{ A Pretty View }

Sunday, January 25, 2009

An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong

Saturday night I watched a great movie with Katie and Josiah that I have to recommend to any parent, especially those nearing middle school age. An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong is about a fourth grader and her friends dealing with bullying from a more popular girl in their class, and it touches on issues that many children deal with in school. Here's the NetFlix synopsis:

In the first American Girl film based on a modern-day character, young Chrissa finds her life turned upside down when she transfers to a new school, as she struggles to find her own way, make new friends and deal with a clique of bullies. Chrissa tries to adapt to her new surroundings, but she is targeted by a close-knit group of girls in this story about friendship and standing up for yourself.

I will tell you that not only did Katie love this movie, but I loved it, and want to buy it so we can watch it again. Trust me, you will not be sorry you watched this with your children. One of the key lessons in the movie is summed up in something the character Chrissa's mom says at the end of the film. It's never smart to be less than who you are, or to let anyone take anything away from you. A valuable lesson for children as well as adults.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

One Little Word

One of the things I enjoy doing when I have time, which these days seems to be rarer and rarer since I've been in college, is scrapbooking. Pretty much it's kind of like journaling my life with photos, in an artistic way. One scrapbooker who's blog I think is just great, Ali Edwards, does an annual project called One Little Word. The idea behind the one little word concept is to give yourself something to focus on throughout the year. (You can check out her blog here http://aliedwards.typepad.com)

When the new year started I already knew that there were areas in my life that needed focusing, so I decided to participate and choose a word for myself. If I could choose one word that sums up what I want for myself in 2009 it would be shine. In every aspect of my life, be it in relationships, personal disciplines, how I relate to my children, academics, finances...to truly give my best to my life, myself, my family, and my friends.

Here is the definition:

Shine To give or cause to give light; to be eminent, conspicuous, or distinguished. radiate. luminesce. glow

I guess in a way it's just an expression of my desire to do better, and to see improvement in certain areas of my life. All the little things adding up, each moment, each decision. To be completely honest, I, like many people, have moments of sheer determination and clarity only to have those moments followed up with failure. But I think it's important to remember to not completely give up on your goals or desires just because you make a mistake. At those moments we need to just keep going. I have already seen this in so many areas of my life, although I wish I could say it wasn't so. Already I have made some pretty good mistakes in areas that are really important to me. I let down a friend. I didn't stick to my budget. I said things that I later regretted in a big, big way. I skipped a run, and didn't turn my homework in on time. Just to name a few. No, this is not confessional. I guess it's just my way of recognizing and accepting that although I have expectations for myself, I'm far from perfect and need to allow room for grace. For myself and others. And hopefully those in my life will give me room for grace as well. I want to see just how far one little word can reach. The sunshine is always there...sometimes it's just hiding behind the clouds.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Note to Self

I have never really been one to make resolutions, although that is tradition for many to do when January rolls around. Instead, I set short term goals every few months and try to reach them. As I look back on 2008, I have seen how easy it is to forget why I do what I do in different areas of my life. As I was reflecting on the past year, I realized that for the better part of it I was stuck in the moment. I became caught up in so many distractions that I lost sight of some of the things that are most important to me. As I step into 2009, it is with a strong desire to get back to what is meaningful in my life. Below is an excerpt from my scrapbook from early 2008. I think it's the perfect reminder to prioritize the coming year.

Note to Self

family

friends

health

moments

faith

purpose

forever

love

Don't forget what is most important to you! Sometimes life can get so busy that it's easy to forget why you do what you do. Stop. Reflect. Sometimes you might need to take some distractions out. That's okay! Remember your reasons...

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

2008 Year in Review

2008 was both a memorable and historic year in many ways.

Here are a few links that I thought summed up the year well:

MSNBC 2008 Year in Review

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28114960

The Year in News Pictures

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28192685

I also chose the photos that I thought best captured the year in the life of my family as well. While many view a new year as a chance for a new beginning, I believe it's important to remember that every day brings a new chance to start over. Looking back at 2008 and looking forward to 2009...here is my year in review:

January