It's time for some New Year's Resolutions!

It's that time of year again.  It is the time of year when we get introspective...

It's time for New Year's Resolutions!

In my life, I've gone back and forth with how I feel about the idea of New Year's Resolutions.  I used to not make them because I hardly ever followed through with them.  And I figured, why wait until the new year to make changes?  If I see something needs changing, I'll just take action and resolve to change it right then and there.

Now with that being said, I think it's okay to make resolutions on New Year's Eve if you feel lead to do so.  There is something about this time of year that demands we take a moment to reflect on what has been and what can be. 

And this year, I'm going to yield.  Join me?

Jamie's New Year's Resolutions 2015

1. Make time for morning devotionals and spiritual whitespace.

I have a bad habit of starting my day with a bowl of Cheerios and Facebook.  As I eat, I scroll through my news feed...wasting precious time I could be reading God's word.   I need to break that habit. I need more time with my Jesus. #always So, I'm hoping a new devotional book (Run For God Devotional) and wisdom I've found in Bonnie Gray's Spiritual Whitespace book will help me achieve this resolution. Suggestion: Make reading her book a 2015 resolution! You won't be disappointed!!!

2. Train to run a few 10Ks this year. 

I don't know why this is exactly, but I've recently had a desire to run some longer distance races - specifically 10Ks.  In order to prepare for this, I've read up on Jeff Galloway's run walk run method. I think this approach is something I can use to successfully achieve this goal.  I am very excited about this!  If you run 10Ks, send some tips my way!

3. Slow down and look for joy.

This resolution was inspired by my new morning devotional (already started ;-) and reinforced by my close friend and running buddy Jaimee.  Read these words by Melissa Weimer as printed in the Run For God Devotional book:

Knowing there will be a day when I get to cross that final finish line of life and hear those words I long for, "Well done, my good and faithful servant," I challenge myself daily to enjoy the moment. I have stopped looking ahead.  Now I enjoy what is right in front of me.  So as I take this challenge, I also put it out to you.  Are you missing out on the moment?  Step back, take a look, and then jump in that race that God has placed before you.  Begin enjoying the journey.

I read those words in my morning devotional and something in my heart yelled, "AMEN!"  Then later that night while having dinner with my girlfriend, she proclaimed that this also was a New Year's Resolution she had:  slow down. Can you say, "Spiritual confirmation?!"

Look for the joy in the journey.  Enjoy the race.  We could all stand to do more of this, right? Let's remind each other of this, okay?


As you look back on 2014, what are some things YOU would like to change?  Any behaviors that need adjustment? Any perspectives that need alteration?

Do you want to set any goals? Achieve something? What would make you feel better about YOU?

Now, resolve to make it happen! Make a plan - be as specific as possible. Ask God to bless it.  And begin!

Don't feel as if you are being selfish in your new endeavors.  God wants you to be your best you, and He wants to help you!  He wants you to have life and have it abundantly!  He came so that you might live!

Now, go make those resolutions!!!

Happy New Year!

Today's forget-me-nots:  Strive to be better and to do more.  Jesus loves you, and He gave you life - live it.

Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son...

John 10:10 I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

What are your holiday traditions?

I haven't participated in a blog linkup in a long time. I'm not sure why. I really enjoy getting to know other bloggers, and a linkup provides a great way to "meet" fellow bloggers.  Anyway, I was excited to find this particular linkup on a running blog I follow: Darlene at My First 5K.

The "Friday Five" is sponsored by three blogs: Courtney from Eat Pray Run, DC and Mar from Mar on the Run and Cynthia from You signed up for WHAT?!

If you are interested in participating in future "Friday Five" linkups, here is what you do: first, write a post about five things (random things or things in line with the chosen theme for that week).  The theme for this week is holiday traditions.  In your post, you have to put the above pic and be sure to list and link to the blogs that sponsor the linkup.  Then all you have to do is go link your post on their pages.  There is an app that facilitates this.

So, enough "talk."  Let's get started!

Here are five of our family holiday (in our house, Christmas) traditions!

1. We have an Elf on the Shelf.  Our elf's name is George (Beth was on a Curious George kick when we got him).  Now, I realize that when it comes to the Elf on the Shelf concept everyone is in one of three different camps: team "I don't know what you are talking about!?" (#googleit) or team "We love our elf!" or team "I hate that thing; it's creepy!"  Whatever camp you find yourself in, just know this: our girls love Elf George.  They awake every morning to try to find him, and it is #sostinkincute

George returns every year on Thanksgiving night, and he always lands in the Christmas tree.

2.  Every year, the girls look forward to Back to Bethlehem at our church.  This is basically when the fellowship hall is transformed into the Bethlehem of Jesus' birth.  The kids get to walk through it and participate in a variety of activities while dodging the Roman soldiers. :-)

The angel with Mary and Joseph at Jesus' birth.

Listening to bible stories.

3. Every year before Christmas, we meet up with my husband's parents to eat and exchange gifts. It's a fun time for the girls.  They love their Nonna and Poppa!

ALWAYS ice cream for desert! 

4. We always make time to go see Santa at some point during the Christmas season!  Here are this year's pics of the girls with ol' Saint Nick.

Beth (7) - She wants a computer for Christmas.

Hannah (3) - What she wants changes every minute of every day.

5. And finally, every Christmas eve, the girls wake up to find that Elf George has brought them some early presents.  New pajamas are always included with the gifts.

There are more holiday traditions I could mention, but it's "Friday Five" and not "Friday Fifteen."

What are some of your holiday traditions?

Today's forget-me-not: Make memories.  Lots of them!

About Forget-me-not, Oh Lord!

Hebrews 12:1 talks about running the race marked out for us, and what a race it has been thus far - especially where my blog is concerned!

I created Forget-me-not, Oh Lord! in August of 2010.  I started blogging because I needed a space to work through my emotions after the loss of our middle child, Angel.  I lost Angel to an early miscarriage. I was only eight weeks along, but as I believe that life starts at the moment of conception, the loss was very painful.  You can read our story in this post: "Because Angel Lived."

Writing has always been therapeutic for me.  It offers a type of rest for my soul.

At its inception, this blog was public, and I shared it frequently.  After receiving some criticism for that decision (because the posts, at that time, were primarily about my loss and were uncomfortable for some to read), I stopped sharing my blog posts, and eventually, I made efforts to hide my blog.

But in October of 2013, I felt God prompting me to publicly share my blog once again.

The reasoning behind sharing my blog is simple: God has brought me (brings me) through so much, and if any of my observations can help even just one other person as we run the race of life marked out before us, I want that.  That is my heart's greatest desire for this blog!

My posts are my observations; they are my forget-me-nots.

Over the past four years, I have written about a wide variety of subjects on this blog.  Be warned! There really isn't a topic I would avoid. I write as I feel lead to write.

I write about my relationship with Jesus.  I write about my children. I write about pregnancy and infant loss. I write about my job as a high school English teacher. And I write about running.

I hope you find something here that will help as we "run with perseverance the race marked out before us."

Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.