to blog or not to blog

...that's seriously the question.

I have this constant battle in my mind.  This battle to capture every waking moment of this life.  This beautiful, blessed life God has gifted me.  This life that I am to live to the fullest for His glory.

And then I have this side of me that says "take a break! For goodness sake, take a break!" (As if I have religiously blogged the past, oh, say two years.)

So I continue this pondering into the beginning of 2014.  I want to enjoy and soak in these days in a carefree, no strings attached, kinda way. I wish my mind would just let me leave those moments be and just take them for what they are.  Because as a blogger, as a writer at heart, I never live a moment of this life without thinking, oh I need to blog about this! Or I look at those moments as a "what can I share from this moment? what metaphor is there here? I gotta keep this captured. I surely have something to say and share about this."

So as we inch closer and closer to 2014, there are many things I am pondering.  I'm pondering for what I truly have a passion.  What He wants me to do with this season, these moments.  What I feel God has given me talents and equipped me to do better than other things:

-being organized
-being thrifty
-being a mommy
-being productive
-being efficient
-being creative
-writing
-encouraging
-studying God's word
-PR for our store
-budgeting
-loving and caring

And I have a list going in my journal of areas I want to improve on for our family's well-being over the next year:

-getting active as a family
-less social media (especially during sacred night time at home)
-saying no to the unnecessary and excess things, events and commitments
-packing Justin's lunches (so he doesn't have to grab things)
-meal planning/eating intentionally healthier as a family
-letting go of what I'm NOT doing

And that's where I'm leaving my thoughts right now.  Trying to figure out how all these goals work together and how God can best be glorified amidst this.  What does He want me to really tackle and what does He want me to push to the side so I'm not glorifying busyness, but I'm glorifying Him.

I'm listening to Him. I'm waiting upon Him.

The next steps are to be determined.  Praise the Lord for being a work in progress that is completed in His grace.

december blessings.

<a href="http://cait-theblessedlife.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdi8bhLnqwQCARE-R7S_Ab32byJbJk4Uc52n9kJQdHfQPq2IKoS47u3cgOrBHV5qPQUOKCLR3EersUwR4AMjREvf2WZzsuPviERs0df2mXCa1BhR2JJungPyWre-0NuSSTNrETuq_FSY/s320/the+blessing+box+10.jpg" width="320"></a>

I'm hosting with Natalie, Beth Ann, and Jordan to share the blessings

God has placed in our paths during the week.

(One.) I'm blessed by this sweet girl's zest for life.  There's not a moment that goes by that she's not taking it all in and squealing with delight.

(Two.) I'm blessed by impromptu, unplanned memories that will last a lifetime.  Adeline went to bed early the other night because of no nap.  It was a snowy night and we got the urge to go ahead and put up the tree.  We had started putting up the tree and I decided we would get it up just to the point of where Adeline could add some ornaments when she got up.  She decided to wake up at 10 pm and wouldn't go back to sleep.  So what did we do? We decorated the tree, baked cookies, and set up the manger!

 

(Three.) I'm beyond blessed to spend my days with my favorite girl.  You just never know what kinda of shenanigans may happen.

(Four.) I'm blessed knowing that my little one will grow up knowing a church is a family.  That God's house is a place of love, laughter, grace and fellowship.  A place that propels us to go out and love on people like crazy in His name.

 

(Five.)  I'm blessed with these two.  I'm daily overwhelmed by His goodness that shines through these two.  This family.

(Six.)  I'm blessed that I still have my grandparents on my Mom's side in my life.  That Adeline has two great-grandparents to love and learn from.  We spent Monday afternoon (Adeline still in her Christmas jammies) with my mom at my grandparents' eating lunch (my Grandma is the best cook) and helping them decorate their tree.  The joy this brought them and the memories added to our Christmases because of this day are priceless.

image by Adeline

I'm also linking up with [the good life blog] today for the virtual Christmas Pajama Party.

We would love to have you join us! All GOOD things come from above...how has God blessed you recently? Make sure to grab the box at the top and link-up with us today!