The 30 for 30 Plan

It is almost April!

It time to demand SPRING!!

Many of us will take on the big "Spring Clean"

We are ready to shake off winter in a big way.

But rather than just over-organize, over-schedule , and bark orders out at our family on that "Big Day",   why not tackle it a little at a time and with intention?

So here is a plan with purpose

For 30 days I will post a local charity, from our L.A. (Lower Alabama), 

along with it's  most immediate need.

Head to that area of your house where you keep that item and clean it out.

Contact me to pick them up or drop at my house.

You can do this daily or save it all for the end of the month (just separate by charity please)

You might be asking "Why not just donate it all to one place?"

 Because I want to  challenge you to clean out with care

Don't just throw it out and hope Goodwill can decipher your hoarding system in a box,

let is go where it is specifically needed.

Think how amazing it will me to bless the socks off (or on, if that's what they need) 

of 30 homespun organizations?

Each week I will give you an overview of the charities for the week. 

Then each day I will feature a single charity, it's purpose and its most its immediate need.

You can do 1, 5,30 --whatever.   It is up to you

You can give me donations throughout the month or all at once.

It's an  easy 15 minutes a day that can bless and give hope to others.

It's simple:

Check the Daily Charity

Gather Specific Items

Contact Me to Pick Up

and 

SPREAD THE WORD!!

Easy Peasy!!

You can contact me by

phone: 251-463-3511

email: alison_hill@bellsouth.net

On Facebook

or drop off at 7371 Saluda Blvd, Spanish Fort, AL

April is for Action

Staring April 1st  I will be featuring a charity a day and it's immediate need. I am hoping to inspire action on your part and mine,
I will give full details tomorrow and how we all can be women of action.

So far I have 17 charities.  If you have a charity near and dear to your heart, please let me know and I will be glad to feature it!!

Bring on Spring

April has a plan stay tuned!!

Full nest

I have all my chicks in the nest this week. College girl is home for spring break. 

My nest is full!!  

The chicks are sweet to each other most the time but even when they were chirping a bit more squawk like , it was still a sweet melody. 

I notice how blessed I am to have 3 healthy, kind loving children. Unit iced they are all home and laughing and they are maturing and growing into young women

I notice an imperfect family that is perfectly loved. 

I notice Gods mercies and I notice His goodness and kindness in the sweet reward of our family ! 

I am left as only one can be - one grateful 

Fill in the blanks

Notice: the Shrimp Dancing 

Ohh. So behind in the documentation!!

I am noticing that time is ticking

And I can't fit it all in 

But notice the absence of posts and know I was busy noticing my girls!! 

We have had a great week

Hugs, good food and planning all next week for when college girl gets home!! 

Bring on the rain

Today I noticed the rain - outside on the ground and also inside my head

Ever have to fight those randomly interjected thoughts? 

And if you don't they move from a sprinkling to a downpour . 

Today was one of those days 

But even though the rain brings growth and healing it can kinda sux

No one enjoys healing nearly as much as they enjoy bring healed 

But there can't be separated so even though it was with mixed emotions

I choose to notice that the dark makes the light brighter and more welcoming

Warmer and closer 

So even though today was raining - it will make tomorrows flowers stronger, brighter, taller and bring out the beauty

Yeah I will look through the rain for that! 

First Responder

I woke at 3:30- and not just woke up and can  roll back asleep kind of of awakening

It was go time!! 

I wanted to go back to bed - wanted 2 more prescious hours. 

Tried to negotiate , justify and force my way back into some REM time, but it wasn't meant to be.  

Now normally at this point I would wrestle  until I  nodded  off. 

  Oh how I wanted to stay in this heap of warmth. 

But I noticed that I was awake and that when this happens and I do not take advantage of it - 

I always regret it 

God has something to say to me and I dismiss it for the idol of sleep

Now don't get me wrong sleep is important.  But I had been woken up like this before and I had wasted those opportunities 

Not this time.  

 I got up 

I gave in

And I got  on with it 

If I want to hear God , and I do, it's high time I noticed His calling and responded

It is time for me to become a first responder. 

" Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness , and all these things will be given unto you." 

Empty

Grateful that after several conversations I noticed a trend and the message got through. Thanks friends , here is just a bit of advice they shared my way

And a more die t friend put it this way : 

Don't kick your own ass - 

 Note to self:  it's time for some intentional self care 

As my baba always said. " you can't get water out of an empty pitcher" 

What I've come to realize is that no one can fill my personal tank for me. No one else can fix my schedule, lighten my load or carry my burdens in order to take care of me. At least not long term. I need to take responsibility for investing in myself.

What I've come to realize is that no one can fill my personal tank for me. No one else can fix my schedule, lighten my load or carry my burdens in order to take care of me. At le I need to take responsibility for investing in myself.

Too Quick

Today I noticed how big they are how grown  they are and  how gone so soon they will be. 

With college girl already up and running with her life and the junior planning her future. The little one getting too cool to hang with us. I notice how little time I have left with them 

I notice how quick childhood is and I don't like it. 

I pray I notice the next moments 100x more intensely than I have any before them 

Happy Day

Today is International Day of the Girl and as per usual I'm late in posting but it was because I was spending the day with MY GIRLS, so for now I leave you with a few pictures of precious girls around the world and my sweeties

I noticed today that I need to notice them more !!

Way to go

March 7

So my new plans to  S . L. O. W  down and notice stuff

Yeah well the poor woman in firehouse subs today noticed  what a rush I was I.  As I nearly plowed her down trying to. Get out the door first!!!

Ugh he!!!  Where was my brain. And to top it off there was no ER
No one was having a heart attack on the sidewalk outside ,
I was not bleeding profusely
There was no bomb to disengage in a matter of seconds least all humanity die
or be genetically altered forever.

No I just was in that automatic- getter- done -mode

Ummm ......what was it I had to getter going to getter done you might ask?
I was on lunch break from work buying every one's lunch courtesy of my boss
And the rush I was doing had no purpose.
 I basically was going to exit the building
Cross the parking lot and drive to the 22 minute long red light
 at the corner and then turn left to the
Next 3 red lights lasting 12, 17 and 8 minutes respectively.
 Only to arrive at work to answer phone that barley ring and make few copies.

Yes my hyper drive speed was like a superhero who had been beckoned by the bat light

" Here I come to save the day"

Only I didn't

I kinda screwed up another persons day by shadowing
them so closely as I walked that I was the white of her rice,

And then did I notice this?
No  not me the "vowed to notice" gal

I only noticed when she turned ( slowly ) to me as said
" I'm sorry" and stepped out of my way

I started to speak a something stupid like " that's okay"

Yes how nice. Of me to want to offer my forgiveness to her for standing
in the way of a selfish rhino trying to slice her at the knees so I could be first

If this was preschool I'd so be the door holder and in the back of the line for the next month

But thankfully I stopped my rambling mouth from uttering
 any form of word vomit that I was a already recycling

With a sheepish look, and a swift stride I stepped lightly
As I got  outside I thought about going back in and
apologizing but when I looked she had moved on so I did too

I decide to slow it down from that point forward.
 I walked very timidly to my truck
And listed things I could notice

I recite them out loud to myself  as I went
( if you saw me I  was being positive not crazy)

1.The sun was shining.
2. Food was available to me
3. It was free food -my boss treated
4. I live in a country where I as a woman can go about my business without question-
  this is not true for everyone- more on on that at tomorrow
5. I had transportation
6. God had given me a love lesson of conviction in the form
 of another human being and subtle at that
7. Did I mention the sun was shinning. This is very important because it hasn't been lately and I go downward on the Season thing I know I do
8. My legs worked even if too fast
9. My car door was unlocked
10. I didn't leave my phone --- BONUS

After that I was able to refocus.  So while I trying to slow it down and notice more good things and I  might just find some not so good  things that I need to deal with also.
And if I need to reboot about every 3 minutes or so

Well that will just have to be OK. Too

Just do not to be in front of  me these way out the door --  :)

Time to Notice

I have lost days at a time . This blog was created so I would keep on top of things to be grateful for and to inspire others as well.  So while I am frustrated with my lack of consistency, I am happy to say that I have had a more grateful attitude even if I haven't recorded it all!

But it is already a new month. Actually 6 days in.
I have been re reading a book called The Noticer by AndyAndy Andrews

It is about noticing ( I know I know. Captain Obvious)
But it really breaks things down into what you notice and how you make your next step.
Noticing your behavior and that of others.

This in combination with the  Hands Free MamaMovement where we give in to paying attention to each other and let our hands be free of  technology, I have decided to slow it all down and really concentrate on the moment at hand.

I will try to focus on the moment in front of me and notice the details within it.
Details like a person's expression, the color of their eyes, and what they are really saying.
all with out glancing at a computer screen, phone or anything in the room.

I will STOP what I am doing and listen with both ears when my daughter speaks.
I will hear her inflections , catch her expressions and not be distracted.

I will be still more and look at the sunshine, smell the air, notice colors , and remember.

When I am down I will look around for visual beauty and I will seek out goodness even in the darkest situation . I will find the one thing in huge middle of my Suxfest that I can be grateful for .

So everyday I will blog about the goodness I noticed.
Since it is already March 6 th I will list 6 things today from the past week and start fresh on day 7!!!

March 1-  I noticed it is March .the month that spring comes -YES. Because February 's weather  was a giant bucket of sux!!!

March 2- I noticed my middle daughter helping my little one with her wardrobe and then I noticed lots of giggles. I love that sound

March 3- grateful the sun was shining strong

March 4- I worked the mom2mom sale in Pensacola with women I adore and make me laugh my head off.  I saw people I haven't seen in a year and h they have changed and how beautiful they are

March 5- I noticed I still have a job. It's been a bit iffy lately. I wasn't on the rainbow train to be there, but I noticed how organized I could be and how kindly my boss spoke to me and I made sure tho thank as many people as I could

March 6- I noticed the birds outside my window. Doves were waddling and blue birds were fussing about territory and the “God has burdened AiG to rebuild a full-size Noah’s Ark -- as a sign to the world that God’s Word is true, and as a reminder that all men are sinners, and we all need to go through the 'door' to be saved,” Ham wrote in August 2013.
 ignored them all in favor of the bird seed