Winter is...

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand, and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home."
-Edith Sitwell

Cleansing...

Our church is doing a 21 day fast. We've been given three options...total food fast for the time, a Daniel fast for the time or 7 days of fasting food, then 7 days on a Daniel fast and the last 7, fasting secular media. We began Wednesday and will end the fast on the 31st.
Mike and I have been rather excited about this. It's a good way to begin the new year!

This fast will touch every area of our lives- physical, spiritual, even emotional. We believe it will set the "tone" of 2012. Our main desire is to grow in the Lord, hear His voice more clearly, and be more rooted and grounded in His Word.

Also that old habits will be broken and new, healthier ones formed! Mike and I both need to lose weight and change our lifestyle a bit. This has been a great "jump-start" for us.
It's amazing! As we focus on the Lord, talk with Him, meditate on His Word; food no longer is our focus. He is helping us do this and we sense His strength.
He brings "things" to mind that we need to "fix" but He never asks us to do it without Him.

This morning as I walked Charlotte in the yard while the very cold winter wind was blowing, I felt so clean...so fresh...so renewed. Wow! It was like that York Peppermint Patty commercial!
Know as we continue on this adventure, it will only get better!

Here's to geting healthy in every area of our lives!

Mike and Maylena

So sweet!  Papa and one of his girls!

#9 on the 9th!

Here I am with  precious Maylena Reece Woods!

Our son, the already doting father!

Maylena Reece
7 pounds 14 ounces    20 1/2 " long

Isn't she adorable!

Awaiting...

Brittany and Bill are in the hospital! Maylena's on her way!
We'll head to the hospital when we get the "come hither"!
Brittany is being induced so not sure how long this will take.

New! Fresh!

Yes, this is a new year...a new beginning. There's a "freshness" in the air!
BUT...I seem to be drowning in all the "old junk"...for the moment.  Things are not yet back in place.
There are stacks and stacks of papers, books, mail, etc. in two rooms and if I focus on that I am totally overwhelmed. My "office/gym" is one of those rooms and I feel as if I'm working very hard to even"tread" water when I enter.

Ok...focus, Debbie. Take it one step at a time...one "pile" but also keep in mind the goal...a clean, organized place where "dreams, plans, and enjoyable living" can take place. Focus is key!
Hebrews 12:1-2..."let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus..."
Eyes on the prize! Eyes on what we are aiming for! Philippians 3:12-14...for goodness sakes! :)
"...forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ...press toward the goal for the prize..."
As a believer and follower of Jesus, He is the Prize. Doing things, living the way He lives so that He can be seen in us...really seen!

A song that we sing sometimes says, "I'm not going back. I'm moving ahead. I'm here to declare to you, my past is over! In You all things are made new. Surrendered my life to Christ. I'm moving...moving forward!"
Forget the past! Forget how you messed up. He makes all things new.

Yes! I'm moving forward...through all the junk and tossing it on the way! I'm pressing on to the prize!
One of the "prizes" is a clean, well-organized home and a healthier lifestyle!

Here's to moving on, moving forward! Cheers!

New Year's Eve/New Year's Day

Mike and I usually stay home on New Year's Eve but this year some friends from church were hosting a BBQ, barn dance and fireworks! We simply couldn't refuse! We had breakfast at the Grill with Patti and Roy and then picked them up for the evening's festivities. It was great fun!
What a way to leave the old and enter the new!
New Year's Day found us at church hearing a wonderful message and enjoying the sweet presence of the Lord. Then home for black-eyed peas, collards, cornbread, pork loin and potato salad! Yum! Love those collards! (however, Mike does not! )
Today have been trying to take down Christmas decorations...hopefully I'll finish tomorrow! Most is down but not put away properly.
Part of me wants to settle down for a long winter's nap but "that ain't happening!"
Charlotte's off to the Vet for her last shots in the morning and then I'll come home and put a fire in and may sit and read! Got some really good books lined up!
Happy New Year!