I'm late, but Happy New Year

Happy New Year World,

I found myself being so busy with living life that I didn't have a chance to come in and update my blog. I have made several new commitments this year; to lose 26 pounds, to keep working on trying to become a better photographer. Those are the easy ones. Because I am convinced that as long as I keep my mind clear and singly focused, I can accomplish those goals, after all, last year I QUIT SMOKING. After more than 30 years of filling up my lungs with the harsh chemicals of nicotine, I just quit. No I cannot even say that I quit. I was delivered. Because I never hurt about it, or looked back. I simply put them down one day, said and prayer, and never desired to pick them back up. As far as I am concerned, I am already living my non-smoking dream. But this is just my 1st New Years without cigarettes, and I still find that the smell that nicotine left behind is a little disturbing, but I will live through it.

My harder goals of living life without credit cards, is going to be a little more difficult. I didn't actually just pick up a credit card one day and say, "Hey, lets' max it out!" No, I just used it on this thing, because I liked it, and then on something else because I liked it, and so on until it was maxed out, and I cannot even remember the first thing that I bought that was so nice, and I really liked it. Last year, November, I paid off major credit card debt, and now the goal is to stop living from paycheck to paycheck and just paying the bills, but rather to live each day to the fullest, and decline the unnecessary spending. And that's a challenge. But I am confident that it can be accomplished. I mean, being a clothes hog is just not that big of a deal. Just stay out of the stores. Don't watch the stupid commercials that encourage eager spending.

I also want to spend more time being me, and not the person that my mother wanted me to be, the person my kids wanted me to be, or even the person that my husband wanted me to be. Somewhere in being all those people, I lost who I really am, and I want to get back in contact with my inner person, because there was something great about me when I met my husband, and she's still in there. It's time for me to recreate myself again. But you know, I am older, smarter, and wiser, and this time, I can be complete.

And finally, I want to find my niche. I know that I am an avid knitter, and I love digital photography, and music. But something about me is special, and that's what I am looking to find and improve this year.

That's quite a lot to improve, or rather, to do this year, but I am confident that I can do it, because I never walk alone. My Savior, Jesus Christ is always with me, and He's not through with me yet!

Have a blessed day, until we meet again.