New Year...New Me.

Happy New Year…..

We are three days into the New Year. I’ve been kind of going over in my head what I want this blog to mean to me in 2013 and the roll I want it to play.

I really want to be more intentional about blogging this year. I have a deep urging that it’s important for me this year. I feel deep down that this year isn’t going to be just another ordinary year. I truly and honestly believe it’s going to be “MY” year.

It will be the year I take back my body. Starting January 1, 2013, I started the c25k running program. I started it once before but don’t think I was where I needed to be at mentally to follow through with it. I’m logging my workouts on instagram for accountability. Also, starting January 1, 2013, I stopped drinking soda. It’s only 3 days without soda, so ask me in about a month how my withdrawal is going, ha. And again, this is something else I’ve also tried but could never do it. I’ve realized that you have to “want”  it in order to follow through with anything. I need to take care of the body and temple God has given me and it starts with watching the food I eat and what I’m putting into my body and exercise. I really feel like I have the mentality, determination, and the faith in myself that I can actually do it this time.  

I am currently on break from school right now and will be starting back next week to finish up my last semester. It’s been a long journey and court reporting school has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. But I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and praise God he’s been faithful to see me through to the END. For the first time in a long time I'm excited for what the future holds and the doors and opportunities that will be opened up to me and the people I’ll meet once I get out into the career field and out from behind a 8-5 desk job that I needed to leave like yesterday, but with that said, praise God I have a job.

Spiritually, I pray that 2013 will be the year I draw closer to God like never before. I want to seek him first in all that I do. I know I can’t do any of this without him and that starts with staying in his word and grounded in him. I am his child and I want to spend 2013 going deeper into discovering the depths of his love for me so that I, in return, can go and love others and love well and be the best daughter, sister, friend, etc.... but most of all to be the best Lauren I can be. There is so much work yet to be done in me. God knows my struggles. I don't think he's ever done perfecting us.

I began to think about what my word for 2013 could be that I can hold on to, reflect on, and instantly the word “Acceptance” came to my mind.

 

Accepting God’s love for me, accepting how God created me to be, accepting myself, accepting God’s will for my life and that his ways are not always my ways. Oh that list could go on and on.

This is a good start.

A new year, a new me.

And hopefully I can spend 2013 blogging all about it :)

Forgetting the past....Looking ahead.

 

It's the last day of 2012.

 

It was the best of times and the worst of times. To be honest, I won't be sad to see this year go. 2012 started off with my dad passing away on February 9th from terminal brain cancer. Pretty safe to say we were ready for a new year in Feburary. Let me tell you though, January 2012 will be a month I will never ever forget. It was filled with some of the sweetest and most tender-hearted moments I will never forget in my life and will safely be tucked away in my heart forever. We knew our dad would only have a few short weeks left with us and God blessed those weeks like we never could have imagined. There was nothing left unsaid, not an "I love you", hug and kiss not given. That time, it belongs in a treasure box. It created a bond in our family that can never be broken. It's funny how I can take one of the hardest months and look back on it so fondly. That's only by the grace of God. He is so so gracious.

 

The rest of the year was pretty much all of us trying to navigate through our new normal and finding our footing, and moving on without him and going through all the "first" throughout the year without him.

 

But 2013.. It's going to be different. I really believe that.

 

I think I found a scripture and motto that I'm going to take with me into the new year.

 

 

It's so fitting.

 

I'm believing that 2013 will be MY year. I have big dreams and desires that I'm praying to fruition. I pray that I will continue to grow into a better version of myself. There's always room for growth, always areas of improvement that can be worked on. I pray that I'll find peace and contentment like I've never known, and that I'll enjoy and love being me, and enjoy the person that God has created me to be. I pray that I'll continue to love people and love well, and be open to what God wants to teach me in 2013, oh boy could the list go on and on.....

 

I pray all this for you, too.

Whether your year was filled with happy moments or sad moments...There's something to be said about a new year, new beginnings, a fresh start and to wipe the slate clean. So here's to forgetting the past and looking forward to what's ahead.

With all that said, I end this year knowing I am so so blessed!! And hope you can take the last day of this year and count your blessings, too!!! :)

Have a wonderful and safe New Year. See you in 2013!



2012 Christmas Card.

 

Today I am linking up with Faith's annual Christmas Card Carousel.

 

 

One of my FAVORITE things about Christmas is giving and receiving Christmas cards! It's a thrill to go to the mailbox each day :)

 

My sis and I did a sister Christmas card this year. We just LOVE the way it turned out.

 

Here are my cards for:
2009
2010
2011
 

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas season.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Make sure you go by Faith's blog and share your card and check out the others.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!



Salt and Light.

 

 

I was messing around on FB....Looking at the status updates, the pictures, yadda yadda.....

 

And I stumbled upon an interesting conversation thread on my newsfeed.

 

It was a video a guy I went to high school with had posted on evolution. It had over a hundred comments and so I was intrigued as to what people were saying. Didn't watch the video but started reading through the comments.

 

I'm not here to blog about evolution, so bear with me.

 

 

Y'all, and what I read written by this guy I went to high school with totally grieved my heart. There was absolutely no judgment on my part, but simply....my heart just hearts for him, especially as we go into this Christmas season and holiday which celebrates the birth of Jesus. The gift which was the ultimate gift we could ever receive.

 

Matthew 5:13-16

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

 

And I can only imagine how much that grieved God.

 

I don't know the circumstances of his life that caused him to turn his back on God and change his beliefs in everything he has ever known...but I know not for one second has God turned his back on him.

 

It got me to thinking... am I doing my part?

 

Am I being the salt and the light here on this earth? To each and every person that I come in contact with, day in and day out... Do they see me not just talking the talk, but walking the walk?

 

To the unbelievers, do they look at me and see me and want what I have .....The hope, peace, comfort, and relationship that comes with knowing Jesus Christ.

 

Or to the person who may have turned their back on God, do they see me, not just by words but also by actions, and realize that all of that is still there for them, God hasn't left them or forsaken them, but they have gone so far astray that they don't know how to get back to that place and  the enemy has them so deceived by the lies of this world.

 

This just was a smack in the face reminder..

 

Be the salt and be the light.

 



Weekend this and that!

 

Happy Monday to you friends!!

 

Why must the weekends going by so dang fast?!?!?! It was a pretty great weekend, if I do say so myself.

 

Woke up Saturday and it was December 1st, YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!! The countdown has begun!

 

 

No better time to start on the Christmas tree!

 

 

Got the tree up and the lights working. Cleaned up and there was an event going on nearby to promote pet adoption and Phil Phillips from American Idol was going to be there, so we decided to go check that out.

 

 

Is there anything cuter than this?? (You could technically be talking about Phil Phillps and the dogs...

Bwahaha!!!)

 

 

My sister with one of the pups!

 

 

Went to Mellow Mushroom (BEST PIZZA EVER!!!!) to eat and went back home to  get the rest of the Christmas tree done.

 

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!! :)

 

 

How cute are these light up gifts bought from Kirkland's to go under the tree?

 

 

Christmas movies (Love me some ELF) by the Christmas tree lights. Doesn't get cozier than that!!

 

 

Sunday our church was decorated so beautifully for Christmas!

 

 

Went and ate lunch at Chipotle and of course no Sunday is complete without a trip to Target. Yes and Amen!!!!!

 

 

My sis and I had some picture fun!! :)

 

 

I love love love this one by the tree and love her!!! :)

 

 

How was YOUR weekend?????

 

I just love this time of year. Hope you are trying to soak it all up as much as I am!!  :)



Probability of a White Christmas!

 

 Christmas season is in full swing!
 

I had to laugh when I came across this because when you have grown up in Florida all your life, this pretty much sums it up. In fact, the State of Florida should be 0%. Where the heck does that 5% come from?? Nevertheless, this Florida girl will hold hope to that 5% or less, ha!

 

Holidays feel and look a little different here in the Sunshine State. Safe to say that 99% of the time you'll find us in flip flops on CHRISTMAS DAY.

 

Traditions are different here. I don't have memories that come with snowy places where you're bundling up to go play out in the snow. We really need no fire place going to keep us warm. And seriously, when it hits 50 degrees here we call that COLD, lol! I don't know anything different.

 

I used to be jealous of those places that get snow and their White Christmas.... And if I'm being honest, I'm kind of still am. A part of me always felt like I was being deprived of those fun memories that can be made. We're the land of palm trees and I'm learning that I live in a wonderful place. (HELLO, Mickey???)  Florida has so much to offer. I don't think I could ever leave a place where basically anywhere in the State of Florida you are within easy access to the coast and the Florida beaches.

 

It's a great place.

 

I think Santa thinks so too :)
 

So chime in. Where are you from? Do you get your White Christmas???



Disney fun.

 

One of the greatest gifts this blog has given me are the wonderful friendships I have made.

 

I truly am blessed to have found Courtney through the blog world and she has become one of my dearest friends. One of the great things is Courtney and her family make frequent trips to Disney and it's right in my neck of the woods.

 

I never got around to blogging about our visit a couple of weeks ago and wanted to document it. The Friday she came in she invited me to join her family. That night she set up a boat ride around Disney to see the light show on the water and to see the Christmas fireworks show over Cinderella's castle. I don't care how old you are, Disney will never lose it's magic and it always makes me feel like a little kid again. I think I take for granted all the wonderful perks the Orlando area has to offer. I love this place I call home! It was a great time. I just adore Courtney and her sweet family and kiddos.

 

Courtney's daughter and I on the boat. The two Lauren's :)

 

Gorgeous Fireworks.

 



 

 

Another picture of sweet Lauren and I at the end of the night.

 

Soooo blessed by Courtney's friendship!!!

Didn't get a picture of Courtney's cute son Connor and her husband and other family :(

It was such a fun night. Thanks for inviting me Courtney. Come back SOON!!!