We’ve had a bit of snow and much colder temperatures (we got down into the teens), but we’re all snuggled in for the winter.

It’s been nice to have more time inside. It’s also been good to have more time for my small circle of family here on the property. Thanksgiving was full of laughter, playing games, good food, and more pies than people (a family tradition).

Spiritual Growth –

• Read a daily devotional.
• Have personal and weekly Bible study (with doing).
• Read 2 books about spiritual growth topics.
       🗸 When to Walk Away by Gary Thomas
       🗸 The 7-Day Prayer Warrior Experience by Stormie Omartian
       🗸 Get Your Life Back by John Eldredge
       🗸 Beautiful Outlaw by John Eldredge
       🗸 Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow
• Prayer and Meditation

I’m playing catchup in my devotional Live in Grace, Walk in Love (and I’m considering re-reading Paul Tripp’s devotional New Morning Mercies in 2021). My Bible study (with doing) is lovely (it’s so encouraging to talk and share with my friends) and my online study of Linda Dillow’s Calm My Anxious Heart has been a bit of a surprise. It’s not quite what I expected, but it’s probably what I need (you know God). :)

Marriage –

• Be more intentional about conversation.
• Sex more days than not.
• Create a bucket list for 2020.
       🗸 Oregon coast
       a writing retreat
       Farm to Table event (Mont Lamm)
       Riverfront Park (in Spokane)
       🗸 seasonal foraging (morels & huckleberries)
       🗸 Montana cabin with friends

Conversation and sex are doing better, but still limping along a bit. Even though most of our outside work is done, we’re both still pretty tired. I’m trying to figure out why (I suspect it has something to do with the overall tension of this season). I’ve laid my 2020 bucket list to rest. It had a hard year.

Family and Friends –

• Drink more coffee.
• Babysit the grandkids.
• Be present and engaged at our weekly family night.

Still on hold with my coffee buddies, but staying in touch by phone/text. Sunday evenings are full of play with our grandsons (I may have seen every Paw Patrol episode in existence … at least a hundred times). Family night is something I look forward to (we’ve started playing more games – one of our favorites is Idiot).

Personal / Emotional –

• Be artsy-fartsy.
• Play in the dirt.
• Be a good bunny mommy.
• Learn four new songs on my ukelele.

No art. No playing in the dirt (it’s all covered in snow), but I do have to figure out what to do with all the produce. We had a giant blue Hubbard squash sitting around our house (it weighed around 20 pounds). We moved it so many times, we finally decided it deserves a name – Matilda. Well, recently Matilda went to Hubbard heaven and became soup and several bags of frozen puree. I still have other pumpkins, Turkish turbans, delicata, and acorn squash. Plus a few onions and potatoes. Not really complaining, just feeling a bit crowded in the kitchen.

I’ve been enjoying the new bunny barn. It makes my job much easier and I have time to play with the kits (they are 6 weeks old and eating grown-up food). The white one is from another litter and the larger black one is Pip. She will be a momma early next year sometime.

Physical –

• Stick with the 6-8 hour eating window.
• Have a day of rest each week
• Develop an exercise program.
• Keep doing Kegels.

I’ve stuck to my eating window all year and it’s become pretty easy. Kegels and a few stretching exercises are a habit. I have a start on creating exercise routines for the winter (my goal is five different daily routines and two days off each week). Paul and I have managed to take a day off each week. It’s been amazingly good for my health and sanity.

Occupational / Vocational –

• Make regular time to work on and improve The Marriage Bed site.
• Create a writing schedule for TGW posts.
• Be more regular about posting on Meemaw’s Place (my personal blog).

I’m in a season of prayer right now in terms of ministry in 2021 and I would appreciate y’all’s prayer over it. What does God want for The Marriage Bed and The Generous Wife in 2021? What does that look like? What kind of improvements or changes do I need to make?

Meemaw’s Place is still on hold.

Financial / Office –

• Update our budget. 🗸done
• Update and clean up my files and folders (hard copy and digital 🗸done).
• Keep the email corralled.
• Bookkeeping – Stay current week by week, both ministry and personal.
• Trello. LibreOffice

I have all my files in pretty good shape and my Inbox usually stays at a dozen or less (those email exchanges I’m currently working with). I’m almost caught up in my personal bookkeeping and ministry bookkeeping is current.

The move to LibreOffice documents is working very well. I did find that Google Keep is helpful for to-do lists, shopping lists, and such.

Physical Environment –

• Be more consistent with housework.
• Do the next few steps in building our house.
• Plant more trees. (🗸1 cherry, 🗸1 tupelo)

Winter snow makes for messy floors, but other than that I’m happy with my house. I’m hoping to do a deeper housecleaning before Christmas.

The house building is on hold until Spring and so is tree planting.

Bye, bye November.

Fear not November’s challenge bold—
We’ve books and friends,
And hearths that never can grow cold:
These make amends!  Alexander L Fraser

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• Prayer Prompt: List a few things you are thankful for. Thank God for them and tell Him how much you appreciate His care and provision.
• Becoming Minimalist: Use This Holiday Season to Clean Up Messes In your home and in your relationships.
• Paul and I are donation supported. You can give to our support through The Marriage Bed, Inc. (tax-deductible giving for US folks). Thanks so much for your prayers and support.

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