The Bible in a Year January Update~

I'm almost a month into my Bible in a Year journey.  I'm happy to say that I have kept up on my Bible reading, and I've actually had a peace come over me as I have poured over the word closer than I ever have before.

I started the month reading out of my childhood bible that my mom gave to me when I was a young girl.  It was hard to read, and there weren't any notes to help me interpret what I was actually reading.

Alex had a study bible, and at the encouragement of a church friend, he purchased me a Quest study bible.  I love it!  Not because it is pink, but because it includes lots of study notes to really help me understand the context as well as mannerisms the people in The Old Testament used.  Alex has been reading nightly too, so I can always fall back on him when I don't understand it;-) 

I would never have guessed I could find time to read the Bible daily, but I not only read it, I look forward to it.

Here are the daily assignments for January if you are interested in taking this journey with me!

Day 32~Exodus 5; Matthew 26; Psalms 41

Day 33~Exodus 6; Matthew 27

Day 34~Exodus 7-8; Matthew 28; Psalms 67

Day 35~Exodus 9-10; Psalms 105

Day 36~Exodus 11-12; Psalms 91

Day 37~Exodus 13-15; Psalms 114

Day 38~Exodus 16-18; 1 Peter 1

Day 39~Exodus 19-20; 1 Peter 2

Day 40~ Exodus 21-22; 1 Peter 3

Day 41~ Exodus 23-24; 1 Peter 4

Day 42~ Exodus 25-26; 1 Peter 5

Day 43~Exodus 27-28; Psalms 96

Day 44~Exodus 29-30; 2 Corinthians 1

Day 45~ Exodus 31-32; 2 Corinthians 2

Day 46~ Exodus 33-34; 2 Corinthians 3

Day 47~ Exodus 35-36; 2 Corinthians 4

Day 48~Exodus 37-38; 2 Corinthians 5

Day 49~Exodus 39-40; 2 Corinthians 6

Day 50~ Leviticus 1-3; 2 Corinthians 7

Day 51~ Leviticus 4-5; 2 Corinthians 8

Day 52~ Leviticus 6-7; 2 Corinthians 9

Day 53~ Leviticus 8-10; 2 Corinthians 10

Day 54~ Leviticus 11; 2 Corinthians 11; Psalms 56

Day 55~ Leviticus 12-13; 2 Corinthians 12

Day 56~ Leviticus 14-15; 2 Corinthians 13

Day 57~ Leviticus 16-18; 1 John 1

Day 58~ Leviticus 19-21; 1 John 2

Day 59~ Leviticus 22-23; 1 John 3

Day 60~ Leviticus 24-25; 1 John 4

Day 61~ Leviticus 26-27; 1 John 5

Day 62~ Numbers 1-2; Psalms 68

2014 Goals~

Goals

2013 is almost behind us, and 2014 is going to be here in a couple of days. I have found success in making financial and personal goals to help focus my time and energy in the coming year.  I have also learned to make fewer goals to help keep the momentum.  At this stage of my life and commitments, less is more;-)

So, here is a look at how 2013 shook out.

1. Save enough money to replace Jolie's car by August 1, 2013 in cash!
Well, we purchased a 2008 GMC Acadia in January.  Truth be told, my car was really going to need some work, so we made the decision to go ahead and buy the new vehicle.  I love my new car, but not the payment so much;-)

2. Go on one family vacation for at least 5 days out of the state of Kansas paid for in cash!
We went to Table Rock Lake near Branson, MO, last summer.  You can read about it here. It was perfect for our season of life.  Rowan was just asking when summer would be here.

3. Read 23 books from January 1 until December 31!  
I updated my Goodreads account last night with what I could remember I had read this year.  I completed a reading program for our UMW unit, read a smattering of YAL, a few self-help books, a couple of inspirational books, and then my typical romance/murder mystery.  I really go through phases of what I get sucked into, but I can definitely cross this one off the list. 

So onto 2014 we go!!

1. Pay off Jolie's undergraduate loan by October 1, 2014
Currently, this fund has 24% of the original loan left that we started paying on 9.5 years ago.  It is finally at a manageable level, so I am hopeful this one can be gone in 2014!  If we are successful, it will be a whole four years early!  Squeal!

2. Establish a will
This has been on our list before, and we still have not got it taken care of-our financial adviser will be so disappointed:-(  This is really a priority for 2014~

3. Read the Bible in 1 year
Our pastor organized this challenge for many in our church.  I outlined the plan here. We started on December 1, and Big Al is doing it too!

4. Read 30 books by December 31, 2014
I have learned this year that I must take time to fill my own cup.  I really could work 24 hours a day.  My sanity must not do that, and I must take time to do the things I enjoy.  Reading is one of those things, so I'm increasing my book total for 2014.

Isla Hope Turns 3~

Isla Hope turned three on December 6. We had a small party with Alex's parents and sister and our family.  It was fun, and I have no doubt Isla felt special.  She was her wild and happy little self as we ate cake and opened presents.  She is currently obsessed with Hello Kitty, so we followed the trend to celebrate the day.  

Love her~

Just call her Miss Personality~

Daddy made cupcakes.

So old with the 3 on the cupcake~

Yum!

Hello Kitty slippers!

Grandma helping Isla open her gift~

Looking intelligent with Aunt Reesa~

Working on her selfies~

Isla is still relatively easy.  She is a night owl now, and she will sing and chit chat well past her bedtime.  She loves the color pink, shoes, books, Pinkalicious, Hello Kitty, and putting on makeup.  There is not a doubt in my mind that I am going to have a girly girl, and I'm okay with it.  Isla approaches each day and moment with an exuberance I only wish I had.  She is quick to share her mind and fight for what she believes is rightfully hers;-)  She and Rowan are buddies, and they will play for great lengths of time together now.  We are moving on to the 3s!

Heifer International

I have been behind almost the entire Christmas season.  I'm usually finished shopping weeks before the season, and the Christmas cards are out right after Thanksgiving.  There are a multitude of reasons why this hasn't happened this year, and I have just come to peace with it.

Alex and I sat down at the beginning of the advent season and outlined one of the charities we really wanted to support this giving season.  We identified Heifer International.  Heifer International donates livestock to those who need them as well as education to the recipients with the hope of creating self-sustaining families in some of the most remote areas of this Earth.  A simple gift of a goat can provide a family with milk, or a hive of bees can provide a family an opportunity to generate revenue.  The goal of the organization is to empower women and families to utilize their resources as well as share the offspring of their gifts!

We set the amount of money we wanted to contribute.  Alex then made a chart with "shares" on it up to our dollar amount.  He also sized the animals according to their price and made manipulatives.  We then had the kids piece together the animals into our chart to determine which animals we would be donating.

It was fun to hear the kids say, "Should we give 2 bunnies or a beehive?"  They were meticulous and really thoughtful about which animals we would include in our menagerie.  Once they were satisfied with their choices, we made our purchase.  

My heart aches that there are moms who can't provide their children clothing, clean drinking water, or even food.  My hope is to instill compassion in my own children and share the resources God has given to us with those who so desperately need it~ 

Fall 2013 Kid Pictures~

My regular photographer couldn't take our pics this fall, so I shot a few of the kids myself one day.  They were cooperative, and they were real;-)