Special Friends

A very special friend yesterday dropped a bag by with little goodies in it for Christina and I.  It sure helped! There's so many special ladies that I'd probably really not got to know if this hadn't happened. I treasure each new friendship that this last year has brought! Especially those that have encouraged me spiritually.

Christina and I went to Applebee's for Valentines Day. A new tradition! It'd been so long since just her and I went out together, and the bill at the end reminded me why! But still it was very nice, we just need to get there at 4 next year not 5!! And by the time we left at 6... WOW!!! Christina gave me a scarf that she'd knitted and a sweet homemade card.

There just seems to be so many people walking away from life, although part of it could be I'm just more aware of it. My heart goes out to those who have family members who are missing and I pray that they'll turn to our Father for comfort because, really, that's the only thing that has pulled me through!  The uncertainty can be very overwhelming. Life doesn't wait for us to get on our feet, it just keeps going. Although I'll say last year was the LONGEST year! Those first 9 months felt like years! But there is a reason for everything, a purpose to be fulfilled, so may it be so! Faith!!!

Year 2 Starting

I was really hoping this new year would not include that gut tension that creeps up on me on each special anniversary dates! As someone so kindly told me today when he asked how I was doing emotionally, you have a wound, a wound that happened at a really bad time of year, so it'll take a while for that wound to completely heal. Like clockwork, 2 weeks before the date it starts and by the time the actual day comes I'm fine. Seems bizarre that the actual day is fine but that's the way it went last year so I'm assuming it'll be the same. So come Valentines Day I should be just fine, I just won't enter the stores, unless I absolutely have to, for the next couple of weeks!  But it'll happen again very soon after since our wedding anniversary was the first part of March.

I'm so thankful for prayer and faith. I need to keep in mind the meaning of faith that we've heard so many times. For All I Trust Him. I love how much our Father has proven His care for us. We found a wonderful therapist/counselor for Christina through my networking connections. This lady literally dropped into our laps, she does horse therapy and Christina is loving it! She has such a happy demeanor when she's there. There's a smile and there's a HAPPY smile. And it came at just the right time. And she pulled through 1st semester with  fairly decent grades, it was a lot of work but she did it!

Lots of good news on the job front. Final amounts are in and I've have 10 more clients and comparing January 2011 to January 2012 by income tripled!!! Granted I didn't start very high last year but none the less I'm pretty excited about that! Networking truly works but, wow!, is it a lot of work!! And if I can do it ANYBODY can do it! For those of you who know me, you know I'm a pretty quiet person so getting out and starting to network was a chore but I've been doing it for 5 solid months now and am reaping the rewards of hard work, by having more hard work! :)  Still have a little ways to go to really make it but it's definitely getting better!

I still miss my husband, really hope he's okay, but again I need to put my faith in my Father. At this point it's all in His hands and what's suppose to happen will in the end. But sometimes the missing part just gets the better of me! Tonight's a mixed emotion night!

A faithful finish

I just received word that Dellas L. has finished his journey and is now home. The reward we have at the end of life is so rich. I didn't know Dellas real well but he had such a wonderful spirit. I'm thankful for the spiritual example that he set. A poem a friend gave me has this phrase: For every loss He sends to us, Is followed by rich gain. Dellas has reached that final rich gain.

My thoughts have been on what he mentioned at Boring this last year. Self Denial. I'd be so much better off without a lot of the STUFF that I have. It's all that stuff that pulls me away from my Father. Books is a really good example of that! I have a horrible time pulling myself out of a book and reading our Father's word in the evening, or during the day when I feel the pull to. As a result I rarely read the novels. Last night I got into a book, not good since it was a Saturday evening! So really, I just need to get rid of the novels. I can use my cross stitching for relaxation, or read that book about business (no problem putting THAT one aside!) As Dellas mentioned we wouldn't have the full closets and garages etc. full of stuff if we were willing to deny ourselves. One thing that I've wondered is if there's stuff in this house of mine that my Father would disapprove of. Is there something that I wouldn't want one of my friends to find when I eventually pass away and all my stuff is gone through.

I pray that each step I take draws helps me to draw closer and closer to our Father and to be an example of a Godly life as Dellas was.

Oh boy!

Feeling so overwhelmed tonight! So much to do in the next week. This month is giving me a good taste of what it is to be basically full time. On the other hand there so much thankfulness that all the hard work (networking) of the last few month is paying off. If anyone says networking doesn't work, I beg to differ! :)  I look back on what the last year has brought, the changes both naturally and spiritually, WOW!  The number of new people I've met. I think I've met years worth in the last year, at least compared to previous years! So many lives to touch. I've got to wonder if they're seeing the Spirit in my life. Am I being a proper example?

Christina is sooooo looking forward to tomorrow being done! End of 1st semester. 3 months and  she'll be an auntie! And I'll be a grandma! I STILL can't hardly comprehend that but am looking forward to seeing my first grandbaby! AND 3 more months and my auntie will be home! Can hardly wait!!!  April will be quite the month!

Thought to share in closing that we heard at special meeting... The years reveal what the days conceal.

Awesome weekend

We had our special meeting down in Salem yesterday. So many wonderful spiritual thoughts were shared that hit close to home.  One thing we heard is sometimes our Father lets things sit in the background until we're ready to deal with them. Then, when the time is right, something happens that brings that issue that we need to fix to light. That's what so many of our experiences in life are about. A chance to correct and grow spiritually through each experience. I'm so thankful for the years that He's kept me and been so patient with me. And simply keep the eyes focused ahead. Don't look down at the bumps in the road because it's when we look down and take our eyes off the goal that we tend to stumble and fall. Keep our eyes focused far ahead. One, of many things, I've learned this last year is that our Father is there every step of the way. I'm still in awe of the peace and comfort that can be found in such a bizarre and life changing event.

Good news on the job front too. I'm picking up new clients and this month is a feast month job wise. Money wise next month should be my best month yet. Networking is what's working for me but the trick is fitting it all in, networking, working, eating, doing laundry (forgot to finish that today), etc. Now my job is to learn how to be efficient.

New Year

So much to do and so much more change coming! I started thinking of all that needs to be done business wise, be done in my personal life, where I need to be financially and decided I was a lot better off leaving that in my Fathers hands!! Anxiety galore started building but with that decision has faded to much more manageable proportions! I LOVE the strength that is there for us! Special meetings are coming this next week and special guests tonight and tomorrow night! So an awesome week is on the way!!

My new year resolution.... Just be willing for whatever my Father wants me to do. Although the way may be rough at times, the comfort and peace are so amazing. BUT that only comes with willingness. 

Almost there!

Just about a year has now passed since our lives totally changed course, since my husband disappeared. Many good things have happened this year, many good realizations about myself have happened. I've learned how much comfort my Father can supply when I draw close to Him. I've learned to be more compassionate to others because you never know what is really going on in their lives. I'm learning what it is like to really truly have a growing business that will supply the income you need. (Getting there! 7 for sure new clients... maybe 8) And most of all I've learned that life goes on and you can indeed make a better life for yourself if you don't focus on the 'what could have been's', the 'what I wish hadn't happened',  and the 'life isn't fair, why did that happen?'. So this year the focus is on growing even more spiritually, helping my younger daughter through the bumps of this next year, being a new grandma (in April, older daughter) and continuing to grow my businesses. (I'm also starting an adult foster care placement business that will most likely tie in with my senior bookkeeping).

For those of you who really know me you know that I am NOT a real social person but all my new business has come from networking. So I'm learning to become more social! Who knows I may even try my hand at teaching some classes this next year!! That would be amazing but since I'm getting into the senior side of bookkeeping I can see where that might be a possibility and possibly bring in some extra income. Maybe even some classes about payroll... I've had some amazing help in getting over my fear of talking in groups where I know nobody, thank you Michelle Wirta!!!

For all who have helped us through this last year both spiritually and naturally THANK YOU!!!! I've got to say I'm looking forward to what this next year will bring! The different lives I'll have an opportunity to touch. I hope everybody has had a wonderful holiday weekend and my heart and prayers go out to those who are going through a year of  their own 'firsts'.