{inspired'11}... Day 12

{inspired'11}

day.12


l
{Describe one person you look up to and why you look up to them.}
l

Previous writing prompts are listed below:

day.1
day.2
day.3
day.4
day.5
day.6
day.7 & 8
day.9
day.10
day.11

{inspired'11}... Day 11

{inspired'11}

day.11


l
{Do you have more grace for others than you do for yourself? Do you need to have more grace for others? Do you need to have more grace for yourself?}
l

Previous writing prompts are listed below:

day.1
day.2
day.3
day.4
day.5
day.6
day.7 & 8
day.9
day.10

{inspired'11}... Day 10

{inspired'11}

day.10


l
{What is your favorite Christmas tradition and why? Are there any new traditions you have started this year or want to start this year? If you haven't started it yet - what is stopping you?}
l

Previous writing prompts are listed below:

day.1
day.2
day.3
day.4
day.5
day.6
day.7 & 8
day.9

{inspired'11}... Day 9

{inspired'11}

day.9


l
{If you could be any superhero of your choosing.... which one would you be and why?}
l

Previous writing prompts are listed below:

day.1
day.2
day.3
day.4
day.5
day.6
day.7 & 8

{inspired'11}... Day 7 & 8

{inspired'11}

day.7 & 8


l
{day.7}
{Pick one word that describes 2011 for you.}

{day.8}
{Pick one word that you want to describe 2012.}
l

Previous writing prompts are listed below:

day.1
day.2
day.3
day.4
day.5
day.6

{inspired'11}... Day 6

{inspired'11}

day.6


l
{  What is one goal you have for 2012 and how do you plan to achieve it? Was there a goal that you had for 2011 that you were able to achieve?}
l

Previous writing prompts are listed below:

day.1
day.2
day.3
day.4
day.5

{inspired'11}... Day 5

{inspired'11}

day.5


l
If you had to pick one way to inspire someone else this next year – what would you do and who would you chose to inspire?}
l

Previous writing prompts are listed below:

day.1
day.2
day.3
day.4

{inspired'11}... Day 4

{inspired'11}

day.4

l {What is your favorite Christmas memory and why is it your favorite?} l
Previous writing prompts are listed below:

day.1
day.2
day.3

{inspired'11}... Day 3

{inspired'11}

day.3

l {What is one thing you have always wanted to do but haven't?} l

{inspired'11}: Day 2 - What is my highlight of 2011?

{inspired'11}


day.2

{My Prompt Response}


l {What was the highlight of your 2011 and why was it so great?} l

I am not going to lie…. 2011 has been a very hard year for our family. I think I can comfortably say that it has been the hardest year in fact. However, on a rainy day it is impossible to miss the rainbow that God so beautifully displays for us all to see. It serves as a constant reminder of his promise that indeed everything will be okay.

As I battled this year for the most basic thing….to live…. I too could not miss the MANY rainbows that God placed before me. To pick just one highlight for 2011 would be impossible. I think that 2011, in fact, was the highlight itself - perhaps the highlight of my entire existence here on earth thus far.

The ministry that God personally completed in my own heart was astounding. I find myself more focused than ever. I find myself knowing exactly what God has called me to do. I find myself with a certainty of what my purpose is in this world. I find myself with sheer and defining convictions that are no longer muddied by the world’s expectations.

I also watched amazing things happen within my family. I watched my boys bond to an even greater level. I watched them mature and grow in their own faith. I had the privilege of a front row seat as God extended their wisdom, grace, and love. I watched how they helped take care of one another and how they doddled over their baby sister. I guarantee there is no greater joy in this mother’s heart than to witness these changes in her own children.

Yes, things were so hard. They were beyond words hard. I remember telling Jason that I could really imagine what dying felt like because I hurt that bad. I am beyond grateful to God for giving me the will to live for without that I would have given up long ago.

I remember feeling such elated joy as I finished chemo and then even more so upon finishing radiation. It was like I could finally exhale the breath I had been holding for 9 months and say – It. Is. Finished. I also quickly realized that I would have never felt that ecstatic joy if I wouldn’t have gone through the trial itself.

What was your highlight of 2011?

You can post your comments below (even anonymously) or you can email them to me at andreagressman (at) gmail.com  

To view the other {inspired'11} prompts check below:

day.1

{inspired'11}... Day 2

{inspired'11}

day.2

l {What was the highlight of your 2011 and why was it so great?} l


To learn more about what {inspired'11} is go here.

{inspired'11}: Day 1 - 30 Days to Live....

{inspired'11}

day.1


{My Prompt Response}

I remember, (Wow! It was actually 10 months ago from today!) when I was first diagnosed that the thought that I was going to die in the near future was very real to me. So, as I think about this question - if I only had 30 days to live, how would I spend it? - I would most likely do the very same things that I did when I was first diagnosed with cancer – only even more deliberate.

I remember that it was very difficult for those who were closest to me to see me plan for the worst. Many would tell me that I needed to be optimistic - they would reassure me time and time again that I was going to be fine - they would tell me to keep my faith. It wasn't that I was not optimistic - that I didn't believe with all my heart that I was going to be fine - or that I didn't have faith…. What was going through my mind at that time was that you never know what is going to happen. I wanted to hope for the best but be prepared just in case.  

I am sure that nearly everyone else out there that is diagnosed with one form of cancer or another (or any other potentially life-threatening disease) do not actually believe that they are going to die. But the fact remains, that sadly some of them do. I knew that even though I hoped and prayed to the very core of my soul that it wouldn't be me - it could be…. I also knew that if it were me - I had a duty and a responsibility to my husband and my children to leave as much of "me" behind as I possibly could. 

The first thing I started doing was writing on {here} as much as possible. I wanted my children to know my voice and if I wasn’t going to be here so they could verbally hear me then at least they would have my written word. I wanted them to know my journey – even the struggles. I wanted them to know how hard I fought for them to stay here as long as I possibly could. How I didn’t go easily. I wanted them to know my love for them and their daddy. How it was an honor to be Jason’s wife and Cale, Ky, Creide, and Kearyn’s mama.

Most importantly – I wanted them to know how much I love God. Despite it all – I love the Lord with all my heart and I wanted them to know that I wasn’t angry at Him, I didn’t blame Him, all I had was love. Even though I had cancer and was going through the hardest time of my life – I knew God was right there with me and without Him I wouldn’t have any of it…. Not even the good things that I cherish so much.

The next thing I did was have our family pictures taken. My friend, Jess (you can see her work {here}), graciously agreed to take them for us and I will truly be forever grateful for her heart of willingness. She did an amazing job and was able to truly capture the personality of our family. I will treasure those memories forever. 

It was important for me to have these done right away. I didn’t want them done 6 months down the road with my hair gone and me looking awful because of the months of drugs that had been pumped into my body. I wanted my husband and my children to remember me as healthy as they possibly could.

When the pictures were taken I had actually already gone through one chemo treatment. I remember the thought of cancelling went through my mind because I didn’t feel very well at all but I am so grateful that I didn’t.

Another thing that I did was I arranged a potluck and invited all of our friends and family. I knew that the next few months were going to be tough and that I wouldn’t be able to see them very much. I wanted one last time where we could get together and celebrate life together.

If I knew that I only had 30 days to live… after I did all of the things listed above I would spend every second possible with my husband and my children. I would ask my husband to take off as much time from work as possible and I would create as many memories as I could with them. I would document everything – both in writing and with photos. I would write letters to each of them and make sure that I was right with God….

How would you spend your last 30 days?

You can post your comments below (even anonymously) or you can email them to me at andreagressman (at) gmail.com  

This is a {prompt-response} for the {inspired'11} series I am doing for the month of December. If you would like to participate, check back daily for the writing prompt. It is as simple as that! 

{inspired'11}... Day 1

{inspired'11}

day.1

l {If you only had 30 days to live, how would you spend it?} l

If 

Something Totally {New} & a Little Bit {Crazy}!....{inspired'11}

It is absolutely remarkable. A miracle if you will. But for the last year I have felt so totally and completely inspired. Yes, even going through cancer treatment. I have wanted to do SO much. There are literally projects upon projects saved in my email inbox, on my hard drive, in my phone, and across my desk. However, for most of it, I sadly have not had the energy (or the time as I was literally a full-time patient). I was barely hanging on to the things that I desperately needed to at the time and even my own blogging took a backseat from time to time. But no more!

I am inspired and I want to inspire. But how, you might ask? Great question! Well, I thought of the one thing that I am continually inspired to do myself. Write. I know there are so many of you out there that are "closet writers" too - like I was for many years. Have no fear - you can remain in the closet if you want to. I will not be asking you to send in your work. I mean, you can if you would like. I would LOVE to read it. But it is not a requirement to participate. 

You also don't technically have to be a "writer" to participate either. Maybe you have always wanted to write but have never had anything to write about. Perhaps you want to photograph your responses.  Maybe you are like my pastor and do what he calls "man-journaling". (What is "man-journaling" you ask?) Well, it is when you journal in bullet points of course!) Maybe you have a weekly coffee with someone and need a good conversation starter - whatever. But I am getting ahead of myself. I haven't even told you what it is yet! So here it goes...

Each day from today (Dec. 2) to Dec. 31 I am going to list a prompt here on my blog. You can then write about the topic, discuss the topic with others, or whatever! Maybe you don't want to do anything with it and you just want to come here and see what crazy ideas I have for 30 days - or if I can even do it for the 30 days. Whatever you want to do is fine with me. :-)

I am calling this... okay, there has VERY little originality here.... {inspired'11}

I, of course, will be writing about each prompt here on my own blog. So, there is going to be lots of writing here going on (at least for me anyway - hopefully you too!) 

Here is what you need to do..... Just check back here everyday and then it is up to you on how you want to go from there. I would love to hear from you if you do decide to participate. You can send me a note at andreagressman (at) gmail.com If you could please put {inspired'11) in the subject line that would be helpful. You can also select "follow" in order to follow my blog and see when things are updated and probably the best way to ensure that you don't miss a prompt - you can subscribe for email updates. :-) If you decide to post your {prompt-responses} on your own blog, please send me the link and I can post them on here as well. 

Anyway, that is it for now! I am so super excited. I hope there are some of you out there who are excited too! Day 1 - here we come! 

~Andrea