bedroom re-do

While Jeff was out of town for work the week before Christmas, I took it upon myself to re-do Michael's bedroom. We painted the ceiling and trim on Wednesday, then painted the walls on Thursday. After the paint was dry, we ripped out the carpet. The wood floors underneath were in really good shape, but still needed to be sanded, then stained and sealed to match the floors in the girls' room. By that time, I was done. It had been an incredibly busy week. I was also on the committee for the ward Christmas party, which had been on Tuesday - we had spent pretty much all of Monday and Tuesday at the church, all of Wednesday and Thursday painting, and I declared Friday a day of rest. And also, I didn't really want to tackle the sanding. So when Jeff came home, that became his project. He sanded and stained, and I put the polyurethane on. A week after I planned to be finished, we moved Michael into his new room.

He has new paint, new curtains, a new floor, a new bed, a new dresser, and a new shelf to put his stuff that he just can't part with. I am so happy with how it turned out.

Jeff is going out of town again in February. I'm already thinking what project I can get done....

New Years Resolutions

I'm a big fan of Christmas and New Years Day landing on Sundays. Christmas, for the obvious reason that it helps us to remember and celebrate what Christmas is really about. And New Years, because it helps me have a more spiritual perspective when I'm making my New Years resolutions.

Before church today, my resolutions were:
1. Make my bed every day except Sunday.
2. Go to the gym three times a week.
3. Read my scriptures every day.
4. Take the Advanced Gumpaste class.
5. Finish my pile of unfinished projects.

But our lesson in Sunday School was on the Book of Mormon, since that is what we'll be studying all year. We read the scripture in Matthew, in the Parable of the Sower, specifically Matthew 13:22, which says,

"He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful."

I'm afraid I'm becoming "unfruitful." I know I have too many worldly cares, and I know I've certainly been "deceived by riches." I mean, who hasn't? I feel like I generally have the guidance of the Spirit in my life, but I don't feel like I've really been progressing.

This was a good lesson for me today.

So I've changed my list of resolutions to just one: Strengthen my relationship with my Savior.

Because no burden is too heavy if He is helping to lift it. And no pain is too great when He shares it. I know those things. I've experienced them. As someone in church said today, "You're bound to win if one of you is God." I feel like I've been playing for my own team of one a little too much lately, and not seeking out the counsel of my Heavenly Father.

If at the end of 2012, I can look back and say that my relationship with Christ has improved, and that I know Him better and that He is a more important part of my life, I'll consider that a greater accomplishment than making my bed every day and learning to make realistic orchids and Easter lilies from gumpaste.

But I still plan to do that, too.