What I love about January 2010!

My First Post of 2010! Are we going to say – Twenty-Ten or Two Thousand- Ten?? I’m just wondering. Well, you know I love new beginnings, so a new year is over the moon big time for me! So many good things are beginning and happening this month I can hardly stand the excitement. Let me just hit the highlights:

1. Beth Moore’s Wising Up study will be held at our church beginning Wednesday, the 13th. I’ve made this journey through Proverbs with this study twice now, and let me just say, it was worth every minute. You could spend a whole year in Proverbs absorbing all of the wisdom, but you know, that is true for about every one of God’s inspired books in the Bible. A dear friend and I are co-facilitating this study and we are really looking forward to meeting the ladies God will send our way. This study does not include homework as do many of Beth’s studies – just a solid 1 ½ hours of her teaching via video. Whew – it is good stuff. We will be adding some additional reading options for those who may have the time and interest to dig a little deeper.

2. The Monday night girls will be in for a real treat on the 11th when one of my bestest girlfriends comes over to lead us through the study of the personalities. This study is entitled “Wired That Way,” co-authored by Marita and Florence Littauer. She took me through this last summer and in my humble opinion, if everyone knew this information about themselves and others, it would solve A LOT of problems. A lot of problems. A lot, I tell you. It has changed my life – understanding how God designed me, my husband, children and others is truly a revelation. I highly recommend it.

3. After the personality study on the 11th, the Monday night girls will also begin a new study this month. I’m just not sure exactly what that is going to be yet. However, I am highly anticipating that it will be exactly what we need.

4. January is a huge birthday month in our family – three in our little circle have birthdays. So lots of celebrating gets done this month. Special warning to all of them - I have the birthday hat and sunglasses and I’m not afraid to use them.

5. I serve on the Gainesville Care Center Board and we are headed up to the farm this month for our annual board retreat. I plan on doing a post specifically about the Care Center in the next couple of weeks but suffice it to say, this is a most worthy organization.

6. Then about two weeks later, I am going back up to the farm for my quarterly prayer day. Hopefully, D can join me late that day and we can make a little weekend getaway out of it as well. Thank the good Lord we have that farm or I guess we wouldn’t be able to retreat at all.

7. We will be going to the Mart in Atlanta twice over the course of the next week. This is one of two major markets – the other in July. During these marts all (and by all I mean thousands) permanent and temporary showrooms are open. It is so overwhelming the amount of stuff to choose from there. We have a lot to buy to stock two shops and replenish merchandise from sales that were surprising strong during the fall and Christmas season. I’ve told y’all this before but this is a most fun and exhausting of days. The best part of this day is that I get to hang out with one of my best girlfriends all day because if it weren’t for her, I just might consider staying home.

8. On January 21st, our local Chamber of Commerce is hosting what they have deemed “The Buy Local Expo.” This will be held at the Georgia Mountain Center from 1 – 7 p.m. This expo highlights our local businesses hoping to encourage citizens to buy locally because of the economic impact it has on our community. And why don’t we take that one step further, and say, if at all possible, let’s buy from businesses that are owned by folks in the community. So to say that our family-owned grocery business is behind this 100% is probably an understatement. We believe strongly in this concept and will be participating in a major way. D and our good friend, Butch Miller have cut radio spots for this event and have mercy, they are funny. Be listening!

9. On the 31st, Wonderful Events and Celebrations will be participating in the Bridal Expo at the Gainesville Civic Center. We love events like this. It’s just hard not to get caught up in the excitement with a new bride. We love meeting them as well as other vendors. E and I can hardly wait!

10. Oh, big news on the blog front. I have been blogging for about 3 ½ months and I do know that there are several of you out there reading. And for that, I am thankful. So many blogs I read have a theme – food, decorating, children, ministry, etc. Nope, not me. I think if there were a pageant for bloggers, I would win “Miss Most Random.” (Oh side note: Lest you think I have not held “a title” before, I was “Miss FBLA” for the state of Illinois when I was a senior in high school. Thank you very much. However, much to my dismay, there was no tiara given with this title which could explain why I wear one occasionally, just because.) Okay, that just proved the randomness point, didn’t it? Anyway, be looking for some new beginnings on the blog. I’ll be posting them soon. I know you’re just giddy with excitement now. I am.

Let’s remember every day of this year is a gift from God – let’s unwrap it and enjoy it!
Happy 2010!