Spoonful of Imagination

Add it to a Family for Something Beautiful

  • Home
  • Our Family
    • Our Home
  • Courses
  • Shop
  • Contact

Goodbye 2014

December 31, 2014 By Erica Deuel 1 Comment

2014

Have you ever been sad about a year being over? I’m not sure I have, until this year. 2014 was a big year for our little family.

I know I have so much to catch you up on and I can’t wait to do just that. Logging in to write this post made me smile. I have missed you all. We moved and have been unpacking and traveling to see family for Christmas. It’s been crazy busy, as I’m sure your holiday season has been as well. There are lots of things ahead that I am excited about. I can’t wait to get back into our school routine, making this house our home, slowing down this pace of life, hanging with new friends, traveling to see family, and so much more.

embroidery_hoop

In all the excitement, I can’t help but be a little sad that such a special year is over. 2014 was a year our family embarked on new ways of life together. We became a foster family and experienced the love of Christ in a new way as we poured into the little lives in our home. One little boy stole our hearts, and we are finding the term family means more than who we share blood with or who lives under our roof. We found Jesus in a new, fresh way. We found ourselves desperate for a Savior and needed him to fill us with a strength, peace, and love that only he could.

As a family we had lots of milestones. One of the biggest is we moved from Georgia to Indiana to follow a path we feel Jesus has set before us. We sold a house, moved, bought another house, changed jobs, started new jobs, said goodbye to family and friends, and started putting ourselves out there in a new community.

Our baby is about to turn four and is no longer a baby. We gave away the rest of our baby gear in the move which ended a chapter in our lives as the baby days are behind us. Our oldest is a fabulous reader and loves sports. (He’s planning on being the next Julio Jones) Our second learned to swim and ride a bike without training wheels. All three kids just seem to have grown up.

As I reflect on all the changes, I remember my word for the year was SHINE. It was constantly in the back of my mind. I did not do it perfectly, but I feel like I kept trying to empty myself and shine a love much greater than mine. It was a special year and one that has marked our family. Although the year is over, I know that word will carry with me for a lifetime. It’s a lifestyle that I want to try to always live.

we_are_so_blessed

2014 is over, but I know God is just beginning something new with us. Although I am a little sad to see it go, I am excited to think about what 2015 will hold. We are in a new state, town, church, and neighborhood. We have each other and are following a calling and are on a path created for us. We are so blessed.

In a season of lots of change, I don’t want to lose that calming voice that speaks to my soul. I need Jesus just as much now as ever before.

My new word for this coming year is QUIET.

To be a better mom, I need to get up while the house is still QUIET.

To be a better friend and wife, I need to be a better listener. If I talk a little less and be a little more QUIET, I will hear more of those I love dearly.

My anxious heart is always thinking of the next thing, and I just want to whisper to it-be QUIET. Be present where you are in person as well as in your mind.

I want to hear that still small voice of my Savior in my heart, so I will find ways to be QUIET to hear him more loudly than ever.

In all the noise and pulls of my heart, I want to remember what is important and what matters most. I need to QUIET some distractions and learn some balance.

My heart soars when I get outdoors in nature and just be QUIET and enjoy the creation of the master creator. I need to do that more.

we_are_so_blessed_embroidery_hoop

I’m excited to start thinking through my days with this little word running through my head. Do you come up with goals or new years resolutions? Do you have one little word that you use for your year too? I would love to hear what it is! Please leave me a comment. Change can be hard, but it is also exciting to think that everyday we can learn and grow and be a new and better version of ourselves, if we are just open to it. I have some ideas that I can’t wait to start implementing to help me break habits and have a more quiet heart. Let’s encourage one another and those around us to use our imaginations and not give up on ourselves or those around us. 2015 will be great!

Thank you so much for walking this journey with me! I am so excited to continue to share our story with you as well as my creations in 2015. I’m sure it will be as crazy and exciting as ever!

Ps. I will slowly be filling my store back up with my creations. If you are interested in this hoop, I just listed it here. Thank you for all your support!

signature

Share this:

  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

An Embroidery Journal #2

May 18, 2014 By Erica Deuel Leave a Comment

embroidery_hoopsSummer is here for us. I found myself last week with a huge sense of freedom when Caleb had his last day. As a homeschool mom, my life just got simpler. I am so excited about summer.

It’s been a little while since my first embroidery journal entry. I’m going to try to keep it brief and share a little update at where we are.

be_loveWe still have our foster son. It looks like he may be with us till the fall. We are constantly reminded how this all changes so quickly. As a planner, someone who likes to know what to expect, and hates surprises…this is one of the hardest aspects of being a foster parent to me.  I am learning and this stretching of me, I know, is ultimately growing me.

We are excited about still having time with this sweet boy. We are processing life and how to try to do our four this summer really well. I’m looking at the calendar, and I want to be intentional with how we spend our time, so we make the most of our days.

choose_loveAs school was wrapping up, I started to find more little windows to craft. Hoops are still the easiest thing to do for me, as I sit on the couch at night with my husband and sew while we talk and watch shows.

Some random things I am loving right now:

rain with the windows open

weekends with nothing on the calendar

embroidering

watching my kids ride their bikes

getting sun on my face

planning our anniversary trip

dreaming up a new venture with my boo

the thought of running again

lots of coffee

packing up all our school books

hearts

I often miss friends and wish I picked up the phone to call or text someone, but then in the few minutes I have driving and I don’t have a call to return, I just find myself needing quiet. So much of my energy is training our kids to all get along in their new normal and how to love and respect one another. It’s draining work, but I have to believe some of the most meaningful ways to give of myself.

shine_brightI hope summer is coming at a needed time for you as well. I pray this summer we find rest and a beautiful rhythm of how to do life. It is a constant balance act, right?

be_kind_embroidery hoopThank you so much for being on this journey of life with us! If you are interested in any of these hoops, I have just listed them in my shop. Thank you for all your support!

signature

 

Share this:

  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

An Embroidery Journal

March 16, 2014 By Erica Deuel 5 Comments

ShineAs an inward processor, journaling has always been an important part of me working through my thoughts and emotions. I’m finding it’s much harder these days to capture the time I would like to journal well. Rather than just giving up, I’ve decided to try and capture key words and phrases on my art that can help me to process, refocus, and remind me of the things I want my life to be about. These past few weeks I’ve been using my embroidery hoops as a way to create an Embroidery Journal of sorts.

If you’re interested, let me catch you up on the latest of our life’s adventures.

You may remember that my word for the year this year is SHINE. I want to shine God’s love and peace in every area of my life. As we have ventured into foster care we are continually learning and discovering the many complex ways of how this ministry works. It’s the perfect opportunity to constantly be reminded to “Shine.” There is a lot of darkness and need for light. In my last foster update, I shared how I learned some hard lessons and I did not shine well. The experience left me broken and questioning my ability to continue down this path.

I felt like bringing foster children into my home may be above my abilities and what I am able to carry.  I was starting to envision taking a new position of  just encouraging the foster moms in my life, rather than being one myself. My trip out to Arkansas provided me with so much perspective. I felt led to open my hands and surrender all of my hopes, thoughts, and dreams and let God move and do the work He needed to do in my heart. This song became my prayer:

I lay me down
I’m not my own
I belong to you alone
Lay me down
Lay me down
Hand on my heart
This much is true
There’s no life apart from you
Lay me down…
Letting go of my pride
Giving up all my rights
Take this life and let it shine
Take this life and let it shine…

It will be my joy to say
Your will
Your way

Two days after letting this be my prayer, Matt answered a phone call that placed us back in the middle of an opportunity to shine. God placed a little boy in crisis into our home. We have had him for a couple of weeks and unless something changes (and as we are learning things change all the time) it looks like he will be with us at least for the next couple of months.

Be_Love

heart_embroidery_hoopI am still so far from “nailing it” and I know I will never be perfect. I need re-centering on what seems like an hourly basis. But, it was the moment that I was raw, admitted that I cannot do anything on my own, and gave God full control of my life, he said “now I am ready to use you”. I’d like to believe that I’ve “landed the plane” on this one, but I’m guessing this is a lesson I will continually need to relearn.

I am so humbled, honored, and amazed that God would choose to use us.

So for this moment in time, God choose to use us to speak his truth in the ears of a little boy. You are loved. He has a plan for your life. You are a masterpiece. As we speak truth, we pray that our actions will reflect God’s heart. That we can be his hands and feet.

You_are_loved

you're_loved_embroidery_hoopI have a peace. I am relying on a strength that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I am praying for perspective and love that surpasses all the tired, draining moments. We are adjusting to being new foster parents and shepherding our three littles plus our new foster son’s heart as all of their worlds have been flipped upside down.

Love_is_patientThank you for caring about our journey through this life.

As our day-to-day life has changed, my eyes are open to how there are foster moms that have been living this way for a much longer time than me. I am in awe. I want to give back. I want to encourage and shower them with the love of Christ that they are so willingly pouring into their little ones’ hearts. In the few quiet moments I have, I am creating these embroidery hoops. I thought what better way for me to use these hoops than to encourage other foster moms!? I am giving some away to foster moms to encourage and nurture their soul with a little daily reminder to place in their home that they are loved. The work they are doing matters and God sees the ins and outs of every little thing.

I will also be selling other hoops soon on my Instagram account and in my shop here. All profits from these hoops will be used to encourage foster moms in my community. I will be sharing more of this journey as we progress. Thank you for being in it with me!

shine_brightI pray you are able to use your life to SHINE today! Happy weekend friends.

signature

Share this:

  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
YouTube-Channel
Erica Deuel

Subscribe for Weekly Updates!




Most Popular Posts

Painting Flower Pot Party Tips
DIY {easy} Burlap Wreath
DIY Outdoor Checker Board
Repurpose Old Kitchen Chairs
Spray Paint Ikea Furniture
Easiest Sewn Apron Ever
Why Writing Greeting Cards Still Matters
The Encanto, Madrigal's House Craft For Kids
Engraved Wood Sign Tutorial (and Dremel Micro)
DIY Flower Name Tag

Categories

  • All About the Kids
  • art journal
  • Blogging
  • Christmas
  • Craft Projects
  • Dancing Zebras
  • DIY
  • Eddy's postcards
  • Embroidery Journal
  • Family
  • Featured
  • Fireside Chat
  • Foster Care
  • Giveaways
  • Guest Posts
  • Home
  • Homeschooling
  • Kid Activities
  • Kid Craft
  • My Heart
  • Our Outings
  • Project Spotlight
  • Send Out Love
  • Shop
  • Sponsored Posts
  • Spoonful Lab
  • Spoonful Tribe
  • Tips + Tricks
  • Traveling
  • Uncategorized
  • Vlog

Favorite Categories

Subscribe for Weekly Updates!

Favorite Categories

© 2023 Spoonful of Imagination, Inc.