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Monday, January 2, 2012

Favorites from 2011

Thankfully, 2011 has come to a close and 2012 is before me... Although I expect 2012 to have many challenges I pray the gut wrenching pain of 2011 is behind me.

Some favorites from 2011:

Music.
Music always gets me thru, I have absolutely no talent in the musical department, but since I was a child music has been my constant companion and sometimes my best friend, this year was no exception.
Some of the best loved and most played include (in no particular order)

1. Kerrie Roberts-Outcast
2. Kerri Roberts - Keep Breathing
3. P!nk - Perfect
4. P!nk - Sober
5. Sara Bareilles - King of Anything
6. Sara Bareilles -Fairytale
7. Taylor Swift - White Horse
8. Taylor Swift - Innocent
9. Incubus - Pardon Me
10. Five For Fighting - Superman
11. New Song - God and Time
12. Oh the Deep Deep Love of Jesus - Hymn
13. Be Thou My Vision - Hymn
14.Reliant K - Give Until There's Nothing Left
15. Be Still my Soul - Hymn
16. Annie - Petra
17. I wonder - Kellie Pickler
18. You're not Sorry - Taylor Swift 
19. Tomorrow You Didn't - Avril Lavigne  
20. All by Myself - Madonna
 ... yea, I'm an eclectic kinda girl ;)

 Gym:
Gym has been another best friend, and my outlet since I was 17 years old. Gym takes my pain, anger frustration and hurt. This year Gym took more then usual. I am so thankful God created me to be athletic, I love going and throwing around 100lbs (or more, on a good day) and am certain my love for weight lifting is (at least in part) what keeps me sane. And after years of working for it, I finally conquered a single (well, actually 3) wide grip pull up/s. Goal for 2012? A whole set. =)





Books:
Love escaping into a good book that can capture my imagination. Tops Author's in 2011 were Karen Kingsbury, Mitch Albom and Nicholas Sparks I also continued my yearly tradition of reading thru two of my all time favorites: Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden and Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility


Food:
1. Tilapia and Salsa Salad - recipe to be posted later
2. Cottage Cheese and Whey Protein Pudding/Ice Cream
3. Whey Protein Brownies


Clothes:
I LOVE my Under Armour
Especially these pants

and this tank:

My favorite quote from 2011, "Lisa, you don't need to look any further then the two amazing little boys God gave you to know how very much He loves you."


and how right that person was.


And I'll close with the Scriptures I treasured and held near and dear for 2011.


Psalms 56:3
"What time I am afraid I will trust in Thee"


1 Samuel 16:7b 
"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart"


Proverbs 18:24
"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend that sticks closer then a brother"

 Deuteronomy 31:6
"Be strong and courageous, do not be in fear or dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."

Psalms 32:8
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will counsel you with My eye upon you."

Psalms 23:2-3
"He leads me beside still water, He restores my soul."

and


Matthew 11:28-29
"Come to Me all you who are weary and heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul."
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At the start of 2012 I am so grateful for my God's unfailing UNCONDITIONAL love. I am thankful for HIS gentleness, tenderness and compassion. I'm thankful for the way He loves my children even more then I do. I'm thankful for the healing I see in my A's. I'm indebted to and humbled by His promise to NEVER leave me, even if/when (all) others do. His ability to look past the surface (and what men can see) to the truth and the heart of the matter is a constant and sometimes sole source of encouragement.

I hope you are encouraged too, Happy New Year!