Positively (Im)perfect

So I have a confession. I still haven't taken down our Jesse Tree Cards or our Christmas Cards.  I know, I know! I was going to eventually pack up the Jesse Tree Cards. And I planned to steal our friend's idea of putting the Christmas cards in a basket to choose each night and pray for our friends throughout the year. But after taking the other decorations down and simplifying the rest of the house, I wanted to stare at my little clothesline of happy faces and beautiful prayer cards just a tad bit longer. But not to worry; Blessed is She to the rescue--again--with Stations of the Cross cards for Lent! Yes, for real. This Lent, besides the amazing journal, there are beautiful, all-new Stations of the Cross cards! They're hand-painted by the incredible Erica Tighe with beautiful reflections on the back. So now I can safely take down my Jesse Tree Cards, knowing they will be replaced by more beauty, AND that we'll get to benefit as a family from

Here we are again, looking ahead at the fresh new face of 2017. Wondering what it will hold. Intending to change. Drumming up a resolution or two or ten, or--as I've done a few years running--a 2017 word, a singular focus to help guide me through whatever big and little moments are contained in the months ahead. Last year, my word was control--as in, "letting go of control." Oh. Oh hohoho . It was a great idea. A beautiful phrase. I gathered all sorts of practical tools, made a pretty little wallpaper for my phone as a constant reminder, and created an image for my blog post of a  cute little balloon named "control"  that looked as if I could simply release it and smile at wanly as I watched it float into the peaceful sky. Come to find out, my attempt to let go of control was, instead, a reality in which I clung to it with the iron fist of a shaky addict clutching their last fix. Basically, it took this year to discover that my little m