One little word...

I like Ali Edwards.
There are several reasons.
1-Her initals are the same as the first two in my name: A & E
2-We both spell Ali the same.
3-She is super crafty and does inspiraring work!
Ali does a "thing" every year (since 2007, I think) called "One Little Word" where she choses one word to live by in the coming year. You can check out her website by clicking here. I decided to find my own little word that I can use as my 2012 theme. Well, actually, it turns out that I am using a phrase instead...I couldn't settle on just one word so I chose three: HEALTHY, WEALTHY, AND WISE.

Healthy: I have never been good at eating right or exercising when I should. Because of that, I am facing the posibility of developing diabeties, having surgery, and making some major life changes that would have been avoided had I lifed a "healthy" life from the start.
I decided to check out the official definition of "Healthy" and found on Merriam Webster's online dictionary that healthy means: enjoying health and vigor of body, mind, or spirit. I guess that means if it comes down to ONLY one work, healthy would do the trick.

Wealthy: I didn't grow up in a wealthy family. We were even "well to do" and certainly no where close to "living within our means" but I grew up in a happy, loving, caring, christian family and I wouldn't change that for anything. Since I have been on my own (on and off since I went to college in 1996) I have learned how to build my debt and destroy my credit. It got so bad in the last six months that I even thought (for a very brief moment) that I might have to file for bankrupsy. But thank the LORD in Heaven that I finanlly reached out for help and He pointed me in the right direction! No bankrupsy and no more NSF fees! (NSF, for those of you lucky enough to not experience this, stands for Non-Sufficent Fund.) So now that I am learning how to make a budget and stick with it, I am learning that I make plenty of money to life off of and my financial stress level has decreased significantly! That doesn't mean that I have succeeded with "wealthy" but I am learning to control and manage the money GOD has allowed me to earn. It is God's money first anyway so I need to treat it like it is on loan to me.
Sticking with the Merriam Webster's online dictionary theme, I found the definition for wealthy here: having weath: very affluent, characterized by abundance. So even "weathly" could the word of the year because I could have a wealth of health, a wealth of money, and a wealth of wisdom.

Wise: I don't expect to be the next Albert Einstein this year so that is not the kind of wisdom I am hoping to gain. I am thinking for of spiritual wisdom. I searched on Bible Gateway for a verse or passage relating to the word "wise" and came up with Proverbs 1:1-7. (emphasis added is mine)
                           The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
                            for gaining wisdom and instruction;
                            for understanding words of insight;
                            for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
                            doing what is right and just and fair;
                            for giving prudence to those who are simple,
                            knowledge and descretion to the young-
                            let the wise listen and add to their learning,
                            and let the discerning get guidence -
                            for understanding proverbs and parables,
                            the sayings and riddles of the wise.
                            The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
                            but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
There were many other verses that came up for wise but when I read that, I knew that was what I wanted to focus on in 2012.
For the official dictionary definition, wise is: a characterized by wisdom: marked by deep understanding, keen discernment, and a capcity for sound judgment. This word can also relate to health and wealth.

So each word is interchangable and each word is independant of each other. That leaves me with a decision. Do I stick with "Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise" or go with "Heathly", "Weathly", or "Wise". Decision time!

Emma #1

Gramma's Treasures

My Gramma, Charlotte Smith, about 1990. 

Now these "treasures" may not seem to be very "treasured" by most but they are to me. I think my sister would agree. From the time I could remember, my Gramma was key figure in all my memories. She was such a precious person and I miss her tremenously. When she passed away in 2003, much of her stuff was put in storage in the family garage. Slowly we have been going through her things and organizing them. Though I am not a seamstress or really that good at sewing, I appreciate the "treasures" in this box. Gramma had lots of other stuff in her box as well. It is amazing what fits into a small shoe box. 

Gramma used shoe boxes to hold everything from shoes to letters and...sewing materials. 

Though this looks like a bunch of mid-evil torture devices,
I am pretty sure these pieces are for the sewing machine.

Have you ever seen such a SMALL drill bit?1 1/2 inches!

So there you have it. A box of my Gramma's Treasures. Not as precious as she was but certainly a part of her past that has made me a little of who I am today. I love my Gramma even though I can't see her. She is healed now, perfect in every way...in Heaven. 

***Funny story about the very small drill bite - My Grandpa Smith always asked Gramma to carry tools in her purse for him. Even after Grandpa passed away in 1985, Gramma carried tools for Dad. So it really doesn't surprise me that I found a very tiny drill bite amount Gramma's sewing stuff. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Emma #1