Happy New Year!!

I have just awaken from a long winter's nap well, actually a Sunday afternoon nap on a 67 degree day in North Carolina. Happy New Year from our unusually warm weather. I think Sunday afternoon naps are good for the soul. We so rarely get to indulge in them and when we do it feels luxurious. I know that sounds like a silly statement, a nap, luxurious but try to "sneak" one in next Sunday and see if you don't agree. Not a 10 minute power nap, a fall asleep and sleep until you naturally wake up nap- it truly is a luxury.
Well it is THAT time of year... Time for New Year's Resolutions. Get healthy, lose weight, be nicer, yeah yeah yeah. I had already broken half of those before 8:15 this morning. Actually, I did not make resolutions in that vein this year. Our pastor, Pastor Chuck, preached a series on spending time with God. AND wait for it... zipping it Pippi long enough to hear what God has to say. OH!!! You mean I was suppose to shut up long enough to listen? Well Hello, who knew, such a novel idea. For the past month that is what I have been trying to do. Listen. And frankly, I suck at it. I am like the dog in Up!, yes Lord I hear you, you want me too, Eww! Squirrel, Chocolate, Phone, Sparkly. In the past, my conversations with God have been more like, well imagine God as a therapist. He is sitting in his chair, in a sports coat with elbow patches, looking at me over his reading glasses and I am laid all out on the couch dumping my woes in his lap and when I am done taking my lollipop and hitting the streets feeling ever so much better but starting the drive around the same mountain once again. However, I have noticed that God is taking advantage of those 3 seconds of attention and laying a few things on my heart- 16 pages and counting. :) Hey carrot cake...
Now I have had a few "Come to Jesus" moments with my Mama. NEVER EVER EVER GOOD! I think I may still be grounded from one of them. But when God has a "Come to Jesus" moment with you (should they be called a "Come to ME" moment?) it is not quite the same in my experience. I have not been grounded until I am 40 and I get to keep the keys to my car. It was more throwing the spotlight on a few things that made me cringe and then helping me realize that they need to change and can only change through and by him. The heavens did not part and I did not hear the voice of James Earl Jones (yes indeed- in my world God sounds like James Earl Jones) telling me what a bad child I have been. I felt conviction, conviction that there were some things that needed realignment. I read something recently that stated conviction is something about which we are convinced. A convinced conscience. My conscience has been convinced that I need to be more disciplined, a better steward and a better wife. Um, excusez moi? Me, a better wife? But Lord, I am the perfect wife, gracious, loving, never a negative thought or word..... And that ladies and gentlemen was the sound of heaven and Brad laughing their hineys off. Well maybe the good folks of heaven cannot laugh their hineys off but they sure thought that was HI-larious. Even I cannot type, write or say that with a straight face. And I am finding that those three things are interwoven. I want to be a better steward of the many blessings God has given me; my husband, family, home, finances and job. Using what God has given me to His glory, appreciating it and sharing it. And this blog is going to hold me accountable. It is still going to follow the craziness of canning, freezing and saving the dollars but now with a different purpose or shall I say with a purpose. Fasten your seatbelts, its going to be a bumpy, funny, fall on my face, honest, amazing ever so wonderful year. (The Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise. thanks Deddy)