Since I was a little girl, I’ve collected things. Postcards, key chains, tea sets, dolls, bells, elephants, Africa stuff, Carolina Panthers paraphernalia, porcelain roses, Christmas cards, and I know there are others I’m missing…but, you get the idea. While I don’t collect most of things anymore, there is something another collection I have and will continue to add to until I reach the end. No – not the end of my life on earth (unless that comes first) – the end of the collection. Yes – this one does have an end. Whew! The collection? Newspapers from state capitals.

I mentioned a few weeks ago in another Whimsical Wednesday post that one of my 2013 bucket list items was to add at least one more newspaper to my collection this year. Now, the catch with this particular collection is that I have to actually travel to the capital of each state to pick up my paper. It’s not enough to simply call the newspaper office and buy one to have shipped to me over the phone. What fun is that? For a travel nut like me, the joy in this is actually creating a fun memory and getting to see more of this beautiful country.

I’ve actually traveled to more of the capitals than I have newspapers for, but I didn’t start this little collection until my daughter was around 3-years-old. That’s been 13 years ago now. A little over a decade ago, my mother and I went on a New England adventure together. The entire purpose of the trip was for me to gather newspapers from all of the capitals in that area (and there are a lot of states packed into that tiny little part of the country)! We packed a lot into a week…including a side trip to Niagra Falls and a Baltimore Orioles ballgame. The best part of the week was the fun memories we made…

• sampling maple syrup on a maple farm in Vermont
• me winning a can of Bush’ baked beans by answering a trivia question correctly on a tram in Portland, Maine
• driving in NYC for the first time and driving completely out of the way to simply avoid heavy traffic only to discover Boston was far worse to drive in
• being in Boston when the Tall Ships come in
• laughing hysterically through the tunnels in West Virginia for no apparent reason.

And the list goes on. So, while many may laugh at my crazy collection…it’s a memory maker for me…time to get more (and create more memories)!

I’d love to hear about your crazy collections (and those not-so-crazy ones too). Feel free to leave a comment or contact me through my Contact page. Meet you again here on Friday!

Well, my intentions were good…until…

You know how it goes. Please tell me I’m not the only one. You strive to be more organized, you make all your plans, you have it all figured out only to see everything you’ve planned unravel all over again.

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21 ESV

Don’t I know it!

I had made plans for more structured blogging with the new weekly Makeover Monday, Whimsical Wednesday, and Freedom Friday posts. I did great…for two weeks…and then life was interrupted by the unexpected.

My husband was suddenly hospitalized after we returned home from a fun weekend out of town last weekend. We went to the ER late Sunday night, and thinking we would return home a few hours late, I was shocked when they admitted him to the hospital early Monday morning. The good news…it was just a virus. But, a nasty one at that! It attacked his body, and he needed some additional medical help to go over this nasty thing. The bad news…it derailed my week. In doing so, it pointed out some weaknesses in my “plan making” (#1 being procrastination). After I beat myself up about it for a little while..I had an epiphany, of sorts.

My life has been one big (or little) interruption after another. Seriously. Just when I think I’m pulling myself up by my bootstraps, some little spark ignites into a fire all over again. So, why do I do this? Why am I tempted to throw in the towel, assuming I’ll never get it together enough to be successful at anything?

I am a target of the enemy, and he knows where the bullseye is with me…my low self-esteem. He knows that if he can get me there…he can get me anywhere. But, what he doesn’t seem to realize is that God knows this about me too, and He promises that His power is perfected in my weakness (2 Corinthian 12:9). I don’t know about you, but for me…that’s some shoutin’ material!

Thank you Lord that when I fail and turn to you, You are glorified!

Thank you Lord that when I come to you with my weaknesses, Your strength is illuminated in me!

Thank you Lord that Your plans for me are the ones that will succeed!

And so…I’m standing back up, dusting myself back off, and getting back in the saddle again (so to speak), and I’m not wasting one more second in my self-imposed pity party.

I HAVE had two successful weight loss weeks for my Makeover Monday followers. I’ll fill you in on Monday. Stay tuned…