Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh 2011,

 wonder what YOU have in store…

Well I have some plans for you, we’ll see how that works out this year. 

I don’t have any more rooms in my house sooooo… Haa! 😉

No book list this year –

 it’ll be miracle if I only get through my 9,718,245 school text books, which is fine because they are actually rather fascinating.

*20 things in ’11*  ’cause that’s pretty catchy.

12 PLACES TO VISIT:

Ok… I’m getting excited 🙂

*Sidenote – definitely returning to Turner Falls / The Arbuckle Wilderness w/ the girls – we’ve been but it’ll be Miss J’s first time! Aside from that…

 

***BESTIE TRIPS***

#1      Annual P.I.M.P. (I don’t know why) Bestie Girls trip with Mandy & Leen… this is a given.  This year may look different w/ Little Miss Isla, but we’ll figure it out.

#2     Vegas with Michael –  how FUN will this be!?!! Last year I wanted to go visit my Aunt there but then she up and moved.  Other than that I’ve never had a desire to go to Vegas – until he went last year — and texted me _every_ awesome thing he saw and did. Now I’m down. We always have a blast together, both love the big city scene, the shops, the people watching, the dancing, the shows, the shoes… I’m so ready!

#3   Childress –   I know it doesn’t seem like much but I seriously CANNOT EVEN REMEMBER the last time I went to C-Town.  So many people I haven’t seen in years… if only they could all be at Wal Mart at the same time… I guess there’s always The Drag! 😉

***MY DREAM TRIP***

#s  4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, & 13 ~

Road trip out, plane trip back!!  Through Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts,

annnnd ——->  NEWWWW YORRRRRRK!!! (spoken in song,  Alicia Keys voice please)

I have wanted to do this very trip with friends for the last 4 years – – but I can’t think of a better way to experience it than with my girls. 🙂  Oh man – I can hardly wait for this one!!!!  EPIC!!!!!!!!! Oh wait, are we doing away with that word this year?  My bad.  😉

**This particular blog pic is “borrowed”… but I’ll replace it w/ my own soon 🙂

4(ish) Concerts

Not too many this year that I just HAVE to see, which is good with all the time I need to be swimming in books.

#14   Amos Lee – DEFINITELY!  God is so good to bring him around b/c he’s the #1 guy I wanted to see, and missed, at ACL last year – I’m stoked to take KT for her 20^th bday!  Since Keliann is utterly devastated about leaving her teens, this will cheer her up.  🙂 AND Sarah will be SO glad that I will finally get to see Cain’s Ballroom. 🙂

#15  Taylor Swift – not for me… taking my girls in September

#16    Something with Sarah … somewhere… although I will miss the trips to Chicago (NOT THE COLD) I have no idea where she’ll be when this year.. but HOPEfully she’ll land in Texas. ❤

#17 One big ticket…  P!nk – my TOP pick..  Right on her heels, Missy Elliott.   If neither of them come around, I’m open 🙂

3 MAIN INTENTIONS:

18.  SCHOOL – <<<FOCUSSSSS>>> prioritize and work my tail OFF in school, I don’t just want to get the paper, I want to do it well.

#19. LET THE HOLY SPIRIT DO THE HOLY SPIRIT’S WORK. In me and in others.  This embodies quite a lot.  Like spending time growing intimacy with my maker, listening submissively to the point of participation in God’s work at His beck and call, embracing others as they are in whatever season they are in and being a healthy, nonjudgmental, safe place for others to process through their decisions and struggles.  And of course, growing at this mommy thing, getting better at the balance of letting them be kids, playing with them, embracing their childhood while also teaching them responsibility and growing them into responsible and amazing big girls with missional hearts.  Rocking it at work, exercising, eating healthy, praying for my family… all of it – i want to do it all but not be overwhelmed.  So I’ll just be led by the Holy Spirit, do my thing, let Him do His.  I figure if I just live madly in love with God, all of the important stuff will naturally be nurtured and thrive.

Last but not at all least… #20

Last year God showed me something beautiful…

( No I didn’t audibly hear Him say those words, but over and over through many situations & experiences, time after tested time, this was whispered to my very heart and mind. )

“Stacey you don’t have much goin’ on.  Really, very little to offer.  Okay yeah, nothing.

But Me… I am more than enough.  I have all of the PROTECTION, all of the PROVISION, and ALL OF THE POWER in the world.

You have nothing.  I have everything.

Give me all of you, and I’ll give you all of Me.”

Ummmm, yeah, so no need to contemplate that offer! He definitely gets the short end of that stick.  I may have squirmed.. ok maybe even pitched a fit a time or two, but eventually I let go.

I gave Him my time. Ouch.

I gave Him my finances.  Yikes.

I’ve given Him my dreams. OWEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

And in return… ahem…

PSSSSSSHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

I got the dude that OWNS the cattle on a thousand hills.

I’m sayin’ I got Father of Time running my schedule, the Prince of Peace singing over me while I sleep, the big huge strong arms of The Wonderful Counselor holding me when I hurt, and yes of course I do get hurt, plenty.

And in return I also get El Shaddai –the  All Sufficient One, taking care of my every. need. The All Knowing Alpha & Omega – Beginning and End, always 10 steps ahead of me preparing the way and yet a few steps behind when I get ahead, recalling all I forget and cleaning up my every mess & mistake.

I get the unconditional love and 24 hr 365 days a year acces and abundance of my very own Maker, THE CREATOR of all that we can and cannot fathom, the DESIGNER of life itself, generously taking my big wide & bright dreams, brilliantly gutting them and injecting His own miracle mastery into them until they are GINORMOUS, beyond anything I could ever ask or imagine.

So yes, my time, my money, my dreams – not mine.  His.  Best deal ever. Clearly.

What I’ve seen Him do with that has rocked my face off.

No more, “I just can’t”… “there’s just no way…” “I already have this goin’ on over here”

Instead, I’ve learned to just be WILLING.  To just BE available.  That’s enough.

Don’t get it twisted.  I have NO problem saying NO.  Overwhelmed is no way to live.

BUT – When we finally trust… truly trust… then the wildest thing happens – in that moment we give God the freedom He so desires to get crazy doin’ His big GOD thing.

Having been many times to that breaking point, desperate and doubting, failed and disappointed, I have always found that light of hope in faith – not in facts or proof, not religion, and most certainly not in people… but in faith.

In faith we can find relationship and intimacy with The One.. who is more than enough.

After practicing this concept – giving Him all of me – taking on all of Him, words cannot describe the incredible things He has shown me, how He has protected me, provided for me, and lavished His power into my nothingness.

I now look forward to the impossible,

I’m quicker now to just be willing.  To just be available.

And then just sit back and watch Him blow my mind.

So #20… MORE. MORE.  MORE.  And even MORE FAITH…. Yep, just practicing more of that Faith concept… praying and BELIEVING… Being MORE willing and available… Give him MORE of me… Take on MORE of Him. Just MORE.

There’s my plan Stan.

And with all of that being said… Bring it ON, 2011.

LET’S DO THIS DANG THANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂