Looking forward...

If you happened to read my post "2013: The Year in Review", you know I had some news about what's coming early in the New Year. If you didn't catch it then, here goes...

One thing I've learned in my Spiritual walk is not to spend too much time revisiting the past. God keeps us continually growing and moving. Maybe not always in the physical sense, but allowing Him to change and challenge us, is part of His plan for our life. He always has a plan that is for the "good"; sometimes it's hard to see exactly how that works, especially if we are hanging on too tightly to the past. So I'm looking forward, and not focusing on the past, except to take some wonderful memories, and times of blessing with me.

My husband and I have known for at least two years that there would come a day when we would need to downsize and be in a more manageable home. We live in a wooded area and have a pool, both of which need to have a young family to take care of the maintenance. My husband is thinking about retirement and this is not the place to do that. 

So after months of prayer and waiting we've taken the first step toward our goals and have leased a smaller house so that we can move in and get settled, then take the time to have some updates made to this house before we put it on the market. We need to lighten up and thin out our load of "stuff". I'm actually excited to be in a place where I don't have to yell at my husband to find him, and that I don't have to spend all day watering flowers and shrubs in the heat of the summer.

(Aren't these plaid tea towels adorable?

 My mom made these for me for Christmas with her new Monogram machine.) 

Now comes the part that I don't like even a little bit,

and that's the sorting and purging and packing.

(I mentioned earlier that I ordered 80 Paperwhite bulbs this year, so it's kind of a sea of Paperwhites around here. The ones below are planted in recycled candle jars. This is one of my problems...I hate to throw perfectly good "things" away, when there might be a way to reuse them later.)

This year will be a year of change, and right now we are heading for the first move. Hopefully, after this house sells we'll be able to start thinking about buying another home or building one. As much as I love the character of an older home, my husband and I both know we want and need new construction. I grew up in a 1840's farmhouse and it was cold and hot and unpredictable at best. 

We can't see the "big picture" here, except to know that God has called us out of this place and is asking us to be ready to move forward with whatever he asks us to do. Being "available" to God is what I've always been about. I don't want to miss out on the good plan for our future in any way. If it looks a little scary and overwhelming, then I'm trusting God to give us daily direction and wisdom. He sees the big picture so to speak, when I can only see what's right in front of me.

I'm still planning on blogging, but it may change up just a little. I had to crop out boxes and packing materials just to get these photos today. I'll keep you updated on how things are going, and you may even see some of the day-to-day work going on around here. Can you stand wading through cabinets filled with vintage decor and sorting my stash of magazines? My posts may be shorter, but you'll be with me through it all. As I said in the Review post, I consider this more of a "lifestyle" blog than a decor blog. It may not be all pretty pictures, but it will be "real life"...and right now I need to stay connected with you all through this blog. Hope you'll stick with me while we take on this new year of change, and blessing. 

sharing at:

French Country Cottage

Rooted in Thyme

Shabby Art Boutique

The Charm of Home

Wishing all of you a wonderful New Year.

love y'all bunches,

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