growth

grow where u r plant
rooted in the mud and dung
nurished by the storms
blossoming in the sunshine
produce fruit for the harvest
plant healthy seeds around you
and then do it all again.


   I knew a family who decided to move as soon as they finished fixing up their house.  Their children said good bye to friends at the end of the school year, because they planned to be gone by fall.  Fall came, and the children had to explain to their friends that their father didn't finish the house, nor had their mother completed the garden.  When asked to become involved with the local school and church, they decided it would not be wise, because they would be moving that spring.  Spring came and went, and their children again bid their peers farewell.  They would be gone by fall.  This went on for years. It got to the point where the family was not involved in anything.  The children lost contact with close friends.  Their farewell became something their peer either laughed at or shook their heads sadly, rolling their eyes at the drama queens.

  Eventually they did move, but i think of those years lost, looking at the greener grass on the other side.  I'm not against moving when it is time to move, but until then, I hope that I will continue to grow where I am planted and take the "fertilizer" and use it to become a better person here and now.  Sometimes we wait around for "god's will" so long that we miss the little things we should be doing all along.

   So I work with what I have, where I am, and with the tools god has provided.  My goal is to do better today than I did yesterday, and to plan to do even better tomorrow.  I have plans, but I hope to be open to the opportunities that come unexpectedly.  I refuse to waste the life I have been given. 

   This is why I enjoy the fresh beginning to a new year.  I'm also kicked into gear when summer comes around, and, of course, the beginning of the school year.  I take those times to learn from what is behind me and evaluate the goals set before me.  Now it's time to just do something.  If it's the wrong thing, the door will shut, but I'm nor going to "wait to move."

I will bloom where I am planted.

-jay-

ps.  it's grade time... our high school system is so screwed up that i have no idea when (or even IF) my guys will graduate from high school.  I would love for them to have that feeling of accomplishment they could get from having good results in their grades.  What ever comes, we need to make some firm plans in the near future.  We would love your prayers.

new years resolutions, just under the wire

Last day of January, but I got it in...

2013 resolutions

*get the house in order !

(take it one baby step at a time, follow thru, know when to push myself and when to rest.)

*get heathy!

Call dr.s , get up and do it.

1. weigh 135 by 2014

                Under 200 by feb 14 (as of yesterday, I am already down from 215 to 201!)

                150 by april 24

                *Disney @ 145

                get c-pap

2. make family calendars by feb 1

3. implement business plan

                Org office!

                Talk 2 family / partners

                Write business plan by feb 1

                Design web site, Set up web site

banking /  invest

Make product

    etc....

4. no soda (cutting back to 4 x wk, feb cut to 2 x wk, 1 x wk march, all by april 24...)

5. cut pre-made sugary snacks (we can eat what ever we make!)

6. home made dinners from scratch 3 x week (by april)

7. sit down dinners 2 x wk (by april)

8. date 1 x month

9. family fun 1 x month

10.  family bible study 2xmonth (1x in january)

11. family exercise 1 x wk

12. write blog 2 x month (did it!)  4 x by end of year

13. get 2gether tax stuff by march 1

14. collect debts

15. Make pix 4 jan’s frame by summer

16. plan annv. Party

17. plan haley’s b-day

18. send cards 2 all family (pre made 2 years/ with calendar.)

19. plan summer

 plan camps

 plan vacations

 

 20. plan family reunion

21. plan camp nonnie

22. set  budget (review info, project xpenses, balance debit and credi.)

23. take family pix (fh by feb 10/ send valentines)

       big fam pix @ reunion?

24.  record songs

 did i 4get anything?

i am publishing these to keep me honest and accountable.  feel free to ask how i'm doing on these.

-jay-

ps.  Please pray for family situations going on with Ania's xtended family. Good things could come from bad problems.

Happy New Year!

   Dear friends, and friends of friends,

   2011 was a year of loss.  2012 was a year of closure and healing.  I'm hoping that 2013 will be a year of growth and productivity.  The first thing I want to do is blog at least twice a month; ideally once a week, but I'll work towards that. Baby steps in the right direction.  For now, twice a month is 24 more times that i did last year and an improvement.  I had hoped to have my first blog of the year be my new years resolution list (yes, i strongly believe in making and keeping personal improvement promises at least once a year,) but in the spirit of baby steps, this first (short) message is just a reminder to myself to make that list by the end of this month.
   Why don't I just write it now?  I want to write not only what I hope to achieve, but plans on how to be successful in my endeavors to seriously change bad habits and learn new good habits. 
   I mostly am writing this to ask you to help me be accountable.  Which means, send me a butt-kick if you don't see that list by February 1st, 2013.  Promise?  thanx!

So first on my list : make a list.
Second: make a schedule, calendar, and other to do lists.

-jay-

ps. save the date(s)... tom and i will be celebrating our 20th anniversary this spring, so keep April 24th and the weekends around it open if you can.  We may do a masquerade ball, renewing of our vows, celebration dinner, kind of a Victorian/ steam-punk themed party.  It is also HaleyAnne's 11th birthday, so do we plan 2 celebrations or split them?  Any ideas?  what dates work or don't work for you?  idea for parties?  themes?  wanna help?  i think google makes you have an account to reply, but it's painless to sign up.  I would love lot's of feedback!