Life

Each step of life is a journey that you choose to walk.

Each moment of life is another line, sentence, paragraph and chapter of the book called your life.

Enjoy all that life has to offer, good friends, good food, good coffee and as always wisdom and a good laugh.

~Jen





31 January 2012

I'm in love...

We had a very busy weekend and I have a foot injury. So want to know about the busy weekend? Sure you do. Well if you are a friend on Facebook, then you already know, but for the rest of you...we have a new addition to our little family!

No...I'm not expecting, but rather we have added another 4 legged pawed pup into the mix! She is just beautiful, her name is Daisy Ruth and I'm so glad that our older dog, Parker, is showing her the ropes.



So this weekend was filled with puppy walks and a lot of Ahhh's as she was learning her new home. The kids just love her and are very attentive. Of course we picked Daisy up on Saturday and the weekend routine is not the same as the weekly routine. She is now having to adjust to school and work schedules, but I think she will fit in just fine.



Oh and the foot...well...it hurts, but I will heal...so no worries. Have a great week!

~Peace & Blessings~
Jen

27 January 2012

Finally Friday

and it's been an odd kind of week. Not that is was bad, just odd, like I didn't really click with what was going on at the moment I was doing it. It didn't matter if it was while at work or in a meeting, cooking dinner or cleaning up, I just felt out of sorts. I remember when I was a kid, I would say it was an "out of body" experience. Now, I don't believe that to be true in the sense that I was not in my body, but that my mind was really somewhere else, absent. To be honest, I have felt absent from myself most of this week.

I don't know if you have ever felt that way or not. Maybe it's just me. Hard to say. Have you ever felt like you are just going through the motions of life? Have you ever felt disconnected? I know that I have found myself reflecting on my past and decisions that I have made over the years. That may have something to do with this temporary feeling of "not really being here". I can best describe the feeling as "Where the Conscience and Subconscience Collide".

My agenda today...enjoy my air shift, send out my reports, go watch my son's "Wax Museum" at school today and then go home, and spend some quiet time to reflect. Sounds like a plan.

~Peace & Blessings~

Jen

24 January 2012

New Christian Music Releases

Follow this link for a full list...



New Christian Music Releases For January 24, 2012 - NewReleaseTuesday.com


It's Tuesday and that means it's time for New Releases! Here' my picks for the week.

My featured pick of the week is...



Kari Jobe is fresh and full of life with her latest album. For a relaxing spring day that is right around the corner, Kari's album is perfect!



For the best of the year, this is a must have for your collection. Artist include: Kirk Franklin, Issac Carree, Mary Mary, and more!



Phil Joel (former Newsboys) is not only on tour with Peter Furler for Winter Jam, but he has been busy in the studio. Playlist is his latest release and sounds like a winner.

My last pick for the week is...



Kirk Franklin is back with his soulful sounds and groovin' style. "Essentials" is essential for your collection.



~Peace & Blessings~

Jen

18 January 2012

Middle of the week...



and I feel like it should be Friday! My time feels like it has been put in the DVD machine and was put on FFWD! Sometimes I wonder if I schedule too much of my time to allow for me to enjoy it. I have to admit that I have tried to go without a schedule, and things fell through the cracks very quickly. My schedule is not a safety net, I have determined. Instead it is my lifeline to maintain balance in a very unbalanced world. I have to also admit that I love love love when there's a cancellation in my schedule, because then I have unexpected free time to take care of a task that has been put on the back burner, or time to just go and spend time with just me.

One goal that I have this year is to schedule more downtime so I can spend my time doing things with my family. Of course that means that there must be a plan in place and that means I have to...you guessed it...schedule time for it, and save save save. A family that lives on what they make must be diligent in saving money for the emergencies and for the fun things. My husband made an uncanny revelation the other day. He said that he can tell me what he is doing 6 out of 7 day of his week, give or take 10 minutes. That tells me that we have fallen into a routine that has become mundane. I hope at the end of this year, he won't be able to say this same statement!

With all that being said, I really find it hard to believe that January is already close to an end and in less than 3 weeks I will be on my way to Orlando with my daughter and her entire chorus class for a convention. I hope that we can mix a little fun between the singing and the classes. The closer it gets, the more I am looking forward to the chaos of a school trip. I just hope that at the end of this year that I have accomplished a couple of new things. 1) Closure 2) Adventure 3) Spiritual Growth in the area of peace. I suppose you could say that these are my New Year's Resolutions, but in truth I would say that these are just my quarterly goals. I have many more that lie ahead.



I'll finish with this. My daughter just asked me what it is that I'm blogging about. I told her, time. She proceeds to ask me why it is that I'm blogging about time if I'm always saying that time goes so fast. I simply answered her by saying so when I look back on this post, I will remember this moment in time and smile. That is a comforting thought. Enjoy your life, enjoy your time and enjoy your family.

~Peace & Blessings~
Jen

17 January 2012

New Music Releases

It's Tuesday...so you know what that means...time for some new releases! My pick of the week...


Michael W. Smith, Decades of Worship. For the first time ever, Michael's best worship songs spanning his entire career are together in one new collection. Twelve songs in all, this collection includes timeless songs such as "Above All", "Mighty To Save"



Also out today...

Courageous DVD/Blu-Ray: Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, David Thomson, and Shane Fuller are confident and focused. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared.



Lindsay McCaul, If It Leads Me Back. A contemporary Christian singer, Lindsay McCaul, who hails from Chicago, is also a fine and unique songwriter, a talent that shines through on her 11 track debut album.



Anthem Lights, The Acoustic Sessions. New digital EP, The Acoustic Sessions features acoustic versions of four of their hit songs from their debut album plus their cover of the Bruno Mars track "Just The Way You Are."

16 January 2012

Casting Crowns Round 2



If you have not ever seen Casting Crowns in concert, well...don't miss out. Casting Crowns had a very successful fall tour, so much so that they have extended their "Come to the Well" to add 44 more dates in the spring. Joining Casting Crowns is Matthew West, Royal Taylor and Lindsey McCaul. For more dates and cities, log onto https://castingcrowns.com/tour/archive/come-well-tour-12-02-11

10 January 2012

New Release Tuesday: David Crowder*Band - Give Us Rest or (A Requiem Mass in C [The Happiest of All Keys]) - CD Reviews And Information | NewReleaseTuesday.com




A final farewell is upon us now as we say goodbye (hopefully not forever) to David Crowder Band. With that said here is the final release for the band known as David Crowder Band.

Give Us Rest or (A Requiem Mass in C [The Happiest of All Keys]) - Disc 1 by David Crowder*Band | CD Reviews And Information | NewReleaseTuesday.com

A Modern Proverb

A well-known speaker started off his seminar holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple up ...the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, "Who still wants it...?" Still the hands ...were up in the air. "Well," he replied, "What if I do... this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air. "My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. ......It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE. You are Special-Don't EVER forget it." If you do not pass this on, you may never know the lives it touches, the hurting hearts it speaks to, or the hope that it may bring. Count your blessings, not your problems



~Peace & Blessings~ Jen

09 January 2012

I don't like...

migraine's! They are a real pain. I don't get headaches often. Actually, I rarely get them, but when I do, they are crippling. This migraine began on Thursday. I thought I was just tired and didn't give the headache much thought. Friday, well it was lingering but again, I figured it would go away after some coffee. The pain lingered and increased over the day and by the end of Friday I knew that it was a migraine. I still did some things over the weekend. We jumped back into karate. I really enjoy karate. After that, home and did nothing. Yesterday I did go to church. The headache still pounding, but I was not going to let the pain stop me from worship. It was a good service too, so I'm glad I made it.

New week, headache is almost completely gone, and I'm looking forward to this first full week of the new year.

~Peace & Blessings~ Jen

Winter Jam Spectacular - Peter Furler

Winter Jam is now touring across the US. This Friday Winter Jam will be in Jacksonville, FL. Bands on tour include former Newsboys, Peter Furler. Who's joining Peter? Follow the link for the full news article.



Jesusfreakhideout.com Music News, January 2012: PETER FURLER ANNOUNCES BAND FOR WINTER JAM TOUR THAT BEGINS TODAY



~Peace & Blessings~
Jen

06 January 2012

It's Friday!

And I am so ready to hit the door and go home. So the week in review...this was the last week for the kids to be home for Christmas break. They went back yesterday and they are loving the fact that they are only in school for 2 days this week. They are not going to enjoy a full week next week.

As for me...I am glad to be getting back to a normal routine. Yesterday I went right back to a full force schedule and by time I got home last night it was after 9pm and I was exhausted! People who get up @ 0400 need to not be going until after 9pm. Oh well...lesson learned.

Tomorrow it is back to karate and then we are going to see about downgrading on the old cell phones. I mean really...I don't need to be that connected! OK, that's it for me...have a great weekend!

~Peace & Blessings~ Jen

05 January 2012

Is a schedule...

a bad thing? I don't think so. Actually...I think I do much better with a set schedule. My problem is my "feelings". Even if I know that I am suppose to do certain things at certain times...if I don't fell like it I will find an excuse or reason not to get it done. For example. I started back in August a series on 'Being Prepared'. My intentions were good, my execution was poor. So that series of blog posts got put on the back burner...EPIC FAIL!

Should I resurrect the posts and finish them up? I'm not sure. Maybe, but I think I have moved on past it now. So my goal is simple...don't do a series...do one post with all the info. So if you follow my blog and want to know what I'm posting about when...then you'll appreciate my (probably poor) attempt at a schedule.




MONDAY: If I blog...it will be about upcoming events or what we as a family did over the weekend (sure why not!)

TUESDAY: New Releases and anything of interest when it comes to music news!

WEDNESDAY: Wisdom Wednesdays...my goal is to inspire with scripture

THURSDAY: Random...I do believe I do need a day of randomness. Take this blog for example ;-)

FRIDAY: Week in Review...This is for anything that I may have missed or that I find of interest.

So this is just one of my many goals. I am not making any promises at success, only to try.



~Peace & Blessings~ Jen

03 January 2012

Out with the Old...

and in with the new. At least that is what we try to accomplish with the start of each new year. I have decided to not add any new "New Years Resolutions". Instead I am going to stay the course and keep working on what I started last year. I did not reach the goals I had set for myself last year so why try to add on to the ones I already have to finish.



So here's a wrap of 2011...


JAN: New Year with only 1 car

FEB: Saving Money for another car & praying that we will be patient on the Lord

MAR: God has answered our prayers with the gift of a used van

APR: We started P90X

MAY: The kids finished school and are all promoted to the next grade

JUN: Hung out in Vegas for my birthday with some of the most amazing people on the planet...my Kadena Oki Peeps!

JUL: The kids have been hanging out with the Grandparents down at Wild Adventure theme park since the end of June

AUG: Back to school and back to meetings...ahhhh fall! :-)

SEP: Bumpy road while trying to get my barrings

OCT: Enjoyed Halloween with the kids

NOV: Truly Thankful for all of God's Goodness

DEC: May not be much, but best Christmas in a long long time and Mike & I celebrated 16 years of marriage



And here's the Goals for 2012...


Still working on those last 20 to 30 pounds and yes they come off this year! If my friend Amy can do it then so can I!

Be more attentive at work. I just want to do better at what I am so blessed to do.

I would love to be more active with my kids. This plan is already in action - I'm excited about this year!

Get everyone's exams done. This is already in act. All appointments but dental are made!

Replenish the said savings account. I need to stay the course on this plan and not let myself get derailed!

So there you have it...a quick review of my year and what I'd like to accomplish this upcoming year. What about you? Did you accomplish any of your goals that you set for yourself last year? If not...are you resetting? I hope so. Never give up!


~Peace & Blessings~ Jen