And 2014 starts over breakfast

Baby, it's cold outside!

Happy 2014 friends! The stars and moons were in rare alignment this morning, and every member of my family had the day off. So I bundled everyone up in layers of new Christmas presents and we headed out into this bright, shiny, brand new year for a celebratory breakfast.

Over omelettes and monkey shaped pancakes (seriously), we prayed for our food and prosperous 2014 while people stared and the coffee steamed. I honestly love to honor The Lord in front of a bunch of people who are like, 'what the f*** are these weirdos doing?'. Yup, I'm a Christian, I'm not embarrassed, and there isn't a damn thing you're going to do about it! God bless!

We discussed some changes we would like to implement in the new year, not resolutions per se, but you know, lifestyle changes. Ok they are resolutions. But I hate that word because it almost always makes them doomed to failure. So we are just going to call them changes. My anti-resolutions if you will. Chief among these changes - quitting smoking. I know it's a disgusting, filthy, expensive habit... but I love my cigarettes. My husband loves his cigarettes. And that italic love is some serious love. By serious I mean completely addictive and awful, but I think you get the picture. It's also one of those things I have a hard time praying for, because while I want to quit, I don't really want to quit. I'm not a fake-it-till-you-make-it type Christian (or person for that matter), so I loathe being all "oh please God, help me do blah blah blah" when I don't actually feel strongly about the blah blah blah part.

My amazing therapist gifted me with a book called Devotions for a Sacred Marriage and it's use is the change I'm honestly most excited about for 2014. The little blurb on the back reads:

"Fifty-two devotions encourage you to build your marriage around God's priorities (extreme emphasis mine). From learning to live with a fellow sinner, to the process of two becoming one, to
sharing our lives as brothers and sisters in Christ, Devotions for a Sacred Marriage challenges couples to embrace the profound and soul-stretching reality of Christian marriage."

One word. Yes.

My husband and I got married in June, and still have quite a bit of learning to do when it comes to be a married couple, let alone a married Christian couple. So we agreed, starting tonight, to read the devotional together every Wednesday after the kids go to bed, really put the principles in it to use, and involve our church family when we feel as though we need help or have questions. A year is a big commitment (I never make it to the end of devotionals), but so isn't a marriage. So yes, a million times, yes.

Lastly, some individual changes we are trying to make. The husband wants to eat healthier and lose some weight. I cook healthy, but his portion sizes are out of my control! I'm planning some super clean eating for the next few weeks though.

When I attempted to explain what a resolution - uh, change I mean - was to the kids and ask if they had any, my oldest two said thoughtless things like "PLAY WITH OUR NEW TOYS". And then my four year old says in her little voice "Pray to God more". Seriously, Lord, you're killing me with this one. Precious.

My personal changes include the previously mentioned organizing of all my art stuff/creation of a mini in home studio. I'm actually about to get started, literally as soon as I finish this. As we speak my wonderful, amazing, furniture repair man of a husband is assembling my new desk (after dropping everything to go to Ikea and pick up the back ordered pieces. Best. Husband. Ever). Yay to an organized art space!!

I also really want to focus on creating more. Part of that is going to include a challenge to myself to
create some small hand lettered piece every day for the next month and share it here to help hold me accountable. I'm sure some days that's all I'll share, but if I don't say "Hey guys, I'm definitely doing this everyday", let's be honest, I'll never do it. So here is the first piece in my '30 days of Hand Lettering' series.

Not every one I make will feature scripture, but I was looking for something quick to write, opened the New Testament/Psalms book next to me, and 'randomly' fell upon this verse. I love when He sends me these not so subtle messages.

All in all, It was a great day with my family. We even had a puppet show. I mean, it doesn't get any better than that.