12/28/08

PEACE in 2009!

My mind has been in a blog-fog these past few days, and to be quite honest I’ve not wanted to write more posts on food or table settings. I’m gearing up for the New Year as I’ve started adjusting my attitude for “new” and “revitalizing,” while I’m putting my party hat on, thinking about how we will celebrate this new year of 2009!

The last few days we’ve been cleaning up the clutter, and packing up the Christmas “stuff” away into the attic. I’m always amazed at the excitement of pulling out the Christmas paraphernalia, listening to hours of Christmas music, hopping from party to party – all in anticipation. And then how cleansing it feels to put it all away, slow the schedule down, and start dreaming about the New Year.

As my husband and I were thinking back to many great memories created over the holiday season, we said, it all comes down to relationships! And we both know that the “R” word is a dreaded word in many families. There is no perfect family and what seems to be joyful in some is pure, utter pain for others with strained relationships.

As I wrote about Christmas PEACE in my last post, it is a free gift to the entire world. I do feel peace in my heart, but how do we really live it out? How do we spread peace? How do we promote it?

This morning this reading grabbed my attention! It gave me a guideline and a perspective that I don’t want to lose, one that I found to be so meaningful.

A “peacemaker” is the servant who … first, is at peace with himself—internally, at ease … not agitated, ill-tempered, in turmoil … and therefore not abrasive. Second, he/she works hard to settle quarrels, not start them … is accepting, tolerant, finds no pleasure in being negative …Ever been around those who are not peacemakers? Of course. Was it a pleasure? Did you sense a servant’s heart? Were you built up and encouraged?

Few things are more godlike than peace.
(By Chuck Swindoll, taken from Improving Your Serve)

I was challenged. I know the world needs more peace, but I also know it has to start with me. So I want to promote it, pursue it, and model PEACE in 2009.

I also wanted to share with you what recently came in the mail.

This …


And this …


And Paul and the kids have been doing this ...


And I got this for Christmas …


And my husband got this …


And we’ve been working on herb beds using old wood ...


And building new cedar beds (see cute little Haggis McStitch?) ...


We are very excited for our garden this next year. Home gardening is on the increase to save both money and to eat better! In the upcoming months I plan to help you by giving some great tips ...

Do you have any gardening goals for 2009?

41 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love the term 'blog-fog' - I've been there but I haven't known what to call it. I also love looking at you gardening catalogs...very inspiring. I'm not currently on any catalog mailing lists so I may have to find some. I am very anxious to start dreaming about that...however, if you take a peak at my blog you'll notice things look a little different around here. New Year Blessings to you!

Nadine said...

Gardens are a great idea. I loved it when we had one. Now we live in an apartment so, no garden for me.

P.S. I know you're busy but if you get a chance, stop by for my giveaway. I'm celebrating my novel being available on Amazon.

ellen b. said...

Love that quote about peacemakers! I've always enjoyed watching Jamie Oliver cook :0) I'm finally on the relaxing end of Christmas with my daughter's birthday party last night and overnight guests still straggling but almost all gone :0)Have a lovely New Year's celebration!

Enid said...

We are in the same "R" and "garden" page....yesterday my husband plow averything in our garden, I do need to get him what your husband got. This year was our first doing a pumpkin patch..next year we wanted bigger..so big planning. I want to do herbs too! I will come back and read you

RosyRose said...

Hey Sandy I can't wait for garden tips! I love my little garden! I can't wait to get my fingers in the dirt! I can't believe you are able to start thinking about it already! Where we live we have so much ice and snow that until feb. we are just trying to thaw out!
Any way I will file those tips away until I can get into it sometime late spring.

Lora @ my blessed life said...

We are planning to plant a garden for the first time this year. I'm excited about it, but I know it's going to be hard work. But we love the fresh foods and we really need to save money, so I know it'll be worth it. I'll be looking forward to any tips you have on planning a garden!!!

Sarah said...

Peace is an amazing thing isn't it. I've seen it in friends who were at peace with a terminal diagnosis, in a child sleeping and most recently in myself and it is an amazing gift. As for the garden, my home is finally done inside and we headed to the outside in spring!YAHHHHH.I love to work in the yard and garden. Have a lovely and peaceful new year.

Girl Raised in the South said...

It's always so nice to catch up with you. Blessings in 2009 to you and your family. oxxo Bev

Shell in your Pocket said...

Well, I have not thought about gardening b/c there is snow...but I would like to do a garden again this year! My kids loved picking the veggies!
-sandy toes

Darla said...

Wonderful quote about peacemakers. We are blessed to have one of those in our family. Although he's in the "younger generation" he's an example for all of us.

Happy New Year Sandy.

Darla

duchess said...

I love how you described putting away all of the stuff - cleansing.
That's exactly what it is.
I'm finally getting around to clearing our Christmas clutter out today.
I'm so excited.
My husband would love those raised beds - I'll have to them to him.

Simple Daisy said...

HI there... I love gardening and I just started a vegetable garden last year and my goal is to improve it and continue it!! There is nothing more rewarding than enjoying the fruits of your own labor! Take care~

Cathy said...

Thanks for the post. I have been feeling the need for a bit or a lot more peace in my life. I guess I also need to start thinking about the garden too. I love getting ready, planning, planting and then something happens (called life) and it just grows and gets no more attention. I need to give my garden more attention.

Jen said...

We want a bigger garden this year and are very excited about doing it. We have already marked it off.....great post.

Jules from "The Roost" said...

I love your thoughts (and Chuck's) on PEACE! Great word! I put more bulbs out this year for early spring flowers. I can't wait to see them peek their little heads up :)

Alisa Lucas-Brown said...

Hi Sandy!
I am so excited to hear your tips for a home garden. Two years ago I moved from FL to NC where we now have room for a garden. But no experience in growing one. I tried a flower garden last year - that turned out pretty good. 2009 is the year of the Tomatoes and Cucumbers, leafy lettuce, fresh chive and rosemary. Can't wiat to learn more....Alisa

Linda Lou said...

One great thing about gardening in San Diego, we can do it all year, although we have had some cold snaps lately, I want to plant more roses and maybe a few exotic fruit trees---Happy New Year!

Chanda said...

Hello, I found your blog from a comment left on another blog that I read. I AM the reluctant entertainer. I am so thankful for finding your blog. I recently sold my business to be a full time homemaker. I hoped to start entertaining with all of the many many collections of dishes and paraphernalia I have collected through the year at garage sales. No such luck yet. I seem to not ever have the time and honestly I don't know how I ever had time to work. I stay strung out and on the run all the time or else I'm just plain lazy some days. Your blog will be an inspiration to me I'm sure.

It's way to early to start gardening here in Missouri, but I have raised beds just like the ones you have built. I love them. I hardly have to water and weeds pull out so easily. I am amazed how much I can grow in such a small space. You can see my garden on my blog under the title of "waddle fence". I have also added a scarecrow woman who wears an apron and a small heard of chickens to my menagerie.
I enjoyed my visit here, thank you,
Shanda

grace said...

haggis mcstitch? oh, how i chuckle. my gardening goal for the new year is simply to foster more than 10 tomatoes. :)

Cathy said...

I just discovered your blog yesterday and ya got me thinkin'. I wanted so bad to get the nice dishes and stem ware out for our Christmas Eve dinner and when I mentioned it the kids looked at me like I had 3 eyes and said: "why?" So we went on like every other night and ate our dinner. Then I came across your site and fell in love with some of your ideas. Thank you for giving hope that I can go ahead and set the table and hopefully the kids will get used to it once in a while.

Elizabeth said...

Sandy, I am thinking a lot about Peace, too. I think that I need to immerse myself in the scriptures more and make my prayers more powerful. I always feel more peace when I do this...

Sandy, the Lord blessed me with a beautiful miracle last night. When you have a free moment, come over and see it. The Lord is so sweet and Good.

Blessings,
Elizabeth

Glenda/MidSouth said...

I know what you mean about getting everything put away. That is what I have worked on, off and on today. I doubt my tree will come down today, as don't have room for all the deco. boxes being pulled out, with overnight company here.
Happy New Year!

Melissa Miller said...

Hi Sandy, :)

Thanks very much for visiting my new blog and your kindness. I do appreciate it! It's always so nice to meet other bloggers and feel welcome.

My husband is also a HUGE espresso fan! The Keurig one cup deal was mainly for me and my flavored coffees I drink. :)

You're blog is wonderful! I would love to have it in my favorites and be one of your followers but I can't seem to find it anywhere.
Is this blogspot?

Love all your New Year ides. I hear ya... I need to start packing things away now too. I just have to get motivated. LOL.

Have a blessed New Year. Come visit me anytime.
~Warmly, Melissa ;)

Tammy said...

Hey...I thought I coined the term "blog fog" last month...but I think several of us may have made this up! ;)

I'm sorry it's been so long since I've stopped by...I got so behind with everyone this past month with Christmastime...

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

I'm having a hard time gearing up for the new year in terms of goals...but I am looking forward to what God has in store!

Ms. Tee said...

Your garden plans are coming along great! :)
We're going to be gardening this year as well, and we've made a pact as a family to not eat out as much & to eat healthier - I'm really looking forward to it, too.

Have a wonderful, peaceful New Year's!

Anonymous said...

Ooh, can't wait for the gardening tips Sandy! I was just watching Jamier Oliver on t.v. in his garden the other day and thought how great that must be - to be so self sufficient. :) (And to also know that your food isn't drenched in pesticides.)

All the best to you and yours in 2009!

Wilbur says 'hey'!

Joy
xo

LuLu said...

Sandy, So glad you stopped by my blog, I have enjoyed reading your post! Your Can't wait to learn and follow your garden in '09!! I love gardening but have not attempted veggies.. I do buy mine at are local farmers though and there is nothing like it! simple goodness!!
LuLu

Susie said...

I had some fresh veggies from my dad's garden over Christmas and they were incredible. I will start a garden this July when we move back to our house. We can't start a garden while renting. Thanks again for this blog and the beauty it speaks to all of us.

100 Thoughts of Love said...

yes...better luck at tomatoes!

Suzann said...

Gardening Goals? I'd be happy to get some landscaping. I would love to have fresh herbs and strawberries though.

Anonymous said...

What great perspective, thanks so much for sharing it with us. We should all try to "model" peace in 2009. What a world we would have if we did!!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh, blog-fog; what a great expression. I suffer from it all the time!

You garden beds look wonderful. I am looking forward to seeing them planted out.

Happy New Year to you and your family,

Kate

cindy said...

I'm with RosyRose..I'll have to wait until Spring to thaw out. I am planning on having a bigger garden than we've had before. With the extra vegtables I plan on giving some away and I would like to have a "fresh" dinner party. Everything that we enjoy that night would come from our garden. Wouldn't that be a neat twist??

Anonymous said...

I got the same seed catalog. I love dreaming of spring. Can't wait to hear your upcoming gardening tips.

Dawn-Hydrangea Home said...

Great post. And thanks so much for stopping by my Year in Review. Have a great New Year!

Live.Love.Eat said...

Inspiring as always! Peace to you my new blog friend. And Happy New Year!!

Anonymous said...

I love your raised beds...I don't have a great yard for gardening. It's all shade!
I found you this past weekend and love your blog! I'll be back~

Kirstin said...

Morning Sandy. This was a great post. As always (C:

My gardening plan is to finally have a garden. I have a spot plotted out and hope to get someone with a rototiller to come and work the dirt for me. I'll need something big for this first round of breaking the soil. I made a compost "heap" since I didn't have materials to make a bin and our local dump was out of free ones.

Betts said...

I told my DH just yesterday, "That's it! Winter is over! The seed catalogs are arriving." My garden is buried under a foot of snow with more on the way, so all I can do is dream. My 2009 garden goals are better mulch, fewer weeds and more fertilizer.

~nanashouse~ said...

Sandi~~Please help us! We want to have raised beds for all good things this year! We don't know how to start. We live in N. California (Lake County) we actually have a freeze. Last year I could only grow peppers and tomatoes because our summers reach 105 degrees :-(

I would love to stretch our budget but most of all learn gardening/homemaking skills.

Miss G said...

My gardening goal is to keep our indoor herb garden alive and to add some basil to it. We live in an apt. and I'd also like to add some flowers in pots to our balcony as well as two comfy and attractive chairs to sit in and journal and pray and sit and look at those flowers that always draw my mind to their Creator. Great reading about what a peacemaker is. I love Chuck Swindoll. Kelly