Hey Friends –

Happy February!

Did you make any New Years resolutions? How are they going so far?

One of the many “resolutions” I made was to spend less time on my laptop.

I try to wrap up my computer work when the kids get home from school and we have “tea-time” together. I’m usually pretty good about staying away while we enjoy dinner, homework, and family time.

However, as I was praying through 2014, I realized one of the ways I could invest in my marriage would be to keep my lap top closed after the kids are in bed.

My guy

Mostly I just surf Pinterest, FB, and Twitter while John and I sit together and regroup after another full day with four kids (three at home and one in college) and a crazy dog. Not a bad thing, right?

But I’m definitely not fully present for my guy, and that isn’t good.

I’ll never forget when John nearly did a happy dance when I went screen free for a weekend. (Recap here)

In counseling he even once shared he felt “I sparkled for everyone else, but not for him.” Ouch.

It’s time I develop in this area. I want to sparkle for my man!

So on December 31, 2013 I wrote in my journal I would not turn on my laptop after the kids went to bed, and instead I would use this time to invest in my marriage and spend time being fully present with John.

I shared my wonderful new idea with my husband. He didn’t seem impressed — mostly I think he thought it would never happen.

And he was right. Nothing changed.

Writing a resolution down isn’t the same as living it out.

On January 1, we tucked the kids in. I thought, “I’ll just send this one quick e-mail”….and soon enough I was checking in on FB, Twitter, my blog friends. #day1fail

Einstein said, “The definition of insanity is: Doing the same things and expecting a different result!”

Call me insane. January 2 went the same way, and January 3, and January 4th. How embarrassing to confess my insanity to you!   #fail #fail #fail

Finally on January 5th there was a breakthrough.

Unfortunately I had to learn my lesson the hard way.

I was going to watch a Beth Moore teaching, and when I went to adjust my screen, I held my laptop incorrectly, the screen shattered, and the computer went dead. Yikes.

Not my actual computer – but you get the idea

John took my laptop to our favorite computer repair shop and the bottom line:

I need a new laptop.

John, being the amazing man that he is, offered to research buying a new one for me. Can you guess what I said?

No way, Jose. No new lap top for me.

• Is it an inconvenience to not have a lap top? Yes.
• Is it taking time to get used to “lap top free” living? Yep.
• Am I weeks behind in corresponding to emails & FB messages? Yep! (And I’m so sorry if you are one of the emails I’ve yet to get back to!)

But is it not having a lap top paying off in my marriage? You betcha.

Friends, I’m not sure where you are with your New Years resolutions. Perhaps you can identify with my insanity, or maybe you have a lot more discipline than I obviously have and you are rockin’ those resolutions.

But this I do know… sometimes God calls us to let go of those things that are getting in the way of the full, abundant, more than enough life that He has for us. We can lay them down gently when He first asks us to, or He can pry them out of our hands the hard way if need be.

Either way, His desire for us is peace, fullness, wholeness, health and freedom — and so much more.

Take it from a woman who learned her lesson the hard way, again. God knows what He is doing. His ways are best.

No FB post or Pinterest pin compares to the joy of holding my man’s hand, snuggled on the couch, resting after a long day, letting everything else go.

Did you make any New Years resolutions, dear friend? How are they going so far? I’d love to hear from YOU!

Thanks for stopping by *She Sparkles*! Have a blessed, joy-filled day!

Sweet blessings,

Jen & Cindy

P.S. Today I am thrilled to link up with my fun friend Jen and the Soli Deo Gloria sisterhood.

Be sure to check out her amazing site! 🙂

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