MY WORD FOR THE YEAR.

 Such a Beautiful Sky this morning!!

We have no Wifi or TV service this morning which means I am posting from my phone!!  This makes it a little harder to make a post!  We did had a notice that it should be back on by 10:30 A.M.  

I have finally decided upon my word for the year...  I guess you could say that I plan to use this word sorta like a "Gentle" compass for my heart.  The good thing is, I can choose this word, but there really are no demands placed on me.  I think it will add perhaps a steady focus that I can reach out to when life feels scattered.  Much prayer went into making sure that this word was for ME.

My word is not one that most people would choose, and I can't really say that it's one that I would have grabbed.  This particular word was placed on my heart for a reason!!!

I think it will be a guide me in my everyday moments, and if I allow it to, it will meet me in the ordinary things of life as well as the unexpected things.  This is what I am hoping for and what I believe the word is for. 

One thing that I've come to realize about choosing a word for the year is that everything doesn't have to change all at once.  I will grow with this word!  My goal is to let the meaning of the word, along with scripture, sink deep and influence me in my walk forward, one day at a time.  

So....what is this small word?

"The Lord will fight for you; you

need only to be still."

Exodus 14:14

"Be still and know that I am God."

Psalm 46:10

Choosing this word "STILL" is an intentional invitation to slow my spirit and rest in what truly matters. Still will cause me to breathe deeply, trust fully and to remain grounded even when circumstances feel unsettled. 

I am looking forward to how this word will encourage me to be present and not rushed. And.... I'm excited about the expectation of being anchored rather than living with anxiety.

Great things are ahead of us for this year of 2026.

Shug.  💛

Family Updates..

 January 2026

Sam had his first treatment yesterday.  We were there for about 3 hours total and he did so very well.

I am so proud of him!!  He was a bit nervous with this being his first infusion, but everything worked out great.  No side effects right now. 

There was not a comfortable place for me to be able to sit with him, so I ran a few errands while he was there.  Of course..... I had to go to Office Depot (one of my favorite stores.)  I needed to pick up a new calendar that I can carry with me in my purse.  The calendar on my phone works well, but I like to have things written down so that I can keep up with all the appointments.  

I also went to Dillards to exchange a shirt that the girls had gotten their dad for Christmas.  Woo Hoo....I came out good.  There was a big sale going on, so I ended up being able to get him 2 shirts for the price of the one that I took back...  This is a big WIN!

I made it back over to pick him up about 15 minutes before he finished.  When we left, we stopped and grabbed a sub-way sandwich for our "Late" lunch and then headed home.  He is very tired, but this is to be expected. It was a long day! 

I have a huge PRAISE REPORT.  While Sam was receiving his treatment, he had a message from the lung doctor.  

THERE ARE NO CANCER CELLS IN THE FLUID THAT WAS DRAINED FROM AROUND HIS LUNG!!  👐. I AM RAISING MY HANDS IN PRAISE TO GOD..

💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛

Weather:

Our weather is Warm again.  Monday we had temps in the very low 30's.  Yesterday afternoon our air conditioner was running!! Y'all...people are sick around here and I totally understand why, with the drastic changes in the temps.  So many people have colds, flu A, covid and such.  

This picture blesses my heart....

Tyler (our grandson that is in the Military) and his family were here for a few days.  I wish I could say more about his service to our Country, but it's one of those things where I have to be very careful.  

Our daughter had all of our family over for dinner on New Year's Eve and it was so nice to get to visit with Tyler, Emalee and our great grands. The picture above was taken when they dropped by our house yesterday morning.  He loves his "POPS" and it was really hard for him to say "See ya later Pops." 

They have a wedding to attend tonight in the Dallas area, and then their flight home is early Sunday morning.  It was a quick trip, but it was really great to see them and get some big hugs.... I miss them already.  

This baby boy (William) and his mom and dad also leave on Sunday morning, headed home.....which is in West Texas.  I loved this picture of his tub time and his hair...

It's Basketball season and in this photo is Mylee Jo and her teammate Remi.  These two played their 100th game together this past Wednesday!! Proud of them both. 

I will leave y'all with this sweet picture of our grand-dog, Lucy!

Shug....💛

 

Jan 2nd...2026

 Wanted to check with you all and see if any of you have recommendations for a good sight to have my blog made into books?  The last time I did this, I used Blogger, but they NO longer make the books.  I tried Pixie last year, but was not pleased.  

I enjoy having a yearly book made because it captures life memories that I blog about, plus my kids love having everything in a book for them to read.  

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Can you feel it?  A big deep breath after all of the celebrating?  All of our leftover's are gone!!  No more black eyed peas, cabbage or pork.  And now, life taps us on the shoulder and says, "Alright, friend...lets do this."  Lets get back to real life.

Jan 2nd is like a RE-ENTRY....easing back into everyday life with intention, but mostly done in a slow way.  

Ordinary days are upon us.  I'm already hearing the laundry humming in the background, and my morning routine is back in rhythm. 

It's kinds like SHOWING UP AGAIN, lol.  Exchanging the Pj's for real clothes and for now, I need a little elastic in the waistband.  I may have enjoyed a few extra desserts these past couple of weeks.  

Even though it is Friday...the day we like to think of as the beginning of the weekend, we still have to open those planners, make grocery list, and move forward.  No perfect plan here....just a willing heart to follow the steps that the Lord has planned for me.  

The celebrations may have quieted down and the calendar has turned, but I am walking into the days ahead with excitement.  I know that God is not asking me to see the whole path of what 2026 holds, He's only asking me to Trust Him.  

It's back to routines, back to responsibilities, BUT...never back to doing life alone.   God's got this!!

Happy January 2nd

Shug..

A New Year

 Happy New Year!!!

There was NO confetti or any kind of fireworks around here last evening.  It was a quiet evening while we watched Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.  

Well, today is January 1, 2026....A new day, a new year and some people might say a new beginning. 

Personally, I don't feel the need to sprint into this new year.  I don't want to burst through the door shouting resolutions or hauling around unrealistic expectations.  Instead, I'm opening the door slowly, barefoot at that, and just saying, Hello, 2026....lets take this one step at a time."

I mean, I'm 72 years young, so I don't really think that NEW resolutions will make any significant changes for me. But...I can at least try!! 

What I am doing is bringing the BEST of last year with me....All the laughter that surprised me, the friendships that held me steady, the quiet mornings that healed parts of my soul, and YES...even the hard days that taught me strength that I didn't know I had. 

Of course, some things are staying behind.  Worry that never helped.  Guilt that lingered way too long, the pressure to be everything to everyone....All these things served some kind of purpose at the time (or maybe they didn't) but either way, they don't need to come along.  

I've decided to give myself PERMISSION!  Permission to go slowly and permission to rest without any explanation.  I also think I'll give myself permission to change my mind if I want to.  LOL

I suppose that if I were setting some goals for the year 2026, a few of them would be to...

#1. Celebrate progress, not perfection

#2. Listen more than I rush

#3. Notice more about the beauty that is tucked into everyday moments. 

Today, I am choosing HOPE!  Not the flashy kind, but the steady kind. HOPE that stays even when circumstances seem to wobble. A HOPE that reminds me that every sunrise is proof that God isn't finished yet.   

I pray that this year (2026) will be filled with moments when I feel the breath of God breathing upon me. 

May peace show up in those unexpected places and may healing continue it's quiet work.  May gratitude change how we see ordinary days, and May love feel familiar and safe.  

One day in.

One step forward.

One more chance to live this life with intention and heart.  

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fails. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."  Lamentations 3:22-23

Happy New Year!!  

Shug...💛