This Season!

This season makes me smile. Actually, it makes me grin from ear to ear! It is a time to look around and hear and see love abounding. Love of family, love of friends, love of strangers, and love of life. This time between Thanksgiving and New Years, well to me it's the stuff that dreams are made of. A moment in time to really believe in wishes again, to have additional hope that God does hear our pleas and will bring us out of seasons of waiting.

This season makes me joyful, it makes me see each day that I am so blessed, so favored, so chosen, to live this particular life that is mine. I look around and see my precious family, and I am grateful for their support and the "village" of love and care. I see my friends and I am honored to know that these wonderful people care for me and bring laughter and light to my life.

This season, even though it comes at the end of the year, it also feels new. It is the time of cheerful and faithful music on the radio, the chiming bells of holiday giving, the promise of straight-up goodness. And that is something I can always use, just a good, old-fashioned dose of overflowing, amazing goodness!

This season can also be a time of rest. In between a busy social calendar, it is a season for snuggles and hot chocolate. A season for hoodies and blankets and endless, love inspired Christmas movies. The days get darker earlier but the sleep seems more sound. The rest seems more fulfilling as we go to bed with wonder whirling around in our minds, because lets face it, anything is possible at this time of year. Absolutely anything, if you only believe! And yes we teach that to the children, but we need to reteach it to ourselves.

This season has its own special charm. Part, over the top merriment. Part, childish delight. Part, being open to the possibility of spectacular things. 2015, it is time to start saying good-bye. So, for this next month, lets all agree to a simple mantra, "Decide to see the good, Share the good, Choose Love and then Choose to Love More." If we do that, even if just a few brave, hopeful souls can do it, we will make a vast difference in our little circles of influence and living.

More Gratitude

Week 1 & 2
So, truth be told, I will probably only update my blog on a weekly basis, during this season of thanks. And that is ok:)

Last week, I was reminded to be grateful for life. My father turned 61, and his life and health are a great blessing. I appreciate life, when I see my sister go to Emory and receive wonderful news that her health is on target. That is something we never, never want to take for granted!

The time changed and now I'm waking up super early, but also getting quiet time to bask in the glory of the first breathe of morning and the first smiling, inner prayers for a new day.

Thinking back to last week, a particularly sweet section of gratitude goes out to the other women in my life who care for me like a daughter. Besides, my amazing mama of course. I am thrilled to have the most wonderful array of women who inspire me, share wisdom with me, and show me what compassion, love, and care are all about, when lived out each day. For someone with an old soul like mine, this group of women is SO special! And I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they inspire me to embrace all of life, the expected and the unexpected.
Just as a reminder to myself, here are some of the ways that they care and love me
* Letting me come and cook/bake (and sharing great insider tips into my favorite thing)
* Taking me out to lunch/dinner and then letting me ramble on about life (both the ups and the confusing sections)
* The WISDOM! I can't even begin to describe how their combined wisdom has enhanced my life. They are a varied, group, but each woman (so accomplished in her own way) has wonderful past life experiences to share.
* One in particular, just bought me a much desired, monogrammed jacket! But even before that, she checked in on me during a particularly difficult patch of my career, and I will forever be grateful....in fact I wrote about her here and the power of simple kindness.

I am blessed and work on being a blessing to others!

Ready for Gratitude

November 1

Good Morning world:) It's hard to sit still and type, because I am so very excited that we are in November!

This month, as in the past, I will be updating the blog with gratitude posts each day. In this "anything goes" world that we live in, I think it is imperative to slow it down a bit and take time to be thankful and also to share. Because we, "I" can end up sharing negativity far too much. This time of the year allows me to break the cycle and refresh my life with glowing gratitude.

So today, the Lord's Day, and the first day of November 2015.....where shall I start?

I will begin with new life, aka babies. My heart is thankful for all the new babies that are on the way in my family and circle of friends. Little, tiny people who will end up being our hope for a better world.

I have a sweet plethora of pregnant friends. And seeing the excitement and the planning and the joy makes me smile! That right there is something to be thankful for. If you are one of these amazing women, please know that I am praying for you and a healthy pregnancy and delivery. I also add the prayer that these little babies will grow up to know the Lord, and be a light to others.