Grace and Glory

Musings from the Threshold

Monthly Archives: January 2010

Baking Fun

Jonathan got me this wonderful mixer for Christmas. Doesn’t it remind you of the tail light of a ’60-something Chevy? I love it!

I also love that I’ve started making bread again, thanks to this strong reliable mixer and its dough hooks. I just can’t handle kneading bread, and this does the hard part while allow me to do the fun stuff. The above shot was on New Year’s Day. I was working on my “first” batch of bread while playing Apples to Apples Bible Edition with the boys.

Here’s my second batch of bread. Should’ve gotten it out a little earlier, but it is still very yummy.

Also yesterday, I brought Katie “alongside” and she helped me make this Cranberry Crunch for dessert. She really did most of the work, and it was such fun to do it together. She even let two of her siblings go ahead of her in line for computer time because she was enjoying her time in the kitchen so much (she and Grace also helped me make quiche for supper).

Goal-setting

The Simple Mom blog has been having some great posts about goal setting lately, like 20 Questions for a New Year’s Eve Reflection, 20 Questions for Planning New Year’s Goals, and Ring in 2010 with Tangible, Reachable, Optimistic Goals.

However, for me, the last week or so has just not been conducive to reflection and contemplation of goals. So I loved this post today called A Holistic Approach to Setting Meaningful New Year’s Goals. Yes! This fits so well with where I am (this year, and probably every year).

Some highlights:

If winter is for reflection, spring is for action. The planning and preparation that you do in winter, will naturally lead to the energy and focus of acting on your goals come springtime.

…

Winter is a season of introspection, lower energy, and reflection. I start the reflection process in January. I use January and February to dig inward, learn from the past year’s lessons, gaze ahead and consider where my energy should be directed.

When I honor myself with time and attention, I am startled at the goals I come up with.

Once I’ve set my goals and aspirations, I put in time to make a plan for achieving them so I can give myself the support and preparation I need to be successful. This action plan generally begins to really ramp up and pick up energy just as spring comes on the scene. The freshness and new energy of the world around me fuel my commitment.

There is also a helpful looking exercise to help you consider balance in your life and identify areas that need more focused attention.

Hope this is helpful to some of you!

New Years Thoughts

Two hymns are prominent in my mind as I contemplate the new year:
He Leadeth Me – a comfort to know Who is leading me, and an encouragment to be a “faithful follower.”
And May the Mind of Christ my Savior – what a summation of goals for not only the year, but for life (thanks, Lynn, for posting this one last new year’s; it’s been with me through the year).

He Leadeth Me
by Joseph H. Gilmore, 1862

He leadeth me, O blessèd thought!
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!… See More
Whate’er I do, where’er I be
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters still, over troubled sea,
Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me.

Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.

And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V9rtz2_LGc&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0]