Why do “New Year’s Resolutions” get such a terrible rap?
I agree, I find the guy I saw out keeping his New Year’s exercise resolution by walking in the park…with his full coffee cup…quite hilarious at times. However, there is something to be said for starting the year with resolve. I’ve been that half-hearted-park-guy on many of the personal goals I set. But it does seem like a FANTASTIC idea to treat each year as a clean slate, analyze the past to prepare for a better future, commit to things that will be beneficial to yourself, your family and others, etc.
Then again, if you happen to be slightly type A and have an occasionally obsessive/compulsive personality, dreaming up New Year’s Resolutions can be dangerous, too. This coming from the person who once read a whole series of books, not even enjoying the first one, just because it was something I had started. So I’ll be the first to admit, I can occasionally (cough, cough) take my own great ideas, once intended for fun or for doing good, and carry them to a quite unmanageable extreme.

 Case-in-point: I once had an idea that it would be one of my “New Year’s goals” to eat the Dairy Queen Blizzard of the Month. Every month. AND since I only ever eat Blizzards on road trips, our family of 5 would pack up and go on at least one road trip EVERY.SINGLE.MONTH. Does that sound reasonable to anyone else? For some reason it sounded perfectly attainable and like a lot of fun to me when I was standing at the beginning of the year, looking at my clean-slate. I even had grand plans to blog about it. RRL listened sweetly to the idea, said it might be a little extreme, but let me dream away anyway. And dream I did. Until I came back to real life in about February. Lets just say…it did not happen. And really, it was of no consequence.

But there were a few things with slightly more consequence to which I had great “resolve” last year and that I plan to carry forward into this new year. The difference between these goals and the whole Blizzard/Roadtrip fantasy is the foundation. And out of the foundation- the purpose. I’ve mentioned once (or a hundred) times before, that RRL and I strongly felt the Lord preparing us, well before we stepped into 2011, to be able to walk through a difficult season. One way He did that for me was to propel me into a year of self-discipline. Starting in the fall of 2010, I really started taking a look at areas of my life, my marriage, my family, that needed a little more “resolve”. All I really mean by self-discipline is a sincere look at the areas of my life that make it “healthy” and a little more intentionality behind how I treat those areas. Before I even really knew just how important a routine of self-discipline would become for me, the Lord began pressing it firmly on my heart.
Just because it was pressed there, though, does not mean I achieved it perfectly…by any stretch. So, as I start 2012, it is time for a bit of an evaluation. I’m going to share with you my goals for self-discipline this last year and try to be honest about my progress and the 2011 results. And then share some ways I’m going to continue this same journey in 2012, RESOLVED to continue down the path the Lord set before me. Doesn’t that sound a little more like what a New Year’s Resolution should be about?
I mean, not that the Blizzard of the Month/Family Roadtrip idea isn’t still rolling around in the back of my mind, too 😉

There were lots of random goals I set for myself in some key areas (physical health, financial health, family health, spiritual health).  Some may seem a little (or in some cases A LOT) random, but detailing out the reasoning behind each would take forever.  I know because I started this blog by doing just that and even I got bored with it.  Can you believe it?  This is actually the abbreviated version.  You are welcome.
I’d call that a Success
Read and journal Through the book of Nehemiah
Do not purchase drinks when eating out (no Starbucks, no Sonic, no tea at McAllisters or Celebrity, etc)
Complete financial commitment to Greater Things

During the month of April the shock of our little crew was wearing off and we began settling in to a routine as a party-of-eight.  We even took the whole gang camping one night and also enjoyed an afternoon at the museum with Uncle D, who we were so thankful to be welcoming home from deployment.  Our continued adjustment got a boost with a bit of break by splitting the team up to celebrate Easter.  And just our little team of 5 enjoyed some time at Nonna and Papa J’s house where I also got to be part of one of my best friend’s wedding day.

For the fourth of July, we got to visit Nonna and Papa J again, and were so excited that Uncle M and Aunt S were there, too!  The kids loved getting to see Cars 2 with some of their favorite people.  We celebrated one of our favorite holidays (Cow Appreciation Day), the five big kids took swimming lessons, and all of the kids got to go bowling for the first time. RRL and I enjoyed an awesome retreat with some new friends and some incredible mentors and I got to go to LA for a quick work trip.  We also had one of the hardest weeks of the summer when all 6 kids and I got strep…and RRL escaped with a yucky stomach bug instead.  I was busy on the blog in July, sharing about our quite imperfect family, the beginning of my journey through Nehemiah and adventures at the grocery store.

This month was filled with continuing traditions, like Pumpkin Patch pictures with some of our favorite photographers and having soup and grilled cheese on Halloween.  We also continued a tradition of NOT carving pumpkins when we made pumpkin people. My kids dressed up like characters from Lou’s favorite story, Sleeping Beauty, and we captured one of my favorite pictures EVER of them.  We enjoyed our 10th reunion at the Homecoming of our Alma Mater.  I celebrated my birthday by helping raise money for Teen Lifeline (thanks so much to many of you that participated  in that celebration) and also with a Barbie birthday party (my very first) at our house.

RRL started the month by taking the boys at midnight to buy Cars2 on DVD, a super fun memory for all three of them.  We received the proofs from our most recent family photo shoot by Three.  They were INCREDIBLE.  A highlight was our little family get-away (in town) to GWL.  We also counted our blessings on leaves and turkeys all month and we enjoyed family fun during Thanksgiving with RRL’s family at Grammy’s house.  But not until after RRL and I finished our half-marathon that morning, no small feat for me at 18 weeks pregnant but I really did love getting to run it with him!  We found out, at the end of the month, that we were having a BOY! at a super fun gender-reveal party with our family and friends.  I also described some of the emotions of expecting our fourth baby.

One final Christmas celebration had to wait until the first week of January until all of RRL’s family could be in town.  Not that we minded spreading out the celebrations.  In fact, getting together in January meant that we really had more time that weekend to just enjoy being together.  And that was a true gift.

Speaking of gifts.  Its pretty sad that these kiddos did not get any.  They loved hiding behind the piles.

 

I did it.  By the middle of December I finished what I started in January.  I made it to the end of 13 chapters- 406verses- journaling my way through the book of Nehemiah.

The Bible that I keep by my bed quite naturally falls open to that book now.   And I nearly filled a daily planner with my notes- it took me 273 daily pages in my planner-turned-journal.  Which means, I should have finished a couple of months ago.  My journey was steady and consistent until the 13th chapter, or until about September.  And that chapter took me a couple of months to get through.    There are lots of reasons to which I could attribute that decline in consistency, but I think for tonight I will just to choose to focus on the fact that…I made it.  When it comes to Bible Study, I rarely remember finishing anything of this size that I started.  That’s sad, I guess, but it made this finish all the sweeter.

And the final verses were worth the journey.  In fact, they tie the entire journey together.  At first glance, unless you have traveled through the whole book, these verses might not mean too much…
” vs 30 So, I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task. vs31 I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times and for the first fruits.
Remember me with favor, O my God.”

While it seems just another Old Testament ritual, this purification and assignment of duties means that at the end of the day, the end of Nehemiah’s story doesn’t get tied up with a pretty bow.  There is no definitive conclusion to his work recorded in this book.  In fact, these last couple of verses represent a cycle of years and years of Nehemiah helping the people establish boundaries that will rebuild their destroyed lives, the people repenting and accepting this new life by signing a covenant or agreement to do so, living that way for a while, becoming distracted/negligent/rebellious, falling back into old careless ways and Nehemiah coming back to reestablish boundaries and correct the ways of the leaders. Over. And over. And over.

And at the end of the day, when he must have had an urge to throw his hands in the air and walk away, comes his simple request “Remember me with favor, O my God.”

You have no idea how encouraging this idea is to me at the end of 2011.  I’m sure I’m starting to sound a bit like a broken record, but 2011 was a year we experienced the Lord really asking us to do something difficult.  He has probably asked us to countless times before, only this time we walked in it.  BUT what I haven’t mentioned much about is that the journey is STILL difficult.  Yes, it was hard to incorporate three additional small children into our home.  Difficult to experience the chaos of doing life with six preschoolers.  To adjust to being a party-of-eight.  But OH MY it was even harder to send them home wondering if a difference had been made.  The truth is we may always be involved with their family and while we believe in MIRACLES, we continue to see a cycle much like that which Nehemiah found himself in.  It seems that at each round of the cycle, new difficulties are uncovered and with such there comes a new temptation for us toward hopelessness.  In all honesty, we must admit that it is possible that we will never, in this life, see a “pretty bow” at the end of this story. 

We are in.  We are all in to this calling that we feel the Lord has set before us.  But that doesn’t mean there aren’t  days we would like to throw our hands up and say, “Lord, it’s useless.  I’m DONE”.  Many days.  Yet, we remain.

Remember me with favor, God.  Remember that I have accepted the calling you set before me.  Remember that I didn’t always understand what you were asking of me.  Remember that I didn’t understand WHY you were asking me to do it AGAIN.  Remember that I offered help, provided resources, offered love and STILL do not see the difference it has made in the story.  Remember me, O God.

Remember that I am human.  Remember that I’m trying.  Remember that sometimes I don’t want to try anymore.  Remember that I am learning.  I’m learning how to love truly unconditionally.  I’m learning how to offer help without expecting anything in return.  I’m learning to Trust.  I’m learning to Pray.  And learning to release.  Remember me, O God.  And please, remember me with favor. 

If you find yourself there, seemingly caught there.  Please remember this…We have seen that He does REMEMBER.  And will remember.  Time.  And Time.  Again.

And that was worth the journey.
ABL

Even though I’m finished journaling through the book of Nehemiah, I can’t wait to go back through those months and months of notes and start sharing more here.  I can’t wait to organize the themes, the lessons learned and see how they might apply in this new season for us.  What an amazing journey it is to study and breathe the Word, the living Word.

I’ve learned a lot from my parents.  One very important tidbit that my Momma taught me is that it is often beneficial to start a story with “Everything/Everyone is fine, but…”.  Taking away the tension of wondering whether anyone is hurt, significant damage is done, etc, eases the blow a bit.  Unfortunately I got to practice that line a couple of times last month.

Everyone is fine, but…
We were in a wreck.
The kids and I were on our way back from across town, in stop-and-go rush hour traffic when the cars in front of us stopped suddenly.  The car in front of me came to a stop, I came to a stop…unfortunately the person behind us did not. And hit us hard enough to push us into the truck in front of us.  It really wasn’t that bad, the only reason there was serious damage to the front of my minivan is because the truck in front of me was adorned with a rather large trailer hitch decoration that lodged itself into my front bumper…and pulled the whole bumper off.  Sounds bad, but really, we were smack dab in the middle of one of the busiest interstates in our city at 5pm.  This could have been so much worse.

The ride home after was hilarious.  Kinda.  I mean besides the fact that I was driving a minivan missing its entire front end, the kids’ recap was so funny.  KJ was in a constant broken-record-cycle of “Mom, we left our bumper back there on the side of the road.  Mom, we don’t have a bumper on the front of our van.  Mom, where can we get a new bumper?  (insert my response of “Mechanics” and his thoughtful “hum, ‘mechanic’ is an interesting word”) Mom, Are you sure it is safe to drive without a bumper. Mom, does Dad know we left our bumper under a bridge?”  ALL THE WAY HOME.   And there was Lou (aka the other Mommy) chiming in with “Guys, it was just an accident.  Accidents happen.  The policeman checked on us and we are fine.  We don’t need to cry.  It was just an accident”.  Cbug, just wanted to know when he could have his toys back.   And I was just glad we were driving home.

Before Christmas we celebrated in Music City with my family. 
My WHOLE family.

By a real Christmas miracle we all managed to be in one place at one time for several days.  It has been years since we were all home for Christmas together and it was a true gift.  Our family has grown considerably since the last time we gathered.  Ricky and I have added children and my brothers have added wives (or nearly added) so I finally get to have sisters when we are together!  That said, some of my very favorite memories of the whole season were those when the 12 (including RRL’s sister) gathered around the table together laughing about memories and sharing about more recent life experiences.

Another favorite memory is one that gets recreated each year, but always makes my list.

The trip to Lynchburg and Mrs Bobos is always awesome.  Especially when celebrated with this fun crew.

Well, there was that one year…but we won’t talk about that. 

Actually, its a treat to be with Nonna and Papa J, even when you aren’t going anywhere at all.  In fact, some of the trio’s favorite things happen at Nonna and Papa J’s house, without going anywhere at all.
Like making biscuits.

A Christmas highlight this year was going to sing at the nursing home my mom worked for.  The kids LOVE performing for a room full of “grandparents”.  Seriously, my kids are naturally not very shy, but this was bold even for them.  They sang, said memory verses, told Christmas poems and just generally entertained.  Must have been the microphone.

 Then we headed out to be tourists in the town I grew up in.  So much has changed since I lived there, even places I visited as a child are much different.  We really enjoyed seeing the sights, but I am fairly certain that we would have enjoyed just about anything that day.  We just have so much fun being together.

Do you know how rare it is that I walk away from taking pictures and have an awesome picture of every.single.one of my crazies?  And just look at these three…

  

Of course like anytime you try to take pictures of three kids this age, there were also moments of

pouting                    sassy-ness              and just plain ‘ole running away.

But I also LOVE that they captured those in such a fun and creative way.

These are actually some of my favorite pictures.

Part of what made this shoot so successful, I think, is because the photographers really worked to keep it light hearted and fun.  There was lots of running, laughing, playing, swinging.

(Of course there were also some moments of bribing for smiles)

And in the end, there were so many good family pictures that it was difficult to choose just ONE for our Christmas card.  Not that I’m complaining.  I count it a success when all 5 of us are just looking in the general direction of the camera at the same time.  I’d say this far exceeded that standard.  I was thrilled with the results.

Thanks SO MUCH, Three. 

We are so grateful to have this time season for our family so well documented and captured.  Treasures!

I’m so thankful for talented family!

ABL

FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, folks…RRL makes an appearance as a guest blogger on DRRF.  It only makes sense.  The idea was all his, and the women of the house were sound asleep while this fun was taking place so I could not possibly do the details justice.

So, without further ado… the grand debut.

So at about 11:30, I woke the boys up. They had no idea what was going on. This is the first time we have done anything like this (the next closest is getting up at like 4 AM to go to Nonna’s house). As they struggled to open their eyes I repeated 3 or 4 times that we needed to get up to go get the Cars 2 DVD as soon as it came out. Once their ears started working they both got very excited and could hardly get up fast enough.

With our movie in hand, we checked out and headed back home. In the car on the way home I was just about to give my little reminder when KJ spoke up and said “Dad, when we get home we are going back to bed right?” and Cbug agreed. I smiled and said yes but that we would for sure watch the movie the next day. “Good” KJ said “I’m tired”. I’m so glad both our boys like their sleep.

ABL