It’s the last Friday of 2021, and New Year’s Eve! December was a wonderful month filled with two beautiful blizzards, meeting one of my best friend’s baby, many extraordinary winter sunsets, gathering with friends, and a glorious Christmas celebration. One of my favorite parts of Christmas was singing Silent Night by candlelight at the end of Christmas Eve service – it was my first time doing it, and it was SO beautiful. My husband has been skiing the mountains of Colorado with some friends and I have spent the week mostly with my parents, resting, and getting our home back in order. I am so looking forward to 2022 to continue learning more about our Creator.
“May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
Here are five bits of goodness to kick off the weekend (and new year!)
- Learning lately: Jesus is enough. Everything else is just extra. Truly learned a lot about this this Christmas. Everything else in addition to God is what He has blessed us with. Let’s savor these things, but always remember He is all we need.
- Recipe: These were my favorite cookies I made during the Christmas season. I am on the hunt for a good homemade tomato basil recipe to make soon!
- Worth watching: Three new Christmas movies I watched this year were: The Christmas Lodge on Amazon, White Christmas, and It’s a Wonderful Life. Watching the two older movies was such a joy.
- Eyeing these: green mockneck sweatshirt, snowshoes for a January winter cabin weekend/investment piece.
- Favorite Christmas gift: homemade embroidered dish towels my mom made, coffee and wine themed! Also, these pajamas, and this coffee maker.
In Case You Missed It:
2021 in Review: Simple Moments, Favorite Things, and Reflections
How to Prepare Your Heart for Christmas
White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha
From the Archives:
Simple and Healthy Homemade Granola
Simple Weekly Cleaning Routine
10 Bible Verses of Encouragement
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Intentions for 2022
I am grateful to be feeling another year wiser, thanks to God, all He taught me over the past year, and how He grew my faith. I learned a lot about God’s provision, showing up in the lives of those around me, and that home is the most important place (your ministry)! I learned that I couldn’t solve my struggle with anxiousness without Him, but that His grace and patience would help me overcome it and I now walk freely daily with more grace and patience to extend to others. I truly feel for those who faced hardships this year and lift you up in prayer. I also think there is power in finding the joys of the year and God’s goodness and faithfulness that shined through the darkness.
I think there is a stigma behind new year’s resolutions and feeling like you have to completely change your habits or who you are or it has to be some huge ordeal. I think that discredits what God is already doing in us, and instead, I love to focus on intentions and rhythms that honor Him, goals that push me closer to Him and following His example in all I do – Ultimately, God has the final say!
A few of my intentions for the new year:
- Work on scripture memorization
- Continue to learn about being a great wife and caring for our home
- Create and stick to a better blogging routine and structure
- Make travel plans for this year and the next few years
- Invite people into our home more
- Find a new home church
- Continue focusing on drinking more water
