Trekking with Me

Happy New Years!! So what in the world happen in 2016.... Dear friends got married... and had a baby in ONE year.... that seems almost magical to me especially that she was over 35... there is hope for me???  Marriage is still a hope but I am doing alright single.  Just for your information - free of charge! I had lots of family adventures which included Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Kansas City and South Carolina. Health and Simplification... A 5k and a 10k were completed!!  Cooper Bridge run -5th year!!  Martin Luther King Run - First and training for second. I completed my first WHOLE30!  This was an amazing experience and I am starting my second one tomorrow!! " The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up! " - WHO KNEW but this truly has transformed my life! I have embraced the process and since November I have gone through my clothes, jewelry, toiletries, filing cabinet, and miscellaneous trappings! Through this process, I have created a beautiful, or...

If you have been following me here, you will be well aware I have been neck-deep in a huge renovation project.  This last week, it has about done me in! I don't know if I am receiving some physical notices that I am getting older... but every part of my body is "powerful worn out" (know where that quote comes from??)! Since I am in the renovating mindset, I thought it was time to make some updating changes on my blog.  I wanted to add a few gadgets to make it more interesting, give me some better feedback, and freshen it up a bit.  As you can see the "gadgets" are on a slide out thing to the right of the screen: notice I have added a "Popular Posts" gadget.  You will also notice there are some feedback and sharing tools for you! I also added a few links to my "about me" page, if you are just coming through for the first time (or have only visited a few times), stop by and let's officially meet! I would LOVE more feed back, so plea...

Right this moment my arms feel like rags, my kitchen looks like a well used workshop with old paint scrapping covering the ugly linoleum, exposed shelves as at least half the cabinet doors are propped up along the walls and bottom cabinet area.   It's a mess. I am worn out.  I am pushing harder to finish this project before I start up with my school year responsibilities in a week!  (A Week!!) I would like to have my kitchen reassembled, maybe even with a new coat of stain on them by next weekend??? My best helper is showing up Monday, hopefully: Dad, my hero. I have had some unusual circumstances this week... On Monday, just as I was unscrewing cabinet hardware and prepping to brush on the paint remover,  I heard a nice friendly knock is at my front door.  A comfortably dressed young man in a bright orange shirt was standing on my porch.  I greeted him, he politely introduced himself.  He had a few clipboard size items in his hands and sinc...

Good Morning! June flew by like a tornado in my neck of the woods, and it seems July is doing about the same.  Though here in South Carolina, it's more like a flood with all the rain dumping on us!  I am glad I don't have to worry with building an ark! With the exhilaration of a new job, the summer weeks have opened up for me to do a few little projects around my house.  So far, with the sweet helping hands of a few friends, two rooms have been painted and my kitchen is finally getting some attention!  Here are a few pictures: This is my "little Miss Sunshine" room.  As the yellow paint dried, it's glow grew brighter and brighter.  I may have to provide a sleep mask for any future guest and/or housemate! ;-) The other room is not ready for posting yet... though it is a nice soft (very soft) blue! The Kitchen:  As you can see, I have begun stripping the cabinet's!  I have been wanting to do this since moving in five years ago.  I s...

It's Spring Break in the district I work in.  I am thoroughly enjoying time at home, sleeping in past 6:30AM, sitting in my ugly orange chair sipping coffee and reading the Word, listening for Him.  The last few weeks have been laden with heavy worry which I posted about; it's such a gift to have time to rest, reflect, breathe, do my laundry, and roll my worries into His hands.  Slowing down helps me do that... naps do too.   So here are a few things I have done this week in my free time, besides three loads of laundry, pulling weeds and raking my yard, washing my car inside and out, organizing my kitchen (my new house mate helped, what a gift!), and going shopping at Trader Joes! I practiced a little photography! I just like this picture. :-) These looked like they were having fun in the sun on the Congaree River.  What do you think turtles say to each other?  Notice the turtle head sticking out of the water at the end?  Almost as if...

A pile of stuff to give away sits on the bed in my guest room. A pile of baskets, containers, bags, and other odd things sits on the floor in my room. My head is working through ideas of where to move this and that  to make room, space, and organize to use my shelves and closets more wisely. I know I have gone through my "stuff" several times over the years.  More de-cluttering, throwing out, re-using, and giving away.  It seems like a filter... I have to use a tighter screen each time... to truly block out what is clutter and unuseful.  I admit... i tend to hold onto things that only take up space, waste time and energy and block out light. How very very very reflective of His Work in the heart.  I love how God uses everyday things to work His Truth and Love and Character.  He desires us to walk in holiness.  This means... Holy. Pure. Clean.   "In Living we die; In Dying we live." I love His Ways.  So opposite of mine, the w...

Saturday's are great!! I had a project on my list and here it is: my utility room.  It was getting mighty messy and making it NOT a great utility area.  So.... I went to work this morning. Before After :-) I have a great space here and it feels great to actually be able to use it!! It is incredibly HOT today... so I am now cooling off... I hope to post a video later.   Stay Tuned.

From this..... ...to this and... ....this!! What do you think!? I am thrilled.... 

Yaaaa- HOOOOOO!!! Today was my LAST DAY Of class.... I am almost, officially finished with the semester. I must say "almost" because I have two weeks to finish an online class; but today was my last day to sit in class! :-) The Lord is so good - I am glad to have another semester behind me yet sad because... the friends I have made through my classes have grown so sweet to my heart that seeing this season end is bittersweet. *sniff!* Summer, Let's begin! As my previous post stated, my summer is looking like a blank canvas; anything could happen. Here are some things that have been tumbling into my brain to fill this canvas besides sailing, of course! Here are some of my ideas: Remodel my dining room! I have been in this house two years and have worked on several of the other rooms - the bathroom, my bedroom, and the front living room... (it only has three bedrooms and one bath, so that is about half of the house!). I have a vision for my dining room. Here is what it ...

Whew! I am just taking a seat after making some headway on a few of my house projects this morning. The house is quiet, except for Kenny G playing Christmas tunes. I have laundry to hang out before the morning gets too far along but I thought I would jot a line here to say Hello to my friends who check on me now and then =) I finished my first semester! Woo-hoooo!! I have a goal oriented mindset so when a goal is reached I like to cheer! And I also realize that i have about four more semesters to go, I wish it would not be so long - but when you think about it in numbers like "4" - it doesn't seem so long! Thank you all for your prayers. God used this last semester to work in my mind and my heart. It is all good. Right now - the Christmas Holidays are here and it truly is fun! I don't have ONE piece of Christmas decor up! Not yet anyhow, I tried to get Kitty to get some things done but, well, you know, she doesn't always carry out my wishes.... Somehow...

Hey everyone! This is a moment by moment update blog entry! I am sitting in the mall, next to Starbucks, so tempted to buy a $4 coffee but am holding out as i am meeting a friend for lunch and i have good coffee at home. Trying to be wise with my money....besides, i really DO want to buy for others instead of me. I have a problem in that I tend to begin to think of the many things I want on my Christmas wish instead of what others may desire....the kid in me is still alive! So, I confess the voice inside to say "I want this, I need that, I would love to have that..." IT is about GIVING...not receiving! :-) Ah, well, I am still growing! It is festive feeling here in the mall; people meandering by (one sweet soul dropped me a mint on my table as i was engrossed in my computer screen! the smallest things bless so much!), the music, the decorations, the cute kids dressed up for their picture with Santa (he has a REAL beard!), and just everything. I like to just sit and t...