week. I should've gone to KKD today. I know I'm going to want a donut tomorrow. :0) TTFN

Turn off the Tube and Find a Passion

So, I think I messed up and called my last past Month 6. It was Month 5. Sorry. I said I was tired. Now, Month Six Part One is all about Media. Or maybe I should say, lack of. We are turning it off. All of it - TV, DVD's, Facebook, Yahoo, Internet, etc. My exceptions at this time will be any work use - writing this or working on a book for me, studying iOS or listing on eBay for Randy; texts that are necessary from family or work. Yep, that's it. I am REALLY hoping "The Voice" will be over by the time I get there. The joining part of this is all about Pursuing a Passion. I seem to think at times that I have lots of these. However, as I prepared for this post, I realized I have three - studying the Bible, writing and pottery. This month I am going to Forget About the Results - just do it because I love it; Master a New Technology/Form; Make Time - for the things I actually enjoy and honestly want to do; Write - April was about finishing my already started Mystery so this month I am going to work on getting the 3 kids books I wrote on their way to published. I might even throw in a Pottery class, being that there is a Pottery Studio within walking distance of my house. This months book will be "Seven Sacred Pauses", by Macrina Wiederkehr TFN

Paying Attention to Waste

So let me first say, I am very tired so this is going to be short and sweet. I start month one tomorrow, so I really want to at least put in writing my plans for months five, six and seven. Month Six is about Recycling. That would be why I read "Green Mama". We already recycle so I am hoping for some ideas from the book. I rent, so a garden isnt really an option and I dont know much about composting but hopefully that will change. Part Deuce is all about Paying Attention to myself. Yes, myself. To do this, I will Meditate by taking time out to observe my surroundings; Figure out what my True Rules are for me - what unspoken things do I truly live by; Simulate my mind in a New Way - have yet to decide if I will take a class that I would not normally be interested in or if I will take a stab at writing a Sci Fi; Keep a Food Diary - again.....I probably have 5 of this started in all different parts of the house. My book for this month is "The Year of Living Biblically", by AJ Jacobs That is it. Short and Sweet. TTFN

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Clothing My Contented Heart

Month Four is about my Clothes. In some countries the residents dont have closets to go to and pick out the perfect outfit for their Brunch with the girls, then to come home to find the next outfit for their shopping excursion. This month I will only be wearing 7 items of clothes. Let me clarify that these items do not include under garments or socks. Nor do they include any workout gear as I know myself. I know when I workout, I will not necessarily have the time or even remember to wash my clothes which means I wont workout so I am not including them. I have yet to pick my items as I am hoping to be in different clothes by then. (See previous post) The second half of this month is to Keep a Contented Heart. To do this I will: Laugh Out Loud - like that is going to be a problem; Use Good Manners - we can all do better at this, I am sure; Give Positive Reviews - if you dont have anything nice to say, don't; Find an Area of Refuge - not quite sure what this will be as I am in a new area but I do have a couple of ideas of what I might do. This last part isnt just about a physical area but also a mental area I can escape to if times get tough or hurried. July's book will be "Green Mama" by Tracey Bianchi. I am also thinking of reading "For the Beauty of the Earth" by David Lentz. Yes, folks July is about recycling and going green. TTFN

Possessing Energy

Month Three starts with Possessions. Getting rid of them that is. We have too much stuff. We, Americans, seem to have a thing about getting more of everything. May will be us getting rid of things. Keeping with the 7 theme, we will be getting rid of 7 items a day. No that is not a typo. A day. 7 items. Clothes do not count individually or else that is all I would get rid of. I do have to say that we are already limited on what we have. With our move in September, we go rid of a moving truck full of stuff. Seriously. A truck full. However, as we are unpacking we are realizing we kept more than we have room for and since we plan on being in this particular house for at least 3yrs, there is more to get rid of. May will actually fun and, hopefully, liberating. The other side of this month is about Boosting Energy. To accomplish this, I will: Go to sleep earlier - bed by 10pm every night; Exercise better - Randy and I are suppose to be starting "Insanity" in March so for this month, we will be starting it over more intensely; Toss. Restore. Organize - see above paragraph; Act More Energetic - act how I want to feel; Tackle a Nagging Task - this one I dont know yet as nothing is really nagging me right now. As for the month I need to read to get ready for June, I will be reading "Consumed" by Benjamin Barber. It kinda goes with this month too. :0) I am looking forward to this one and the next as I am really hoping to actually start "Insanity" and will be in need of a closet overhaul. TTFN

Monday, February 25, 2013

What We Eat and Aiming Higher

April will be all about getting my mind and body on the right track. Month Two's focus is Food. Eat only 7. Yep. Not food groups; not categories; foods. As in Burger, Fries, Chips, Pizza....but not those. Obviously. Randy and I discussed this one and he is totally on board. That man would eat collard greens, beans and rice all day every day and be happy, so no. This will not be a problem for him. For me? Yea, well I don't like eating the same thing back to back. Much less for 4 weeks! But I need to so here are our 7: Chicken, Eggs, Rice, Black Beans, Tomatoes, Bananas and Apples. We will be drinking water and cooking with EVOO and only using S&P for seasoning. This one will take more effort on my part as I work during lunch and dinner and am hungry every 3 to 4 hours. I see lots of Apples in my future. The other thing is that we will be focused as much as we can on organic options, including cage free chickens. Part Two of this month is to Aim Higher. With that I will attempt to finish my book, while asking for input from those around me and those they know; I am going to enjoy the fun of failure by taking a class of some sort that makes my produce something tangible; work smarter by wasting less time on my phone (which actually shouldn't be too hard since I am currently fasting from most of my iPhone apps); and I will be enjoying the now by focusing on it. I want to always be fully present to the people and things around me. This month I will be reading, "Simplicity:The Art of Living", by Richard Rohr in preparation for May. Happy Monday! TTFN

How We Spend

So, before I begin I want to go over a couple of things that I think are important. First of all, I am human thus this could go horribly wrong. I know there will be times that I totally miss it and there will be times I am tempted to become legalistic in my approach. That being said, I am allowing myself to mess up. I know things will come up in the next 7 months that wont bode well with the month I am on so I am giving myself some wiggle room. My prayer is that in my wiggle, the spirit to which I am doing this won't get lost. I also know that Randy won't always want to abide by the ground rules and that is okay too. This is my journey and even though we are on a journey together, this one is my adventure. I will gladly have him along but I dont expect him to be as willing - even though I know he will be perfectly willing to help me stick to my month. And speaking of month, each month will run from the 1st to the 28th. Stopping it on the 28th will give me a day or two each month to process the previous month and prepare for the next. Month One is Spending and Buying, which I think is going to be the most interesting of all the marriages in this process. On the spending side, the original concept is to only spend in 7 places. I written out my ideas and different avenues I can take this and I have decided to only spend in 7 areas. As I mentioned in my last post, we recently moved and our spending habits have already changed. I only spend in 5 or 6 places on a regular basis but by spending in 7 areas, I will also be saying no to 7 unnecessary areas as well. My 7 Spending areas are: Work, Bills, Gas, Groceries, Pets, Date Night and Household (TP, PT, Deo, etc). My 7 unnecessary are: Fast Food, Coffeehouses, KKD (Yes. Seriously. I pass it twice a day, every day), Books, Thrift Stores, Clothes and Car (gas and necessary maintenance not included). Any money saved will go into savings and not be spent. As for the spending side of this month, this is what I will be doing: Indulge in a Modest Spurge: making sure we have a date night once a week (don't think Randy will have a problem with this one); Buy Needful Things: only buying what I actually need (I won't be stocking up at WalMart just because it is on sale); Spend Out: use what I have for a rainy day - I also won't be stocking up on food items, focusing on using what is already in my pantry; Give Something Up: making a trade by not buying the little unnecessary things (thrift store) so that we can save up for something bigger - vacation, iPad, House, etc. Each month I will also be reading a book that is focusing on the next month. This week I am reading, "The Treasure Principle" by Randy Alcorn. It's little so I have time to get it in before the first. In preparation for April and Month Two, I will be reading, "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan. I have actually started this one and tried reading it before bed. Not a good idea. My first two hours of "sleep" was all about the food industry and needing to eating more fruit and vegetables. I will be reserving this book for the after school pick-up line. It will keep me from McD's and KKD. That is all for now. Keep coming back for more updates. TTFN

Thursday, February 21, 2013

The Marraige of the Happy 7

Recently I read two books that have made me want to do my own kind of study. The first is, "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin. In it, Gretchen takes the year to find out of different things can make someone happy or happier than they already are. There are a couple of things in her book that did not really resonate with me, but there were enough that made me think I would like to try some of her ideas. The second book is by Jen Hatmaker and is titled, "The 7 Experiment". If you are wanting an eye-opening kind of book or are looking for ways to draw closer to God, this is it. Seriously. Stop reading and go get it. I'll wait........The idea of this book is to take 7 months and pick a focus of a fast for that month: Food, Clothes, Spending, Possessions, Media, Waste and Stress. The ideas in this book really hit home for me and I wanted to put her plan to action as well. So being the thinker that I am, I decided to do them together. Now, unless you have actually read both of these books, you might think that sounds simple enough but let me tell you, finding an idea in Gretchen's book that went along with Jen's was easy. For two of the seven months. Jen's book is about fasting from the things we overindulge in as a way to see God's bigger picture - if you dont need it, why are you buying it? Oh, it's on sale? Then by all means, please do.....whatever. Gretchen's book is about self gratification. (One of the suggestions is to make little splurges. It's on sale? Sales make you happy. Buy it for Pete's sake.) So marrying the two is a little more that just saying the first month in Gretchen's book can go with Month One of Jen's. After praying about it and talking to the Honey - he just said to let him know what he is/isnt suppose to do - this is my plan: March - Spending (Hatmaker)/Buy Some Happiness (Rubin) April - Food (Hatmaker)/Aim Higher (Rubin) May - Possessions (Hatmaker)/Boost Energy (Rubin) June - Clothes (Hatmaker)/Keep a Contented Heart (Rubin) July - Waste (Hatmaker)/Pay Attention (Rubin) Aug - Media (Hatmaker)/Pursue a Passion (Rubin) Sept - Stress (Hatmaker)/Lighten Up (Rubin) Obviously, this is subject to change and there may be months that I don't do the fast just as it is written. For example, Month One is Spending. The idea for this month is to only spend in 7 places (Target, Publix, Farmer's Market, etc). However, Randy and I just moved and with the move came A LOT of changes. For one, I am the only one working and I pay the bills. Not a lot left for other expenditures. So for this month, I am praying about what I really should be focused on and how to be more mindful of my spending. My goal for this process is to blog each night on how my day went; how I was able to incorporate the two together and see how I change in the process. My prayer is that I become more mindful to the things of God, while becoming who I really want to be and who He needs me to be. If you are interested in the blogs these ladies did with their books, here are their links. http://www.happiness-project.com/ http://jenhatmaker.com/ As I gear up for the 1st of March, I will be blogging as a way to get in the habit of nightly entries. So for the next week I will be explaining what each month means and how I plan to incorporate the two. I am looking forward to the Journey and invite you to come along. TTFN Amy