Happy New Year!

"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending."

~Carl Bard~

Gift Ideas - #3

Christmas Eve is here...ready or not! We celebrated here at home with our little family last night. At 11:10 p.m.  Yeah, it was exhausting, after a busy day at work followed by a couple of hours of last minute shopping. But the kids were excitedly persistent, and they won. It did buy us a morning to sleep in, so I guess that is a worthwhile trade.  :-)

We have done a really large variety of gifts this year, and that has made giving a little more interesting.

Last year, a student gifted me with this adorable painted pail that reads "Merry Munchies." It was full of goodies, which I emptied with help from my junk food lovin' kids.  This year, I chose a recipient, filled the pail with items I knew were her personal favorites, dropped it into a clear bag, and tied it with raffia. Not only did I clear one item from my stash, but someone else received a nice gift!  :-)

Gift Ideas - #2

Last Christmas, one of my students gifted me a painted, stemmed glass loaded with different candies.  Through the next several weeks, I really enjoyed having this decorating my desk. It was the perfect small snack during those "need some chocolate" moments.

Stemmed glass (decorated or not), confetti,
a round styrofoam ball, straight pins, candy

This year, I have decided to re-gift the stemware part, and add new candies. Mine (pictured above) isn't quite as pretty as the original because I didn't get the perfect shape/size of candy for layering. If I remember correctly, holiday tootsie rolls (which I couldn't find) were in the first one. This would make a great gift for a co-worker or an employer. A girl who cleans houses recently asked me about gifting her employer (who is rich and in need of nothing...lol). I suggested a gift of food - pie, buckeyes, cheese ball - but this would be a perfect gift for that situation. It lets them know you care without spending a ton of money and risking the purchase of something they already have or don't need. I hope you are wrapping up your shopping with ease! We pared our list down to 49 this year. Yes, that is 49 people on my Christmas list, not even counting Greg or myself. If there's anything left, I guess we might decided to add ourselves, putting it up to 51. :-) Last year we were somewhere around 55, and we decided to draw names in one gift exchange which helped to pull the number down somewhat.

Our first Christmas gathering is now history.  We celebrated with my family last Saturday.  This coming weekend will find us in Cincinnati with all of our extended Yount family (oh, the wonderful, happy craziness and noise!), and New Year's weekend will be celebrated with our Burley family in Michigan. 

Praying for safe travels and good health!

Day 13...Live In The Moment

Well, it's been a long "13 Days"...more like 30?  :-)  I guess that's what happens when you don't expect life to throw so many curves within a three week period!  It was to be a busy month, with a large fundraiser, school Thanksgiving dinner, Thanksgiving holiday, church Christmas dinner, and school Christmas play, but so many extra things piled in...it was almost eerie how many things happened in one month around here!

But...we've survived, and other than a minor glitch (like me having a sinus infection, ear infection, and bronchitis) it may still prove to be a holly, jolly Christmas!  I think this little exercise in focusing on being thankful has helped me to navigate all the stress much better than I would have otherwise. 

Now, here we are on Day 13.  I saw a sign this week that gave me a poignant reminder.  It read:

THIS IS YOUR HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

These weren't new words to me.  I'm a big fan of primitive decor, and little signs sporting catchy phrases such as these are abundant in primitive shops.  However, I think it spoke to me a little stronger this week because days like I have experienced recently are days that could easily be wished away.

How many times have we been guilty of the "I can't wait until..." mentality?  Whether it's getting the kids through unpleasant stages, hoping for more financial stability, achieving educational goals...we wish away the moments that bring pain and discomfort, not understanding that they weave themselves through the good times to make the beautiful tapestry we call life.

I mentioned a few days ago that my co-worker's mother was diagnosed with cancer.  She passed away last night, exactly thirty days after her diagnosis. Such a shock...completely unexpected.  She was 63 years old and looking toward retirement.  Twenty years ago, the age of 63 would have seemed like "old" age to me, but today that seems like a life cut short.  There is still so much living to be done in those golden years. 

It reminds me again of the importance of living "in the moment." Not "for the moment," but "in the moment."  The difference is clear.  I chuckle inside when I hear people talk about the "good 'ole days."  I can only imagine that if they had actually lived in the "good 'ole days," they would have longed for the "better 'ole days" that would have occurred sometime previous to the "good 'ole days."  Could it be that we justify our neglect of the present by living in the past or wishing for the future?

"Forever is composed of nows." - Emily Dickinson

As we plunge full force into the Christmas season, let's not be consumed with either what has been or what is yet to come.  Instead let's drink in every detail of the blessed present, being in tune with what others may or may not be saying, watching for opportunities to make a difference in the life of someone who needs us now. 

This is one of my very favorite books, written by one of my very favorite authors, Gloria Gaither.  The title of the book is also the title to one of her timeless lyrics, Fully Alive.  This prayer has been a call to action in my life, and I trust that it will bless you today.

Don't let me miss all the glory around me,
Waiting for heaven someday to come.
Open my eyes to miraculous Monday,
And make my feet march to eternity's drum.

Don't let me wait for some far off forever,
To say what I feel to the ones I hold dear.
Risking the pain and the joy of loving,
Keep me awake and alive while I'm here.

Fully alive in Your Spirit,
Lord, make me fully alive!
Fully aware of Your presence, Lord,
Totally, fully alive!

Be blessed today as you live in the moment!

Gift Ideas - #1

Gift-giving can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a lot of pressure, especially if the budget is very limited or the recipient is hard to buy for.  There are a few gifts that seem to stand out to me, and I thought I would share them.  If you're having a hard time, one of these ideas might help to give you a burst of inspiration.  :-) Today's idea is one of my favorites.

Family Cookbook

When I was a teenager, my Aunt Andrea Yount compiled a family cookbook for each of us teen nieces.  It's no secret that our family is blessed with amazing cooks, and she used recipes belonging to herself, as well as my mom, my Mamaw Yount, and my aunts Jean, Carol, and Sarah.  Some of these would be their "signature" recipes, the ones they typically bring to family gatherings. 

Andrea used a three-ring photo album, and wrote the recipes on white paper.  It is divided into sections with tabs, and has stickers to indicate which family member submitted the recipe.  Some of the recipes have special notes from the family member such as, "Uncle Joe's favorite...", which makes it extra special.

Next week when I see these wonderful women, I plan to take a photo of them and add it to my recipe album.

This gift will probably be one of the few that will be passed on from me to my daughters (I will have to make one for Allison). I suppose this could be put together for less than $10, but the value to me is PRICELESS!

Have you been given a gift that holds a special place in your heart? Feel free to share. We could all use new ideas!

What's Your Color?

I'm in love with this little man, and a few more just like him! Snowmen are so festive and so stinkin' cute! He has siblings all over my house.  :-)

After 13 years with the same tree decked with multicolored lights, we decided to switch things up a bit. We used all white lights, added a new tree skirt and stockings, and I placed white and red berry sprigs randomly throughout the tree.

The kids were hesitant to switch to white lights cause they are "anytime" lights, but everyone was willing to give it a chance.

It's turned out to be a really beautiful tree, but it just doesn't seem quite right without the blaze of color.

So I'm already wondering about next year...maybe it will bring a bigger house so we can have one of each!

Anyone want to share your colors and why you choose them?

Day 12...Bloom

A few weeks ago, I heard Joel Osteen speaking on the topic of his new book "Every Day A Friday."  The premise of the book is about intentionally shifting our perspective from the "I have to" to the "I get to,"  and I was more than a little convicted by Pastor Osteen's words.  Too many times I have been guilty of taking for granted the opportunities that God has given me. I may have even considered them burdensome.  Rather than saying, "I am blessed to be able to get up and do what I love,"  I might take a more negative tone and think something like, "Ugh.  Another day."  Granted, not being a morning person sometimes affects my a.m. self-talk, but that's no excuse.  :-)

How we face our days and the tasks they contain (whether pleasant, difficult, or somewhere in between) is important.  Not only are we impacted by our attitude, but so are all of those with whom we connect.  Whether it is being at home with children, attending meetings with professionals, teaching in the classroom, or working the drive-thru at McDonald's, others can quickly sense when we are unhappy or unfulfilled. 

The familiar phrase "bloom where you are planted" indicates that we are to take root right where we are, and make the best of it, and that usually seems like good advice.  However, there are times when "where we land" isn't where we want to take root.  And there isn't a more unsatisfied person than one who is living outside of his or her calling.  That person often struggles with the "I have to" versus the "I get to" mentality because they aren't doing what they were created to do.

So, I often ask God, "Am I planted in the center of Your will?"  He assures me that I am, and that I should continue to "bloom"...happily, contentedly, and with a positive outlook, for that makes all the difference!


They say we are most thankful for what we have after it's taken from us.  It would be tragic for us to have to become an invalid to appreciate mobility, become unemployed to appreciate a job, lose a spouse to appreciate companionship and love, lose religious freedom to appreciate the opportunity for public worship, or become incapable of doing the things we do every day to appreciate the beauty and necessity of both the mundane and the extraordinary opportunities we are given.


"Thank God every day when you get up that you have something to do that day which must be done whether you like it or not. Being forced to work and forced to do your best will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness and content, and a hundred virtues which the idle will never know."
-- Basil Carpenter

Action Step:  Whether we're doing laundry, changing diapers, studying for exams, cleaning the church, helping with homework, or ___________________________ (fill in that blank!), our attitude toward the task sends a message!  Blooming is more than just poking our head above the soil.  Blooming is engaging everything within us to emerge with strength, to face the challenge,  and to open beautifully. 

Let's BLOOM!

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