A Pat on the Back!

Wow, here I am again, almost at the close of June, and I am smiling from ear to ear, and I had to even stop, and pat myself on the back, and tell myself that I did a good job! Sometimes, we just have to do that...stop and take the time to commend our self, for the good job that we do!

Ever been at a place in life where you know that a particular thing must be done, no way of getting around it, no matter how long that you ignore it, procrastinate in doing it, you know that it must be done? Things that I know must be accomplished, especially the things that I like to do...(not the things that cause a little anxiety, or that are not especially fun...) I seem to do those things. I will jump right on things that I especially like to do...but those things that I don't want to do, I usually put them off, knowing that I will eventually have to come back to them and do them anyway, because if they are going to get done, I must be the one who gets them done. It might be small things around the house, which was my case, or it may be something major, that you just don't want to face at the moment..like telling something to your spouse, calling a creditor about a past due bill, sharing something with a boss, a friend, a co-worker that isn't easy to say, etc. All of my life, I have been asked to do things, not wanting to do them, but not having the nerve to say no. Then my family had to listen to me whine about having to do something that I just didn't want to do!

Well, I decided that some things just had to change! I had to handle things that needed to get done, stop putting them off and I also had to stop being forced into doing things that I din't want to do, in other words, I had to learn to speak up! I am too old to be stressed, and Jesus has done too much for me to allow myself to be stressed!

Well I had to stop and smile today, pat myself on the back. I set some goals for myself, for the month of June. I had to tackle some things, and I had to tackle them, my way. I see that I am going to have to set monthly goals for me. I am not telling anyone how to get things done, I just know that I am going to have to handle things on a monthly basis...that seems to work for me. Ok, you know that I am Mrs. Christmas, love, love, love to decorate...not just one tree, but many trees. These are not counter top trees, these are 61/2 and  9ft. trees. One tree has 2400 lights on it...one tree! It is so much fun beginning in October, when I start decorating. It is a major accomplishment when I can light up the house on Thanksgiving night, and enjoy all of the trees and lights, all of November and December...but here comes January! In January, when I face all of the decorations...I really don't feel like taking all of that stuff down! Putting it up is so much fun, but taking it down is another matter!

So here it is, June, and yes I am still looking at trees (don't judge me-LOL!). Every day since January 1st, I keep telling myself that I am going to start taking down decorations...and every evening I tell myself...tomorrow. Well six months into 2012, outside temperatures are at 100 degrees, and I have a Winter Wonderland and snow in my Living Room!

Well I decided that I must tackle this, and tackle it NOW! At the beginning of this month, I set a goal for myself...I was determined to have all decorations in the front three rooms of my home...totally free of any trace of Christmas. About 30 minutes ago, that goal was accomplished! I totally removed every Christmas item from each of those rooms, and I even totally rearranged the furniture in my parlor...Jesus and me! Living room, dining room, parlor, totally empty of any and every Christmas items...even  glitter! It took an entire month to get it done, but it is done! thus the pat on the back, and me blogging about it! I just had to shout about it, and share this accomplishment. Hey, I even spoke up, and did not do some thing that I was asked to do by someone! I did not feel like doing it, and I didn't! Yay me! That set me free!!! I actually had to have a serious conversation with myself. I had to tell myself, "Gayle, you are a grown woman, married, raised two adult sons, 55 years old...and you are allowing someone to make you do what you don't want to do...what's wrong with you! Well when the day came, I didn't do it, and I felt good! I was free...I am forever free! I had to tell myself that Jesus made me free indeed, then I has to ask myself, why am I allowing myself to be bound by not speaking up! I broke free, and I am not going to allow myself to be bound again!

So June is a great month for me! Goals were reached. I am now busy setting my goal for July...take down more trees. I know that Jesus and I will get this done too!

Yes!