Pea of Sweetness

Top 5 Posts of 2016

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I still can’t believe it’s 2016 – let alone nearing the end of February. I mean, really? Time seems to fly by more quickly each year it seems! I still haven’t posted my top posts of 2016 yet! As I’ve shared a little, 2016 was a pretty challenging year. I tried to make the most of it despite my health challenges, but then at the end I felt my world come tumbling down. I’m truly trusting God for a beautiful beginning and that includes breathing life back into Pea of Sweetness! So I’m praying to offer great content in 2017!
Without further ado…

Top Posts for 2016

Top 5 Posts for 2016
 
#5 The 2016 Product of the Year Winners Have Been Announced! I loved having the opportunity to try out some of the products from the 2016 Product of the Year Winners!
2016 Product of the Year Award Winners Sampling
 
#4 Family Fun at Castaway Bay Indoor Water park. We had so much fun at Castaway Bay! We got to beat the cold winter in a beautifully warm indoor water park. Do you know what’s exciting? We’ll be going back soon for another review this year!
Castaway Bay Review
 
#3 Freezer Meals Made Easy with MyFreezEasy. I seriously can’t say enough good things about MyFreezEasy. It has been such a blessing to me. More great features have been added since my review making it even better! I still continue to use it regularly!
MyFreezEasy Review
 
#2 What are Cervicogenic Headaches? I finally got an answer to the terible headaches that have plagued me for years. Since writing this post, I did physical therapy, had a series of injections, tried a nerve block (which failed), and started a new medication. This process is actually what made 2016 so challenging for me, but I was so glad to finally have answers. I’m also glad to say that although I still have some challenges with my headaches, things have improved!
What are Cervicogenic Headaches
And…drum roll….
 
#1 GrubMarket Review. I was definitely impressed by the produce we received from GrubMarket. I think it’s great what they offer!
GrubMarket Review
 
I hope you enjoyed my countdown! Do you have a personal favorite from 2016? Is there specific content you’d like to see more of? I’d love to know!

My Word for 2017 – Beginning

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My word of the year for 2016 was Contentment. My biggest focus was to stop comparing myself and my work (like my blog) to others. Because, let’s face it, if you’re comparing who you are and what you do to everyone else there is always going to be someone or something that is better. Probably multiple things.
The reality is, though, nobody is just like you. You offer something unique. You are exactly where God wants you to be right now. Maybe that’s hard to swallow sometimes, but He always has your best interest in mind. When I truly started acknowledging that I definitely saw a change in myself. I was happier (and less irritable) and I truly felt good about what I was doing. Of course, contentment is a continuous journey, and I pray to continue striving for contentment this year as well.

Word of the Year for 2017 – Beginning

Word of the Year Beginning
Why “beginning?” Well, I mentioned there would be some changes this year. Changes on the blog and changes in my life. I was somewhat vague, and although it’s still not the time to talk about things in depth, I can definitely say the end of 2016 shook my world in a way I never imagined. In the span of the last three months I have felt a myriad of emotions from devastation to disgust as I walk through this trial and forge ahead as a single mom.
The most important emotion I have felt, though, is hope. I feel so incredibly weak, yet I feel like this is the strongest I’ve ever been. When I slipped to the end of my rope, I cried out to God for his strength, and He was faithful. He continues to be faithful. So I’ve picked up the pieces of my broken heart and embraced what 2017 has in store – making the most of this journey I’m on. This new journey. The beginning. My beginning.

Telling My Heart to Beat Again

I was really struggling with what my word for 2017 is/would be. I thought about redemption because I do truly believe God is going to make something beautiful from this mess. I do believe it will be a year of redemption as well. One song that has really been resonating with me, though, is “Tell Your Heart to Beat Again.” I can’t describe how I feel right now better than that song. That’s where I am right now. I’m at that place where I can begin to heal and tell my heart to beat again.
In the song it says “Beginning. Let that word wash over you.” I knew I needed to do that. I experienced the end of something that was a huge part of me. I lost my spouse and my best friend. I was left without a vehicle and no money. I received no financial support for two months. This blog was my only source of income, and it’s not much. I had been a stay at home mom for over 7 years and had a surgery in front of me and couldn’t just get a job. I was devastated in so many ways. Where else is there to go? What else is there to do? I knew I had to essentially embrace the end of this chapter of my life, trust God and walk into the beginning of a new chapter.

An Unexpected Beginning

And when I let “beginning” wash over me and surrendered my life into His hands He did amazing things. Many people in the body of Christ blessed me from helping me find resources, helping financially, offering to watch the kids and making sure the kids had everything they needed (as well as amazing Christmas gifts). I have been absolutely blown away by God’s provision. Seeing the body of Christ come together in such an amazing way has been a blessing in so many ways.
Plus, I found a job before I had even started looking! It’s perfect for me! I had been doing freelance writing with Findlay Family for just over a year, and the position of Assignment Editor had just opened up. It is part-time, and I’m able to work from home (mostly). I can continue to blog here on Pea of Sweetness as well as work on my book, which will have a new chapter. Plus, I can continue to homeschool the kids.
So here I go. This is the beginning. The beginning of my life as a single homeschooling mom, blogger, freelance writer, author, craft/sewing shop owner, and local paper Assignment Editor. It’s all in God’s hands, and I know He is writing a beautiful chapter from this beginning.

My Beginning

This is my beginning.
Family
And it’s beautiful.
Special note: Although it’s not yet time to share the details of this journey, as a Christian (especially one that encourages holiness and happiness in marriage) I do feel I need to explain that I still believe that and always will. Everything I’ve shared on here has always been genuine. For now I will simply say I was shocked and devastated, but I do know God has amazing plans for this beginning.
 

Word of the Year 2017 Link Up

Word of the Year Link Up


 

Upcoming Changes

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So perhaps you’ve noticed I’ve been much quieter than usual. Way back in June I mentioned that I would be making changes like rebranding without changing names. As you may have seen, that still hasn’t yet happened. In an effort to try to fix some of my medical issues, I was trying different things. Unfortunately, we still haven’t yet found a solution that has helped long-term (particularly for the cervicogenic headaches). Some solutions helped temporarily, but often things got worse before they got better. Throw in my amazing trip to Blogger Bash, fun trips to Cedar Point and my health issues, and I had been spending far less time on the computer.
Unfortunately, the past couple of months have proven to be even more difficult. Now is not the time for details, but I can say many things are changing right now as I’m walking through the hardest trial of my life. God is so good, and I truly feel Him and see Him walking with me through this trial. He is my rock and my strength and He will make beauty from this mess. And so, I forge ahead in faith. Faith that I can still offer something through this ministry that is my blog. Faith that I will now have something more to add to my book.
Upcoming Changes
I called my blog Pea of Sweetness because it was a nickname I gave to my daughter. The rebrand is still going to happen in a way to make things look less “babyish,” and I will be embracing that *I* am Pea of Sweetness. I am the daughter of the King. He is blessing me in ways that make it more real to me what a loving Father he truly is. I still plan to use the tagline I didn’t mention in the previous post. It is “Growing with my family on God’s vine.” It’s still very relevant. Just as God is a loving Father to me, He is a loving Father to my kids as well.
The next few months will continue to bring challenges, but I will continue to move forward in confidence. God is lending me strength I never knew I could have. I am trusting God. He loves me, and He won’t let me fall. I’m his Pea of Sweetness.
 

Goals for 2016

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I’m finally getting around to share my goals for 2016! I think it’s going to be a great year! Of course, one of my main goals is covered in my Word for 2016 – Contentment. I’ve learned the power of the written goals, though, and I’ve found sharing them with others helps you stay accountable!
Goals for 2016

Personal Goals for 2016

  • Better time management. This was my top goal last year, and I still haven’t gotten it down. I’d like to really get a schedule set. Again, I must acknowledge there is room for grace because with three special needs children, a husband with a disability, and my own medical issues, days often don’t go as planned. In fact, last year my health issues were intense. I’m praying for a better year – particularly now that they know the cause of my headaches. I need to recognize and leverage the “good days.”
  • I want to continue to spend more time in God’s word and have more quiet time with Him. I still feel like I need to work on this – for so many reasons. How can I be a vessel to spread His Word if I’m not listening to it?
  • Continue to strive for better health including pursuing answers and solutions for my health issues, using my essential oils and supplements regularly, get adequate sleep, drink more water and work out regularly.
  • Continue to work on being efficient. I have Sensory Processing Disorder so being efficient is challenging for me. I get overwhelmed and overstimulated so it’s like having a short attention span yet a need for perfection. It can be overwhelming!
  • Get the house more organized. We still have a few unpacked boxes. *Sigh* I just want to get all the things we’re not using out and everything else organized better.
  • Continue having regular date nights with my husband as well as making sure I make time for him. As a mom and blogger with health issues, I do have limited time, but it is so very important to give that time to him.
  • Lose weight. I’m going to be talking more about my health and fitness goals and starting my “Wellness Wednesday” link-ups!
  • Have a successful homeschool year – whatever that may look like for us. I’d like to get into a schedule that works well for us (we’re just starting our new homeschool year, so we still have some time to find our groove), plan more field trips and more hands-on projects.
  • Do more. OK, that sounds pretty generic. With my health issues this year, I didn’t really do much at all. I’d like to get out of the house more and get involved in things I’m passionate about.

Professional Goals for 2016

  • Last year was rough. I’d like to really grow Pea of Sweetness this year. I’m definitely happy with my decision to sell Deals of Sweetness so I can not only focus on getting more content here on Pea of Sweetness, but so I can also bring it back to what it used to be. I want Pea of Sweetness to be a whole reflection of me, and dividing my interest between two similar blogs was taking a toll. I can’t wait to bring new, fresh content to Pea of Sweetness this year!
  • Stop comparing. (I really covered this in my Word for 2016. It’s why I chose contentment.) I shouldn’t be comparing my growth to others. I have to trust that Pea of Sweetness is exactly where God wants it to be right now. It is reaching the people He wants it to reach at this time. It’s not about being popular or “big” – it’s about being open to His Will.
  • Create a schedule that makes sense for me given my other responsibilities – and stick to it.
  • Create a solid editorial calendar and plan for all of my websites and perfect the pages, design, and content of each. I also want to really get Sweetness Sisters Media going and offer support for bloggers and start promoting all of our services like helping others get a blog started with a nice theme/blog design as well!
  • Additionally, get Nerdy Household up and started. Yes, I said I don’t want to divide interest, but this is a fun site my husband and I will be working on together. Plus, it’s not really dividing interest because gaming, anime, etc., although it is a big part of me, doesn’t really fit well here on Pea of Sweetness.
  • Go through and fix old posts – create pinnable images if there isn’t one, edit any text if necessary, set a featured image if needed, etc.
  • Finish my book and look into publishing information.

What are your goals for 2016?