A New Year

2012 arrived without much fanfare and since then I have been focused on getting over a nasty intestinal bug. It started around my birthday (12/23) but it wasn't until 12/30 that I realized this was beyond treating at home and saw the doctor. He started me on antibiotics over the New Year's weekend; however, by Tuesday it was apparent I wasn't tolerating them very well. The end result was a week off work spent mostly sleeping, dizzy, and nauseated. Yesterday the doctor changed the medicine to a prescription that insurance gives less than half at a time for a $40 copay. Too bad the insurance is my employer too :-( can't complain too much about it!

Finally today I am feeling more alert and less lethargic and confused - yes I think Fibro Fog kicked in as a complication! I am so thankful for just a glimpse of myself coming back as I was beginning to wonder. In the doctor's words, "you will think you are going to die, but you will live." The nurse suggested I ask for it in writing :-)

Today I have been considering how I can better manage my time and energy in this New Year. As we look around us and see the multitude of choices to consume time and energy, it is clear that we have to be very vigilant and discerning or we will be swallowed up in the trivial. I think that has happened to me somewhat because I love learning new things and exploring creative possibilities. The evidence of this is all of my unfinished projects and a few finished ones. Over the years I have attempted an upholstery class and recovered a loveseat and a few chairs (very hard work), I have learned piece quilting by hand with a friend Margaret when David was a little boy (finished 9 of 12 block of the month pieces that never made it to a final product and now the house is no longer country blue :-(. Let me see, there was also plastercraft painting which I enjoyed for quite awhile and then dad and I were into wood crafts with him making them and me painting them. I don't think we sold enough to pay for the paint much less the wood! Ah, then there were my sewing days when I sewed everything from jams for the kids in the 80s to goose clothes, bunnies, cabbage patch doll clothes and flags for the house. At one time I was stenciling sweatshirts and everyone got them for gifts, including Ellen. Speaking of Ellen, we sewed pot holders, Christmas ornaments, and aprons (boy those were the days of relaxing and learning from my spiritual mother). I almost forgot those jeweled scarves in the 80s that Cherie sold for me at the law firm; they paid for Christmas one year as a stay at home mom.

Back to my projects...I did a small amount of scrapbooking but lack the patience for perfection so I make my own style. There aren't too many things to show for these efforts but I recall us crafting a memory book about Grandma Cornell for the funeral. In this genre, I still like to craft cards and have a closet full of supplies but don't seem to devote much time to the hobby unless I go to a class with Betsy or Crystal and I find a rare evening to fellowship around cards. Let me see, am I missing anything? Yes, there is jewelry making which mostly has consisted of bracelets and a few earrings. And, I can't forget the knitting which has only progressed to scarves with the knit stitch (forget purling). David says my knitting is the equivalent of a clown balloon maker only making worms! Oh, and I can't forget that Alex and I took a colors class this summer and I promptly bought pens and pencils hoping to do more...hmmm, never seemed to get around to it~ I have also taken a cake decorating class and a few candy making classes along the way but again, I seem to develop my own "style" lacking the patience for perfection as the craft is taught. Although I may have officially failed the cake decorating class as my confection to make roses arrived in class as hard as a brick and even with the loaned icing I promptly crafted a pitiful rose and spinned it right out onto the floor. Since Bobbie and I were in hysterics we didn't pass with flying colors.

I still would like to learn to do decorative painting, watercolor, pottery, stained glass and...jewelry pins from sentimental vintage pieces. Plus, I am sure there is a thing or two I am forgetting!

But, that brings me back to the reason for this post. How will I spend my time in 2012? I think my priorities for ministry fall into three buckets: Grace Women's Ministry, Voice of the Martyrs, and Christian Women's Club speaking. That brings clarity but I still have guilt every time I am asked to do children's ministry because there is such a need for volunteers. Someone out there isn't using their gift!

As for the house, I would really, really, really like to make 2012 the year of decluttering and accumulating less. To that end I am joining a Proverbs 31 online group with that focus. Personally, I would also like to stay on top of tracking my checkbook and expenses so it doesn't get so hard to do. There isn't a danger of over drafting or anything like that, it is just that it gets very hard to recreate the paper trail.

Spiritually, and that is the most important area of all - I also need to focus more on just a few things and not be so scattered and drawn by every opportunity that comes along. I want to continue to read through the Bible this year (I am in Joshua since we started in the fall I think). Dave got way out there ahead of me! Also, perhaps using the Made to Crave devotional and getting that whole area focused spiritually in conjunction with the Just This healthy eating plan. There I go again, adding to!

Well, my prayer is that the Lord take this "cracked pot" and continue to shape her into something beautiful He can use for His glory and grace! And may the creative mind and energy He gave me be focused where it will produce the most for HIM.

P.S. Can't forget the fleece blankets I made and the special tools I had to buy to try and make them like the one Hannah got at Children's Hospital :-)