66. January Month in Review - Project 365

I did not succeed in taking pictures every day of the month of January. Our camera was unfortunatley broken on New Year's Eve (after the below pic was taken), so I will be starting my Project 365 over as soon as the new one arrives! :)

4. 24 Scriptures in 12 Months ~ Memory Monday

4. Do 24 Scriptures in 12 Months with Beth Moore



Colossians 3:1-22

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. bBut now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another and forgive whatever grievances you may have against each one other. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.

Well, I had a couple little punctuation errors, and said each when I should have said one in one place, but all in all not bad :) - For next week I'll work on finishing the chapter + 4:1, then move on to something else - yet to be determined :)

31. Construct a workable housekeeping plan

31. Construct a workable housekeeping plan and stick to it for 3 consecutive weeks.

Here's my first attempt at a new housekeeping plan. I'm scheduled to start this TODAY! I sure hope this works! This may seem very basic, but I am just not naturally good at this housekeeping stuff, so I hope that I can find something that works!

Week #1
Sunday: Mud Room
Monday: Family Room
Tuesday: Downstairs Bath
Wednesday: Laundry Room
Thursday: Dining Room
Friday: Library
Saturday: Living Room

Week #2
Sunday: Entryway
Monday: Stairs & Hallway
Tuesday: Blue Bedroom
Wednesday: Green Bedroom
Thursday: Upstairs Bath
Friday: Master Suite
Saturday: Office


Every Week

Monday:
1. Vacuum Family Room floor and furniture
2. Clean out fridge
3. Wipe countertops

Tuesday:
1. Brush Diddy
2. Straighten Family Room
3. Paper Sweep - Downstairs
4. Mop Kitchen

Wednesday:
1. Correspondance
2. Vacuum Family Room floor and furniture
3. Dust
4. Wipe appliances

Thursday:
1. Brush Diddy
2. Straighten Bedroom
3. Paper Sweep - Upstairs
4. Straighten pantry shelves

Friday:
1. Vacuum Family Room floor and furniture
2. Necessities Inventory

83. Marathon Training Update

83. Participate in a marathon, and finish.

Just thought I'd pop in to give y'all a little update on our training. We've worked ourselves up to 2 miles every night we train. Our goal is to be running 5 miles/training session by Valentine's Day. We will progressively increase our mileage from that point, then in June we will participate in a half marathon, which is 13.1 miles. After that point, we will continue to increase our mileage until we are able to run the full 26.2 miles of the marathon on October 18th. :)

4. 24 Scriptures in 12 Months ~ Memory Monday

My passage for this week was Job 23:10-12:

But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

My feet have closely followed his steps;
I have kept to his way without turning aside.

I have not departed from the commands of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.

AWESOME!!! This is the first time that I have been able to memorize scriptures so quickly and retain them!!! If you haven't, I would highly recommend checking out Beth Moore's Scripture Memorization Mini-Tutorial on her blog!!! It's fantastic!

4. 24 Scriptures in 12 Months ~ January 15-31

4. Do 24 Scriptures in 12 Months with Beth Moore

Job 23:10-12 (NIV)

10 But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

11 My feet have closely followed his steps;
I have kept to his way without turning aside.

12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.

83. Participate in a marathon, and finish.

source

Yep, that's right! You heard it here first ladies and gentlemen: Austin and I have decided that we are going to train for, and subsequently participate in, the IMT Des Moines Marathon on October 18, 2009.

Anyone who knows me in real life is probably laughing hysterically right about now, but we're serious. We're going to do it, and finish - I know I have no dream of placing, but if I start at the starting line and cross the finish line within the alotted 10 hours, I will be sufficiently proud of myself :)

To that end, we have converted one of our spare bedrroms into our own little mini-gym and had our first workout session last night! It was fun, and I hope the novelty doesn't wear off! :)

4. 24 Scriptures in 12 Months Memory Monday Wednesday!

I'm a little late this week because I just now put two and two together that I should work on my 24 in 12 by participating in the Memory Monday Game! :) Sometimes I'm a dork.

Here goes:

I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.

I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O Lord.

I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth
from the great assembly.

Psalm 40:8-10 (NIV)

Woohoo! Only missing 1 comma! (My line ending was a little off, too, but that's hard to show on here.)

I will be working on Job 23:10-12 for next week! :)

4. 24 Scriptures in 12 Months ~ January 1-15th

4. Do 24 Scriptures in 12 Months with Beth Moore

Psalm 40:8-10

8 I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart."

9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O LORD.

10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth
from the great assembly.

4. 24 Scriptures in 12 Months

4. Do 24 Scriptures in 12 Months with Beth Moore

I have been a sporadic reader of the LPM (Living Proof Ministries) blog for several months, and have enjoyed a couple of Beth Moore's Bible studies in the past; however, thanks to the lovely Janell of the 5:16 club, I found this challenge for 2009.

Not only has Beth encouraged us to memorize 2 scriptures this year, she has also provided a very helpful tutorial on memorization!

I'm so excited about this, I've moved a couple of things around on my list, and added it as #4! :)

28 & 101. Correspondance

28. Send each family member a birthday card.
and
101. Write thank you notes for every gift we receive.


Here's my first stack of letters! Thank you notes for Christmas cards, and all the January Birthday cards! :) Yay!

90. As Sure as the Dawn by Francine Rivers from My Shelfari "I Plan to Read" Shelf

90. Read at least 30 books from my "I Plan To Read" Shelf



The third and final installment of Francine Rivers's Mark of the Lion series was everything I expected and more! It was very, very different from the other two as it was set mostly in barbaric Germania as opposed to the facade of civility of early Rome. As Sure as the Dawn follows the story of former gladiator Atretes through his battle against his bitterness and the pain and anger of his past. This entire series is a definite must-read for any Christian! I have seen faith, and love, and forgiveness, and hunger for the Word in an entirely new and exciting light! Rivers deftly communicates the depth of human depravity juxtaposed agains the absolute faithfulness of God! Truly a powerful and transforming read which I would highly recommend!

As always, a few of my favorite excerpts:

". . . 'What is more beautiful than the innocence of a child?' John said, smiling down at Caleb. 'I remember how children flocked around Jesus as we traveled through townships.' He shook his head. 'At first we'd try to shoo them away, thinking of them as no more than a swarm of pseky flies,' he said with a soft laugh, 'and Jesus would gather them to him and bless them one by one. He told us unless we become like children, we will not enter the kingdom of heaven.'

Rizpah smiled tenderly. 'Humble and helpless.'

'And completely open to the love and truth of God,' John added, smiling. . ."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

". . . She looked at John. 'I'm sorry,' she said. 'I always speak before I think better of it.' So many thoughts rushed through her head.

'You're not alone in having a tongue of fire, Rizpah.' His mouth tipped. 'Jesus called me and James Boanerges. Sons of Thunder.'

She laughed. 'You? Well, perhaps there's hope for me after all.'

'You've given your life to CHrist, and rest assured, he will mold and make you into the vessel best designed to his purposes.'

'Yes, but I wish I knew what that purpose was.'

'You do know. God's will isn't hidden away like the myths and philosophies and knowledge of the world. Jesus told us openly and daily what his will for us is. Love one another. Love one another.'

'But how? You can't even imagine the kind of man Atretes is.'

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. In God we live and move and have our being. In God, we can love one another.' . . ."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

". . . 'We're the same way. We're learing to walk with Christ. It's a process, not a finished act. We make a decision for the Lord and are saved, but it doesn't end there. We ahv eto apply ourselves diligently to our own sanctification. What Scripture I know, I'll give to you. You apply God's Word in day-to-day practical living. The truth itself will witness to these people.' . . ."

65. Project 365 - The beginning

I have started on my "Project 365!" I'm posting my pictures in my photoblog!

90. An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers from My Shelfari "I Plan to Read" Shelf

90. Read at least 30 books from my "I Plan To Read" Shelf



The second installment in Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion series did not disappoint! Strong, conflicted characters, and a gripping plot make for another powerful read! Although these books are set in first millenium Roman culture, so much of the drama could easily have been played out today. As usual, Rivers does a phenomenal job of weaving timeless truth into a compelling narrative.

Here are a few of my favorite lines:

". . . And so Marcus did as he was asked. He gave in to his dep need to speak of Hadassah. And all the while he talked of her, he failed to see the irony in what he was doing. For as he told the story of a simple Judean slave girl, Marcus Lucianus Valerian, a Roman who didn't believe in anything, proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ . . ."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

". . . He felt her withdrawal. 'I'm sorry,' he said, shutting his eyes. 'It's nt you I'm angry with. God asks too much.'

'Does he? Jesus forgave the men who drove the nails into his hands and feet. He forgave the people who mocked him as he hung on the cross. He even forgave the disciples for deserting him. Aren't we all like that, Marcus? Fallible. Afraid. Weak in our faith. And still Jesus loves us and points the way to real freedom and what it means' . . ."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SPOILER ALERT! THE FOLLOWING QUOTE MAY GIVE AWAY CRUCIAL PLOT POINTS, BUT IT WAS JUST TOO GOOD TO NOT ADD HERE!

". . . 'Do you remember when Hadassah first came to us? She was a pathetic, skinny little thing with eyes too big for her face and her hair growing back in tatters. Yous aid she was ugly, and your father and Julia shared the same opinion. I didn't know what it was about her then that made me so sure she was right for Julia. I just knew. Now I know God works in our lives even before we believe. He sets his plan in motion and fulfills it in his time."

She approached her son and put a comforting h and on his arm. "I believed her about Jesus, Marcus. Your father believed at the end. You went to curse God for taking her life and returned praising him. And Julia, our rebellious, beloved Julia, stubborn to the last moment, is now with the Lord. Each one of us as come to know Christ because we saw him at work in Hadassah's life. She was God's gift to us' . . . "

41. Create a Master Bill Paying Schedule/List

Woohoo!!! Thanks to my rocking awesome husband, I have my first officially completed item on my 100 things in 1001 days list! This morning he made me a master schedule for all of the bills that we have!!! What a great guy! :)