One year? A giveaway!

I started blogging one year ago today with my first post in which I said goodbye to Christmas.

I struggle each year, as this season of wonder comes to a close, with not wanting to pack up decorations and be without these beautiful items that point to the joy of Christmas: the nativity, the tree, the lights, and the special decorations reserved just for this special season. I do just love to sit in my living room amid the glow of colored lights.

Packing up and storing the decorations also means putting away all of the new toys that fill the common living area. You can no longer have them scattered about and explain the mess with, "Hey, it's Christmas!"

I like that this year, while saying goodbye to Christmas and the past year, I am thinking forward to a new year of blogging. I didn't plan it that way, but I sure like how it worked out. :)

It took several months for me to summon the courage to start blogging. Although I felt called to do it, I didn't really know what to write or what purpose blogging would serve.

I still don't.

Wherever my heart leads me, that's where I go—trusting that the Holy Spirit will guide my path. I have been so encouraged by this activity and all the kind and generous people I have encountered through blogging.

It's tempting to compare my posts to others' and doubt whether to blog at all since there are so many incredibly gifted writers out there. For me, it all comes back to purpose. I really felt called to write when I started this blog. There have been tremendous gifts poured out to my family as a result of this little space. If that alone was God's purpose, I'm grateful for it.

Amazingly, it has helped in ways I couldn't have predicted. These are the gifts that I speak of:

• Accountability—When I know that I will be writing a blog post, it is an external force that helps keep me on track to go through with the plans and activities that I discuss with my children. It would be great not to need accountability, but I do, lots of it.


• Planning—Since I am striving to live the most authentic Catholic life that I can, sharing bits and pieces of it here helps me plan ahead for Feast Days and celebrations. This isn't a natural gift for me, so I need the extra help!


• Relationships—Although I am trying to be better about this, it is not easy for me to express my feelings verbally. I have found that many of my relationships—through friends and family reading this blog—have been strengthened because of the greater understanding that has occurred.


• Memories—A few months ago when I read the quote, "because it's important to maintain the collective memory," I knew I had found my peeps. I don't scrapbook, and, before this blog, I had hardly any photos of my family. I love being able to reminisce about some of our activities since I wrote about them as they happened!


• Awareness—Every time I write a blog post, I confront being honest with myself about my strengths. It is easy to think about my weaknesses but much more challenging to consider my strengths. We are all given unique gifts for sustaining God's kingdom and preparing the world for his coming. To utilize my strengths for God’s glory, I must first identify what they are. It's a good activity that I never made time for before. I am the best wife and mother that I can be to these souls that have been perfectly placed in my life, and I create beautiful rosaries too. To the extent that God wills it, I share my gifts with the friends who visit me here.

To celebrate this little anniversary, I am offering a free rosary to one of my readers! Hop on over to my shop and leave a comment here on the blog, telling me your favorite. You can also check out my Etsy shop if you prefer. Don't be shy! It's okay to enter if we know each other personally. ; ) If you don't need a rosary, enter anyway and, if you win, give it as a gift. Spread the love!

The randomly selected winner will get just that, his or her favorite!

If you follow my rosary business on facebook or want to start now, Like me and leave your comment there too for an extra chance to win. I will leave the giveaway open until Friday, January 20. 

Here's to another year of sharing memories, building relationships, and living the life that God intended!