Welcome!

failing • expectations • 2023 recap • goals

What’s New

This Substack is new! I have toyed with starting a blog for YEARS, even did one for a few months back in like 2010. But if I’m being completely honest, I’ve always been afraid. Afraid of what others will think, afraid if no one reads it, afraid if it “fails”—but what if it does “fail”? What is failing? Is not trying failing? Where…okay I’ll stop…my mind spirals. But the Bible tells us that fear is NOT of the Lord and we are not to fear others. So…with prayer and hope I’m taking a deep breath and doing a cannon ball into the deep end.

I feel like traditional blogging has paved the way to this new Substack way of “blogging”. So this is where we’ll start—I may change it—no promises. If you’re so inclined, hang in there with me while I figure this out.

What to Expect

I plan on doing a Substack post ONCE a month—that’s ONE e-mail a month to you! ONE! (Did you get it? O-N-E).

Otherwise I will be posting randomly on my new website Practically Southern. That’s where anything I want to live permanently will go and I will link to things from Practically Southern in my monthly post.

I will also be posting HOPEFULLY regularly on my Instagram page.

That’s it. I’m picking just three outlets and again…we’ll see how it goes.

What I’m Loving

A fresh start! I love a new year, a new month, a new week, a blank slate. If I’m being honest, 2023 was hard…SO much good, but also so hard as well. So I’m ready for 2024—I love even numbers. Is that weird? I’m excited and hopeful for what 2024 has in store.

I love looking back on a previous year and looking ahead to a new year. In 2023:

• my daughter went back to school after a semester of homeschooling

• my son turned 16 - got his permit and then his license

• my Dad had a stroke…and then a successful surgery and he has little if any residual effects

• I got a part-time job

• we bought our son a car

• I started taking pilates classes

• we took a much needed family vacation to our favorite beach

• my daughter got her braces off

• we celebrated birthdays and anniversaries

• my daughter graduated pre-school and started Kindergarten

• my husband and I got away for TWO short trips this fall

• my son started a new high school (and he LOVES it)

• my husband had his best year yet at work

• our daughter accepted Jesus into her heart!!

When I look back on all of that it helps me see that, even though when I think of 2023 I think of it as a hard year, there is SOO much to be thankful for as well!

We don’t have too much set in stone yet for 2024. We’ll likely take another family vacation, I’m planning to go to a Women’s Conference in June, my kids will go to church camp in June, and a mission trip in July. What about you? Do you have your 2024 all planned out or are things still flexible for you, like me?

Goal Check In

I took 2023 off from goal planning. I had been setting goals for a few years and never seemed to follow through with them. So I decided not to even do it in 2023 and honestly, I didn’t care for it. I like to have a plan! I love a good plan—a planner, a to-do list. I love to be productive. So I’m currently working on my goals for 2024. I’m thinking about

1. growing my relationship with the Lord

2. deepening my relationships with my husband and kids

3. saving money

4. eating better

5. cooking more

6. re-organizing some spaces in our home for our changing family needs as the kids grow

7. replacing the carpet in our home

8. reading more

Do you set goals? What’s a goal you’re most excited about?

I would love to hear from you! E-mail me, comment on this post — let me know how I can be praying for you and let’s let God show us the amazing things he has in store for us in 2024!