Victoria in Flux

  • Craft Night – Bible Tassels

    Driving home from a visit with my sister, my daughter called and asked if I wanted to come over one day later in the week and make Bible tassels. Not really sure what she was talking about but never missing an opportunity to spend time with her, I agreed. We decided to get together at her house on the following Friday, discussed what we would eat and who would participate. We didn’t think the men would be interested but decided it might be something my mom would also enjoy.

    Usually I ask a ton of questions and then research what I am expected to do so that I can be prepared. I didn’t even google it this time. Not exactly sure why, I didn’t even think about it. Trusted my daughter would not judge me if I wasn’t able to do what was required and just rolled with it. Surprised myself. We chatted on the phone Friday morning and confirmed the details. I didn’t need to bring anything…she had it all ready.

    When we arrived, the craft supplies were on the table and she explained what each was for and then started us on our projects. We each selected our beginning yarn, ribbons, lace and got started cutting our selections to the desired length. We then selected a charm and some beads to finish the tassels. I had a blast. It had been a long time since I had spent time crafting. My daughter did an excellent job in selecting, supplying and leading us through the process. She took me out of my comfort zone and did so with grace.

    Once we finished (pictures below), she fed our bodies with delicious food and we had great discussions around the table. We completed the evening by watching funny videos. My mind, body and soul were filled…a perfect evening!

    ,

  • My 2025 Word of the Year

    It took me some time to choose my focus word for 2025. I started making a list in November and the list became overwhelming, I decided to put them in groups and narrowed it down to 10. I was looking for inspiration everywhere, trying to come up with an action word. I wanted something like “do”, but wanted something with a bit more of an impact.

    The new year started and I still hadn’t selected my word. I was starting to get a bit anxious about it and realized it was no big deal, the word was for me and the fact I hadn’t chosen one affected nothing and no one else. My husband and I had a cruise planned for early January and I knew we both needed the down time and fun that always comes with a cruise. After boarding the ship, while we were still in port, very few elevators were operational, and I suggested we take the stairs. This is NOT normal for me. I’m not sure who was more surprised, him or me, but we both downplayed it and just rolled with it.

    As the ship started to pull away from the port, my husband said “I think we are moving”. We looked out the window and sure enough we were sailing away. We headed out to join the others at the sail away party and on the way, it hit me…my word…MOVE. I thought about how I needed to move my body physically to increase my strength, I needed to move my mind to accomplish all of the things I wanted to do and simply didn’t, and I needed to move deeper in my relationship with Christ.

    It’s now mid February and I have had mixed success with focusing on all the areas I need to MOVE. I have increased my physical movement and have started listening to and reading some Christian authors I have grown to admire. I have every confidence I will have more success as the year progresses. I’m reminded of the lyrics from one of my favorite Garth Brooks songs.

    The River

    You know a dream is like a river
    Ever changin’ as it flows
    And the dreamer’s just a vessel
    That must follow where it goes
    Trying to learn from what’s behind you
    And never knowing what’s in store
    Makes each day a constant battle
    Just to stay between the shores

    And I will sail my vessel
    ‘Til the river runs dry
    Like a bird upon the wind
    These waters are my sky
    I’ll never reach my destination
    If I never try
    So I will sail my vessel
    ‘Til the river runs dry

    Too many times we stand aside
    And let the waters slip away
    ‘Til what we put off ’til tomorrow
    Has now become today
    So don’t you sit upon the shoreline
    And say you’re satisfied
    Choose to chance the rapids
    And dare to dance the tide

    Yes, I will sail my vessel
    ‘Til the river runs dry
    Like a bird upon the wind
    These waters are my sky
    I’ll never reach my destination
    If I never try
    So I will sail my vessel
    ‘Til the river runs dry

    There’s bound to be rough waters
    And I know I’ll take some falls
    But with the good Lord as my captain
    I can make it through them all

    Yes, I will sail my vessel
    ‘Til the river runs dry
    Like a bird upon the wind
    These waters are my sky
    I’ll never reach my destination
    If I never try
    So I will sail my vessel
    ‘Til the river runs dry

    Yes, I will sail my vessel
    ‘Til the river runs dry
    ‘Til the river runs dry

    Move is the right word, placed in my thoughts and on my heart at a time when I was ready to listen. I am looking forward to where the movement will take me and hope that I am able to get out of my own way enough to enjoy the journey.

  • Random Thoughts

    My thoughts are all over the place today, so I decided to write them out and maybe gain some clarity and focus. The overarching theme of my thoughts center around the creation of a website that connects different areas of my life.

    A few weeks ago we were watching something on TV and they mentioned falling asleep during movie night. My husband wondered if we could start a family movie night. He called and asked our daughter if she thought they would be interested in participating. She said it would require a discussion with her husband (we are still waiting).

    In the meantime my mind wonders how we can make this a shared experience with our extended family. Could we pick a movie and get together via an online portal and discuss it? Would anyone besides me want to be so nerdy? I think there are a few of them who would love it. Others may have to come kicking and screaming or being dragged in by a spouse or significant other. 🙊

    Then my brain started darting off on various rabbit trails…

    Could we create a family website?

    Should we extend the movie night to our extended family and friends?

    Could those who have hobbies and/or side hustles promote their brands?

    Is this the time to start blogging and podcasting like a few of us have discussed?

    Who will help with my “project”? I am not the most creative nor do I have a clue how to make this all work.

    Over the next week, my mission is to talk to some of my close peeps and get their reactions.

    Until next time…

    , ,

  • Embracing 2023

    Several years ago, I was introduced to the concept of selecting a word of focus for the year instead of creating a list of resolutions. It has been life altering. Instead of creating a list of goals I want to accomplish, I create a mindset to carry with me in all aspects of my life. This serves me in many ways. I remind myself regularly to focus my mindset and use my “Word of the Year” to guide my thoughts and actions.

    The first year I selected a word I had just relocated from my hometown to a new community with no network of friends, church family or a job. We had moved in September of 2017 and as the new year approached I was feeling scared and lonely. As I read about this concept of approaching the year with a focused word, I opted to dive in. What did I have to lose and being in a new community, no-one would be the wiser. I selected the word BRAVE. I needed to be brave in meeting new people, finding a church home and embarking on a new career . I was partially successful. I had been offered a position in a new industry and while it was exciting it was also intimidating. Starting something new in my fifties was scary, in my training class I discovered I was not the only 50+ person starting over in their careers. As we moved into October of 2018, depression had set in. I found an out and ran away. My sister offered me the opportunity to escape back home for a few weeks and I bolted. Leaving my new career (which I enjoyed tremendously) and burned a bridge I have regretted tremendously.

    As the new year was approaching and I realized how truly unhappy I was, I selected JOY as my new word. I was determined that I was not going to stay depressed and set about doing things that brought me JOY. I reconnected with family and old friends who lived around the country, started a card ministry which spread JOY to others. I started a new job in another new career and learned to be happy where I was and with the new life we were creating in our new community. By the end of 2019 I had changed jobs (again) I had been hired in a field I was familiar with in a position I was not familiar with which allowed me to learn and grow and that ultimately brings me joy.

    My new career position provided me with an opportunity to BLOOM in my career and was my selected word of the new year. I felt God was asking me to bloom where I was planted and I was all too happy to dig deeper and do my best to make it happen. Work kept me so busy in 2020 I didn’t have much time to bloom in other areas of my life. As we approached the next year I knew I was going to continue to bloom and was tempted to repeat my word for another year.

    After careful contemplation I decided to DISCOVER more about myself, my community and my people in 2021. BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE! I reached out to my sister and asked her to be my accountability partner in a Bible study that would have us read through the Bible in a year. She accepted! We discovered a friendship and sisterhood that continues to flourish and grow. I returned to school which fed that love for learning and I discovered it was not to late to accomplish a dream. As I continued to discover myself I realized I had unresolved hurts, hangups and habits that needed to be addressed.

    An easy choice for 2022 was the word RELEASE. I needed to release some long held hurts and unhealthy relationships and set about finding opportunities to grow in new directions. I found help from a supprt group offered by the Catholic Church. As a protestant, I was concerned it would be too weird or overwhelming or I wouldn’t fit in (all the insecurities presented themselves). I knew that if God had brought me to it, He would see me through it. I developed such an amazing peace from working with the women in my support group. We were connected by deep hurts and working through them openly and honestly brought more peace to my soul than I have felt in a really long time. My sister and I continued our Bible study which also helped me in releasing my fears and hurts.

    So here we are in 2023 and I had narrowed my Word of the Year to 4 choices: Focus, Simplicity, Trust and Invest. I was leaning heavily toward Invest and was discussing it with my daughter on New Years Eve, when she said she thought Discipline might be what I was looking for. I decided to contemplate this change in direction. She was right in that I would like to have more discipline in my lfe. January 1st came and went with me still undecided. THEN, on January 2nd I flipped the page on a new calendar I had received from a dear friend and the message for the day said, “Persevere with Feisty Faith – May you make up your mind to persevere and not quit. May you refuse to be bullied by your fears or diminshed by your insecurities. May you rise up in the knowledge that God made a masterpiece when He made you! May you embrace grace to abound in every good work in spite of enemy opposition. Overwhelming victory belongs to you because you belong to Him. Walk with feisty faith today! He’s got you.” The word EMBRACE hit my heart and I was clear that this was my word.

    In 2023, I will EMBRACE all of the parts of my life, my faith and my friends & family. I will continue to be brave, find joy, bloom where God plants me, discover new opportunities, release what no longer serves me and embrace all that He sends my way. May God bless you and yours as we start this new year.