Positively (Im)perfect

The end of the year totally snuck up on me again, and I know I'll soon be accosted with all sorts of reminders that I need to make resolutions or goals in addition to remembering that I need to write a 5 instead of a 4 on the date that I never know anyway. I'm almost tempted to say that I'm boycotting resolutions in 2015, but that's not entirely true. Instead, I've decided on a focus for the new year based on what's drained the most energy and potential for growth out of family this past year: health. Physical health, emotional health, mental health, spiritual health. It's all tied together, and it's all taken a hit this past year, not just for me but for a number of us in the family. Though it took awhile--probably far longer than it should have--I'm finally at a point where I'm willing to do something about it. After all, with a new job and insurance come new possibilities...kind of. I'm actually still in the dark about most of th

I loved linking up with Haley over at Carrots for Michaelmas so much last year that I just had to again this year! I'm also doing it for selfish reasons, of course, so I can scour the posts of all the other linkers to help build my book list for 2015! I got a little more organized this past year and made folders to keep track of everything on my Kindle: Just kidding, it's really a trick to make it seem like I have fewer titles on there so I don't feel as guilty connecting to the store "just to look" and then "maybe download a few more...you know, if they're free." (They never are). But back to the list. I've put an asterisk next to the books that were on my list last year to read in 2014 so I could keep track of how many I've followed through with--and if they were good recommendations. Looking over the list, I'd say I did pretty well! Hopefully the list for next year will be as successful... Finished: Faith: 3

While I'm calling this December Awareness, I'm painfully aware that I failed miserably to share some very worthy causes during the month of November, and in the mean time, December is almost over. But the great thing about awareness and support is that they don't have to be restricted to a single month in order to help someone. So I'm breaking my own rules and still sharing some amazing stories and helpful links, as well as following up on October's causes. .......................................... Before getting into that, though, I'd like to highlight a theme I've noticed when researching all of these different causes. It's easy to support a cure, a solution, or whatever heroic-seeming road will help banish the suffering. But it's much much harder (at least for me), to come face to face with a world that is already full of suffering, with people who are already affected by the tough stuff, and not shy away from it. I talk about this to