JANUARY 2022

A new year - a new beginning - a new start! Out with the old and in with the new.  Let's determine not to let things happening around us dampen our spirit. My heart goes out to those who are devastated by the tornadoes of a few weeks ago. I am not talking lightly about those in true grief and loss, but about general daily down times. What bogs us down? Our thinking is what brings us down most of the time. What we dwell on (think on)  will either lift us or hinder us. Let's make sure our thinking is in the right place to begin this new year. How do we change our thinking and replace negative, down thoughts with positive, up thoughts? Following are some things which have helped me:

• Stop watching the news.
• Fill our minds with good things.
• Do good for others. Get outside of ourselves - volunteer - help a neighbor or friend with a project.
•  Be around positive people - not negative.
• When others start to gossip change the subject or walk away.
• Pray more - worry less.
• Re-think. Change our thinking. Redirect our minds to something good and uplifting. Make a conscious effort to do this.
• Speak only kind, encouraging, loving words to others.
• Stay away from unloving, hatefilled people (as best we can).
• Surround ourselves with uplifting people.
• Read good books, watch fun or uplifting movies.
• Go for a walk and breathe deeply.
• Be outside as much as possible.
• Look for the good in others and praise it.
• Be aware of all the gifts of joy that come into our lives daily.
• Say thank you often.
• Make a list of all the good things in our lives.
• Begin a prayer journal.
• Begin a grateful journal and every day write at least three things for which we are thankful.
• Clean out a closet, one drawer, one cabinet, or one area each week.
• Organize, throw away, de-clutter and give away what we are no longer using.
• Buy labels, neat baskets, nice clothes hangers, containers, organization materials to make the areas look appealing to us. This will make us feel we have accomplished something.
• Read one chapter of our Bibles daily. (Start in the New Testament.)
• Write an encouraging note to one person each week to let them know you are thinking of them.
• Start a daily devotional time (best to start the day off with this time.)

We don't have many snow days here in the South where I live, but when we do, we relish them. For those of you who may live where there is an abundance of snow, you may find our Southern attitude toward snow crazy. For  years I was a Realtor and had many clients who moved to our area from the North. I would always tell them, "you may know how to drive in the snow, but believe me we do not, so don't go out on the streets when it snows, because people around here don't know how to drive in it."  It is not unusual for our schools to be called off even if snow is predicted or we get only an inch. 

Who knows if we will have any snow days this year - I sort of hope we do get at least one nice snow. I love the peace and quiet of the snow - when you wake in the morning and see the ground covered in a blanket of white all glistening in the sunshine. 

Foods for snow days - of course soup and a grilled cheese sandwich are always good.  My Mother would always make us hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows after we came inside from playing in the snow.  

Potato Bacon Corn Chowder Soup

• peal and cut into cubes  4 large red potatoes
• place in large pan with water covering potatoes (approx 2 to 3 cups)
• cook diced onions (until translucent) in small amount of butter in separate pan. When onions are tender pour into potato mixture. Use amt. of onion you like for taste. I use about 2 tablespoons because we don't like a lot, but it does give a nice taste.
• add 2 cubes of chicken bullion
• salt and pepper to taste
• one can of drained whole kernel corn
• one package real bacon bits
• 1 to 2 cups milk
• bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 1 hour)  I let mine simmer for several hours for the flavors to permeate even more.
• mix 1 tablespoon of flour with about 1/2 cup very hot water and stir until completely dissolved. Add to soup mixture to thicken after potatoes are cooked completely.
• take soup off of heat and let cool a bit before adding 1/2 cup sour cream (if you put sour cream  in when the mixture is too hot it will not be smooth)

Serve soup with crackers or my family loves corn bread with this soup.

I started last year finding a verse or a quote to use as my thought for the year. It has been more difficult to choose one for this year, because I loved mine from last year and almost want to use it again. I will keep it in my mind as well as adding a new one for 2022. My thought for this year is a scripture, where last year's was a quote.  It is  Philippians 4:6-7 "Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everthing. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

My word for the year is "PEACE." I pray to have God's peace in my life in the coming year. 

You too might enjoy finding a thought for your new year. I write mine in calligraphy (you can use your computer to create calligraphy if you aren't good at this yourself.) I write my verse on cardstock paper and have several of these around my house - at my desk, in my car, written on my daily calendar, etc. I put it everywhere in order to see it often to remind myself. I will also use this scripture to insert in letters I write or cards I send out. I incorporated a picture with last year's quote. You might hand paint one if you are artistic, or you can find a picture on your computer and copy and paste onto your saying and print it out. 

Another suggestion I made to you last year was to have a word for every month of the year. Words I used throughout the year were things like happy, hope, celebrate, thankful, purpose, etc. I made myself a daily notebook, and each month had a word for the month. On each day of the month I would find a quote or a scripture pertaining to that word and write it in the book. This activity I enjoyed so much that I am compliling another book for 2022. 

You might enjoy making a sort of scrapbook for the year incorporating this activity and adding pictures throughout the months. Some people are very creative with scrapbooking. I have never done this; however, I can see this might be great fun, especially if you have children to hep you create this together.

Send me your own ideas at my email address below. I find people to be so creative, especially it seems at the beginning of a new year.  I would love to hear your ideas.

You may e-mail me at sandykwright@yahoo.com

Some have asked if I have a new book out for the year. I am working on one, and it is almost completed (hopefully will be out in February or March.) It will be a 365 daily devotional book, and I will keep you updated.