Day 40
Today, my brain hurts from "finishing" ...  But I did it! This was a deadline kind of thing, so my all day obsessive push to get it done was ... necessary; only because I had been putting it off for awhile because it meant downloading a program onto my computer, learning to use the program, and manually entering each note, rest and lyric off a piece of sheet music, to finally do what I needed done - push one little button and have it transposed! I have transposed sheet music (simple pieces, mind you) by hand before and I gotta wonder if it would've been faster; like, maybe only half of the day! But, I now have a pretty good handle on this program.  Hope I can get some use out of it?!! 

Day 39
This morning I picked up a book I set aside last fall about prayer.  I kid you not when I say that the intro left me somewhat speechless - "Willing? Good!  Now, determine before God that you are going to finish what you start. ...determine that you are going to spend [time] sitting at His feet, learning what He means when He says, 'Pray ...' ."  Well, what more is there to say . . . I guess I will be finishing THAT book this year! HA!

Today I also finished "loads" of laundry, some of which has been waiting since before Christmas, and a project I started last summer.  I don't know why some things take me so long, because once I buckle down and do it, it takes hardly any time at all!   I finished replacing all the cushions in our couches, as well as, adding more stuffing to the back cushions.  Boy were they comfy for movie-time with Paul!!

Day 38

I was headed down a road,

But took a second look,

Decided not to further-on,

A new one I undertook!

The first, I guess, is finished,

Though if I change my mind

I can always back up again

The old road I could find.

"The Lord will take delight in you ..." Zeph. 3:17

Day 36
Today I've completed almost 12 years of being someone's Valentine, 45 years and 344 days of being loved by my mom (maybe 9 months more than that), and 17,069 days of delighting my Creator! I'd say that's one mighty fine finish to this day!  Happy Valentines Day!!

"So here's what I think:  The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale.  Your heart's been in the right place all along.  You've got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it":  2 Cor. 8:10 (The Message)

Day 35:  Yeah!!  I have half a dozen craft classes prepped and in bins 75% ready to go; but I never get around to teaching them or I get inspired to do a different craft or I just never finish the things that I start.  I love this journey that I'm on - it is so satisfying!  I think I feel better about finishing something than I do about following an inspiration trail.  This is a dramatically surprising revelation to me.  To stay the course, so to speak, has its own unique rewards that following an inspirational path might not have.  That being said, I know I committed to not starting anything new this year, but I think I HAVE to head over to a friend's house for a mini fabric album one of these nights.  Inspiration, after all, has its satisfying characteristics too and maybe all the more rewarding after finishing something long over due.  Who says I can't have my cake and eat it too!!!!

Today I led a class that I've had in mind for a couple of years.  I gathered supplies and made a demo with a friend last July! My Laird crafting friends completed our first multimedia art mini canvas. This taught us a lot about layering and we will be ready to do a large canvas soon! (I have those half-prepped in the craft closet as well!)  Happy Valentines Day to You!

Day 34
It's a toss up today ... firstly, my store has three storage rooms which, in five years, I have never gotten cleaned up and organized.  Well today I got the mid-sized storage room tidied and mostly organized.  I found all sorts of treasures AND things to finish!!!!  Secondly, I just finished crocheting 60 nails together.  My fingers definitely look done-in ("finished")!!!

Day 33
I will steal another's words to finish this chaotic day - "So thankful for the people God has put in my life."

Day 32
"Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started."  Matthew 23:32 (NLT)

Or in this case, .... finish what your offspring started!  Heather and I took a bachelorette trip before packing up and moving to Canada in 2002!  We rented a condo on Navarre Beach in the panhandle of Florida close to where Heather was born and lived until she was four.  After settling in, she began scrapbooking the trip and I watched in awe!  This was my introduction to scrapbooking as we know it today!  Anyway, I asked her permission to finish the task and here it is!  The first suitcase to be filled with wonderful memories!  Now, to turn my attentions to finishing the other suitcases and getting our Alaska trip memories put into one (I'm thinking that red and white one)!

Day 31
Yippee!! I finished!! And I LOVE it!! -- a mini-suitcase/photo album.  There is a photo album that pulls out the one side; its intended for a travel album someday. Maybe I'll put all the photos from my trip to ______________ in it!! Thank you to the following people:  Dianne for rescuing these antique office organizers from the dumpster for your crafting friend; Marilee for thinking everything I do is beautiful; Sheryl for helping me with courage -- I do feel empowered!!; Sara for always sitting next to me, listening patiently to my ongoing outpouring of frustration mixed with joyous outbursts; and to my Northwind for fixing everything that needs fixing!  Ok - it sounds like I've published a book or something! lol  Been dreaming of this idea for a long time and I have six other boxes to make into suitcases someday, but I'm very happy to have started and finished this one.  I have two trips under my belt already - one with Heather to Florida and another with Paul to Alaska.  So that leaves four more trips - hmmm ....  Norway! Taiwan! Italy! Uganda!  That should do it!  I am a bit of a homebody after all!  Bon Voyage!! (It's a two exclamation-point kind of day don't you think!?!)

Day 30
Sometimes on this journey of finishing, I find myself confessing things I don't really want to confess;  or, at least, not to the whole world.  But it is what it is, so here goes.  I don't really like doing dishes.  The ones that get loaded into the dishwasher no problem.  Its those big or oddball buggers that need hand washing.  It is one area that I struggle with starting, don't even mention finishing! 

Every Christmas, my family has always made rosettes, and I have continued the tradition faithfully.  It is the only guaranteed "goodies" we might see around here.  Every day after the making of the rosettes there sit the rosette irons waiting to be washed.  They don't even need to be washed, per say, merely, wiped off.  But they get moved around the counter for days ..... some years, weeks ...... I hate to admit it, but some years, MONTHS!!  We have actually seen the summer come upon us and those silly rosette irons are still on the counter shoved back into the corner!  Today, while I had a million other things to do getting ready for a houseful of scrapbookers, today I decided it was time to take care of those irons! - Rinsed off the sugar, wiped them down, dipped them in oil and put them into baggies - done! Easy-breezy puddin' n' pie!!!  God Bless Me, I am a silly woman!

Day 29
I may have helped Paul finish one of his projects but no worries, as I WILL be helping enjoy the "fruits" of our labor!!!  We spent a majority of the day bottling Paul's Sauvignon Blanc. It aged in the carboy for a year and a half and it was time!  I washed 32 bottles, not 1x, not 2x, but ... 4x! Got to put on a few labels too! Wait a minute, I thought this was his hobby?  Well, I'll be glad to help "finish" this stuff! ;)  I have to say it tasted mighty fine! Besides, helping him, helped me to finish my tea, coffee and wine station in the Pensacola Room!! -- Just in time to share with my scrapping friends this weekend!

Day 28
 Finished the Pensacola Room! .... well, maybe more like finished getting it READY!!!!  Hosting my first Scrap-N-Nap!  Four ladies are scrapbooking all weekend! Steps 1 & 2, completed on previous days, took me a bit long than anticipated. I gathering all the bedding supplies from mattress pads to pretty orange bows; then, washed, dried, and folded everything.  Today, Step 3, I finished making up the two beds and putting the other two bedding kits together.  Ready or not, here they come!!!

Day 27

Stayed up too late playing with shells ....

     

    ... pau!

Day 26 - my computer is online . . . for the moment anyway.  I've been having to fb on my iPhone which is not my favorite way of typing.  All thumbs so to speak.  I probably have some catching up to do with my posts but I won't worry about that; I will just post for today. 

I did not expect to post a finish that is all about loss, but that is exactly how this one "played" out.  After working hard all season, with wins to show for it, my Denver Broncos finished big - lost big.  It happens to the best of us and there is an overwhelming response that tries to take over .... disbelief, sadness, blame, self pity, even hopelessness.  I can't help but think about my past week and the inability to finish big - that is finish big defined a certain way.  Peyton might say "yeah, like winning".  My situation is more like - a nice tidy little package to take a pic of, pat myself on the back, and post a successful end to.  But what if it doesn't go like that?  Does it mean all my hard work up to this point is worthless?  Does it mean all the work to come is pointless? No - I believe the losses have great value.  The losses are part of the hard work.  The struggle is needed to be refined. Refined implies something pretty, something special, something "fine".  Without telling you in detail of my week, I can promise you that I did not finish pretty.  I did not behave pretty.  I did not even respond to all of it "pretty". But I am surely being refined! My heart goes out to Mr. Manning. His finish was not pretty.  I want to encourage him and myself to persevere, to realize that running the race means so much more than today's outcome!  LOOK at the last year!  Persevering, running the race means living life to the fullest, working hard, valuing the losses for it is those that make the wins have so much more value! To finish implies the end of something, but I say that the verb finish is a trickster.  With or without the -ing on it, it is in the present tense, an ongoing existence. In my world to finish is a process that comes with sanding, breaking, cutting, rebuilding, loving, obeying, worshiping, creating, developing, serving, gluing, and so much more. The crafting world loves the quote "It's the journey, not the destination!"  I say its both! Wow Manning!!! - What a season!  What a career in football!  What a future you must have in store!  Keep it up! Run hard! Finish the race! I will too.

"You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race.  Everyone runs; one wins.  Run to win.  All good athletes train hard.  They do it for a gold medal ... one that's gold eternally.  I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line.  I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition.  I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself." 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27; MSG

Day 25
Another item for my "Pensacola Room" --- finished "my nook" shelf - painted, mod-podged some beachy paper, lightly distressed edges and corners and wah-la! Love my morning corner space! :)

Day 24 
Does it count if Paul does the work to finish one of my ideas?  I think so ... While I was painting the mud room, he finished this washer/dryer stand in the laundry room and covered it with our new flooring! Looks sharp! Now all we need is a washer and dryer sitting there ... more for Paul to do while I finish the third coat!  You could say we are "finishing" together!

Comments: 
Vickie Dyck: Really nice! Finishing together always goes faster, I recommend it!

Jane Friesen: what a great idea

Marilee Fehr: two are pretty much always better than one - definitely counts!!! BTW I love the look!!

Jaimie Zimmerman:  Love the paint colors!

Nicole Laliberte:  Nice flooring choice.  Looks great!

People who like this:  Carmen, Michelle

Day 23 
Today I finished gathering all the needed items for ... lets call it my BNB for now!  This is Step 2 from Day 12's Step 1.  Tomorrow or Saturday, I will finish assembly and post a pic. I'm really excited about this one!  It's been in the works for so long!  I hope I can sleep!

Also, today I finished 138 months of being married to a really good man (which doesn't even begin to describe him).  Tomorrow I'll start on the 139th month with a renewed sense of gratitude for each month and year I have with him.

Comments:
Vickie Dyck:  You sound much better today Something to celebrate and something to look forward to.... Life doesn't get much better than that 
Vickie Dyck:  Beautiful picture, too!

Shteena Wiebe Teichroeb: Very beautifull

Lorna Neufeldt: Beautiful wedding picture.

Sara Denyer: awwww!!!!!

Nicole Laliberte:  Lookin' good you two! 

Marilee Fehr: lovely!! thanks for sharing

Bruce Jantzen: Just love that photo of you both

People who like this:  Karen, Sara, Kim, Tanja, Shteena, Bobby, Vickie, Myrna

Day 22
Today I finished a bottle of Advil ... not the whole bottle, just the last tablet.  I really don't consider this one an admirable finish, but a necessary one, none the less.  My hope is that it takes three times as long to finish the next bottle as it did this one.

Comments:
Vickie Dyck: Heavy sigh....It seems that cold weather and pain are formidable companions... I wish for you a VERY limited need (no need:) ) for pain killers in the future....
Marilee Fehr: ...when I do need Advil or some other pain medication I am at least thankful that it is available and I appreciate the benefits ... hopefully you won't need it again for a long while!
People who like this:  April

Day 21 

Today I was very busy and I got a lot done but nothing "finished". ;)

Comments:
Vickie Dyck:   "got a lot done" .... getting something done vs finishing something.... I don't think you CAN finish unless there have been days of getting a lot done. 
Marilee Fehr:  sure - you finished what you started to do on the jobs you were working on - sounds like a winner to me!
Karen Martens: Thanks for the encouragement. I felt the same way. I didn't even have one little smidgen of feeling bad about not "finishing" something! Working hard is working hard. Its worth a lot and leads to a good night sleep!
People who like this:  Sara, Joyanne, Dan, Jody

Day 20 
I'm relieved to say that I finished my store's 2013 PST return.  Whew!

Comments:
Vickie Dyck: You did it!!! I am envious because I see the mountain of paper in all my receipt boxes and I know what awaits I especially love the cartoon 
Marilee Fehr: I am impressed ... that is a job that would likely do me in! Good for you for persevering until you finished once again

Nicole Laliberte:  Way to go! I'm impressed when I finish my own taxes (which are the simplest in the world, I'm sure!) so I can't even imagine what is involved in owning a store and PST returns etc.

Tanja Funk:  What a big job! The cartoon reminds me of me, looking over my tax stuff - somethings wrong, but I don't know where.....

People who like this:  Sara

Day 19 

A great way for a Denver Bronco fan to finish off the football season ....... going to the Super Bowl!!!

Comments:  
Vickie Dyck:  I will think of it as the Roughriders in the Grey cup.... only a Grey Cup on steroids.... happy for you We know what you will be doing on Feb 2 
People who like this:  Heidi

Day 18 
Here is how a simple finish sometimes goes ... (in my "crazy" life anyways) - Find the "perfect enough" frame (which is not so easy to do), open up the back of the frame, remove cardboard and that nice picture of some people I don't know, place my item in frame, replace cardboard and press down all the little metal tabs that hold it in place, turn it over to realize the pic is upside down, repeat all the above one more time and double check the item is right side up, then I measure and measure again so I know where the nails get hammered into the wall, hammer in the nails, but the hangers on back don't reach because I measured the whole frame instead of hanger to hanger, measure again and move nails only for the picture to now hang VERY crooked; measure again and re-adjust one of the nails but see I took it an 1/8th of an inch too low; remeasure, re-hammer, and after filling ALL the holes, wait for it to dry, do two coats of touch up paint (because one didn't cover the mud up entirely), wait for that to dry, and finally, after an all day, 5-minute job, I finish framing and hanging this map of the southern gulf coast. ....  LOVE IT! And my crazy existence! I have to say this .... I saw it through to the bitter end! HA!

Comments:  
Vickie Dyck: Days like that have MANY MANY moments where you could just as easily throw your hands up and QUIT! BUT I am very proud of you for holding out throw to the "bitter end"! (I must say I have had the same kind of day hanging pictures myself )
Sheryl Schmidt: LOL. Is it wrong that I giggled while reading this?

Tanja Funk:  After the many, many, MANY lopsided, too many holes in the wall, picture hanging fiasco's, I now use 3M velcro strips for pretty much every wallhanging.

Karen Martens:  No Sheryl, in fact, I kind of do the same while shaking my head ... at myself! What more can you do? Thanks Tanja, I will have to look for that stuff and see how it works. 

Karen Sougstad Richard:  You're definitely not alone in being "picture-hanging challenged"!!!

People who like this:  Nicole, Shteena, Shirley, April

Day 17 
This morning I finished my study of 2 Corinthians!  I was really looking forward to being done with this book as relationships are not my best subject.  However, when you spend that much time with something, its hard to let it go without feeling bitter-sweet. Its also apparent, after this particular study, that with much struggle comes much growth.  I hope that's the case here.  Saint Paul is much more of a "bottom-line" kind of guy than he gets credit for.  Here are some main points he pounded home -

1)  focus less on others' inferiority/superiority and more on my relationship with God, He says I am found worthy
2) grow in my faith,
3) know that when I am weak, He makes me strong
3)  boast of the good things God does in my life (tell our stories), and
4) finally, friends - be cheerful, be made complete, be comforted, think in harmony, live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure.  (NIV/The Message; 2 Cor. 13:11)

Comments:
Vickie Dyck:  "With much struggle comes much growth" - that is my hope in my own life as well You always give me a thought for the day; something to chew on - thank-you.
Marilee Fehr: Thanks Karen. Your openness in posting your growth and learning is encouraging to me.
Karen Martens: I'm so glad my friends. I have to say that your daily words have also become a source of comfort and encouragement to me. Unfortunately for you all, I, now, consider us bound in this journey.
People who like this:  Karen, Sara, Tanja

Day 14 
Tuesday, January 14th
This morning I finished a package of feminine hygiene products from 2009.  Maybe this means I'm almost finished with the whole "she-bang"! (pardon the pun) This is one "period" (I'm on a very bad pun-roll) in my life I would really like to finish gracefully versus grumpily! (sorry - no pics on this one)


Day 15 
Wednesday, January 15th
Today I finished making the gift certificates for Prairie Sun Brewery! Or, at least until next year.  At any rate, I'm unpacking my box and not taking it back and forth anymore. 

Day 16  
Thursday, January 16th
Today, just in the nick of time, I finished my other Book Club pick - Remarkable Creatures! Great discussion book friends! And, this means I get to start my all time favorite - Count of Monte Cristo!

Comments:
Vickie Dyck:  Gracefully versus grumpily...... that is my motto..... sometimes it is harder to achieve that than other times
Nicole Laliberte:  "No pics on this one", funny.  Did you enjoy Remarkable Creatures?  Should I add it to my list? 
People who like this:  April

Day 13 
You know when you finish something and it doesn't turn out the exact way you wanted it to? ... last night my frustration with finishing this fairly simple project ended up with me growling, stomping upstairs, and going to bed ... without posting. After some reflection today ... I would have to say sometimes "good enough" IS perfect. I refuse to lose any enjoyment when I look at it. I plan to slap the thought that its not perfect right out of my brain the minute it tries to show up!!! On that note ...

I have my great-grandpa's shells (Bapa), my grandparent's shells from Hawaii, New York and Dore Lake, and my own collection from our five years living in Florida and a trip to California. (see second pic below) I am "finishing" small projects with them for my getaway room, but I found this poster(see pic) and loved the fact that I could know the names of the shells we have collected. Yesterday, I bought a frame and trimmed it to size and hung it up. I'm proud to say that I have almost all of them. "May you always have a shell in your pocket and sand between your toes!"

Comments:
Vickie Dyck:  Yes .... what to do when it doesn't turn out the way I wanted it to... I think you have the right idea, though... I like your "I refuse to lose enjoyment"! Matt Wiebe always says, "Perfect enough!"
Karen Martens:  Oh! I like that - "Perfect enough" - I think that will go in my brain for fast recall!
Karen Stobbe:  I love this concept. an inspiration. I shall begin finishing as well.
Joyanne Batty-Dufour: I was wondering what your plan was with all those shells. So cool they have stories behind them
Karen Martens:  That would spoil several "finish" items if I told, Joyanne. We will just have to wait and see, though if you want some hints, my pinterest page has lots of great ideas. 
Nicole Laliberte: That is an impressive shell collection Karen! I'm excited to see the finished projects. And also glad to hear that I'm not the only one who ends up "growling, stomping upstairs, and going to bed". 
People who like this:  Sara, Jody, Jeff, Tanja, Bobby

Day 12 
Today I finished step 1 (washing & ironing) of .... well, I think I will wait until step 2 is finished as well ... ;)
I was hoping to finish the whole thing but washing & ironing took longer than I thought.  I also have to help myself see the value of finishing steps rather than placing ALL the value on the completed task/results; that idea of valuing the journey and not just the destination. 

Comments:
Vickie Dyck:  Oh, this is soooo my lesson, too!  I will write this one on my forehead (so to speak)
Marilee Fehr:  thanks for this reminder - I also tend to be an "all or nothing" kind of thinker and if I haven't reached the end goal I often belittle my efforts....sigh!
Tanja Funk:  I hear ya
People who like this:  Sara, Dan, Tanja, Janice, Michelle, Heather

Day 11 

"I had a thought. It came around. Started to think and I put it down. Returned to that thought and saw it thru. Now that its finished, I can pass it to you"

Comments:
Vickie Dyck:  Finished with a thought.... hmmm Or did it finish with you?

Day 10 
How is it that finishing something leads to starting something?  I finished a good read in the wee hours of the morning and that started a wonderful discussion with some treasured friends.  When a person finishes reading someone's story, its starts a new part in the reader's life by being interwoven into their own story.  I am shaped and moved in directions that I would not be otherwise drawn toward had it not been for another's story.

Comments: 
Bobby Martens:  Just finished "Grapes" a few weeks ago...it's one of those stories I read once every couple years...at least...right now I'm just rounding the last quarter of "Love in the Time of Cholera"...slow at first, for me, but I can't seem to put it down now...good book.  It's strange how sometimes one can totally relate to some fictional character...it's like they know what I'd be thinking! Spooky! haha
Vickie Dyck:  A good writer lets you see thru someone else's eyes --- and once you've seen life thru someone else's eyes their truth becomes your truth as well --- Mr John Steinbeck is VERY good at helping you see life thru someone else's eyes -- Well done, Mr Steinbeck!
People who like this:  Bobby, Heidi, Tanja