Contentment

Right now, in this moment, in this time of my life, I am content.

I have been surrounded by people I love during the most wonderful, loving, happy, giving,  joyful time of year. I feel gratitude for the people I am blessed to have in my life and for the experiences I am given.  I feel loved by my family, friends, and my Heavenly Father. I feel the love of Christ, and I know I am supposed to help others feel that love He has to offer them. Contentment. Peace and rest to my soul.

Christmas Eve with the Summers family

Jack watch, Matt boots

Meg got a boxer blankie

My sweet gandmother

The traditional watching of A Muppet Christmas Carol

My mom and dad

Stockings on Christmas morning



Stitch

In all my contentment I understand that things will change. Life comes at you fast. Problems arise, health fades, opportunities differ. So I am clinging to the contented moments and putting them away to remember in the harder ones. And giving myself a little advice to soften and clarify the times when I'm not quite so content. In no specific order, this is what comes to mind.

It is critical to my spirit to search for Light-in everyone, in everything. It may be buried, it may be weak, but it's there if you look for it. It can change everything.

Understanding the difference between true judgments and personal opinions, values and insights can save more hurt feelings than just about anything else. So many times we assume we are being judged when someone voices something different from what we are thinking/doing/believing. We are usually judging ourselves harder than any one else could.

Love is the answer, really and truly. It strengthens, it heals, it brings understanding and peace. It gives continually without taking anything away. It grows when shared. It saves.

Someone else's achievements do not diminish my own. Everyone deserves the chance to grow, gain strength, and be blessed.

A beautiful outside cannot make your inside beautiful. Inner beauty radiates outward. Inner beauty can make anyone beautiful. I think everyone wants to be beautiful. The good news is, everyone really can.

Every day is a new beginning. Every moment is a chance to change. There's always a silver lining. There's always a way to see light.

Happy New Year!



(I wish for) Joy to the World and other Christmasy Things

As a connoisseur of all things Christmas,  I have delighted in the small,  simple,  wondrous things of the season.  I've loved singing hymns in church, watching Christmas movies with my family, and hearing the kids in my elementary school choir belt out Christmas carols to a packed auditorium. I've reveled in the magical smells of balsam and gingerbread.  I've enjoyed the decorations set out in my community and in the homes of my neighbors. I've loved giving gifts as well as hugs. The lights, the music, the goodwill, the treats, the atmosphere, the nativities...these things and more are what make Christmas for me!

My living room ceiling that Meghan "Buddified"
(see ELF the movie)

"My" elementary school choir

While I've been soaking in Christmas spirit, time has kept on moving-with all the stresses and craziness that life can bring.  I've let it affect me every now and again.  I've fretted and worried, I've stressed and obsessed. I've discussed life with others who are feeling stressed too. Inevitably I am then reminded  by well-meaning souls how much stress the holidays bring.  My first reaction is: WHAT? HOLD the phone!  SHUT the front door! I LOVE the holidays.  They are what's keeping me going!

Our gazebo that Chad got all Christmased up for me

After my initial shock wears off,  I can see where this feeling comes from.  If your plate is already full, the pressure of providing a perfect Christmas seems daunting even to the well prepared, and I am usually well prepared. But like many other things in life,  we have a chance to choose not what happens to us but where and how we will let it affect us. I almost lost my father last week. It was scary, and people kept asking if I would be able to celebrate Christmas if I lost him. I would. Christmas is about Christ and I would need Him more than ever after such a devastating loss. Would it have been hard without my dad? You're darn tootin it would, but dad would expect to me to carry on and find the joy in what the season is about. He'd be watching down on me, celebrating right along with me. Dad is still here and I'm more grateful than I can convey. I got a Christmas miracle! It only makes me more determined to seek Christmas joy and find meaning in all of it.

My wonderful parents

Dad before his Christmas miracle

Today I sat in on a wonderful history lesson about World War 2 that incorporated student activities as well as Christmas music. The reason for some of the carols we hear this time of year was taught to the classes  and the stories behind these beloved songs were exactly what I needed to hear to keep the Christmas Spirit flowing strong. Christmas is not stress to me. It is  rest from everything worldly and troublesome. It is joy, it is love, it is meaningful.   I intend to enjoy it to the fullest.

You Said It!

 I love, love, love this time of year. It makes me emotional. I'm out of  words right now. I feel so much, and it's all over the map depending on the event at hand. But I want to express. So this is how I'll do it. Thank you Pinterest, thank you Facebook, thank you meme-makers, thank you wise, wonderful people. You said just what I meant!

By Small and Simple Things

I'm a believer that the small things in life add up to the greatest things in life. There are lots of great moments, but the simple things seem to mean the most in the end. I've been keeping track of a lot of them, and on this day before Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday) it seems appropriate to list them.

The beautiful friend standing on my front porch in her socks to hand me a "Box of Sunshine"" to make my day great.

The way my (almost) 16 year old hugs me and tells me she loves me when she gets out of the car right smack in front of the high school.

Having my married 20 year old call me and thank me for teaching her how to do simple housekeeping chores, and thank me for teaching, raising and loving her. Full circle.

Being called beautiful when I'm really not feeling that way.

Snuggling up to my husband of 22 years and still feeling that giddy, happy feeling that he is mine!

Getting a car and a vacuum in the same week and feeling spoiled by my sweet husband.

Being told by a seven year old that on Thanksgiving Day when his family tells what they are grateful for, he is going to say he's grateful for me! (yes, I teared right up at that!)

Realizing the great posterity I come from, and being grateful for being taught well by example and not just word.

Being able to say I love you to people, and not be scared to say it.

Having the lights on my tree and being able to say it was worth the time to do it!!!

A week, a day, or even an hour when I can breathe! Something that a lot of people take for granted but I am so, so thankful for when I can.

Good sales. And I mean GOOD sales. Not the 15% off sales, but the real ones 40% off or more. 75% off and higher are the best ones.

A family of neighbors and friends and community.

LOVE as a whole. For everyone, from everyone.

Can't Get Over It

I will forever be amazed at the timing that God has for the circumstances and people in our lives. I will forever be grateful for it. I can't get over it!

I could tell you all the things that my family and I have experienced in the last few weeks, but all you really need to know is that I am so weary from all of our experiences that I could lie on the ground and flop around like a dying fish. But that would take away from the feelings that I am trying convey.

In this season of gratitude and  thanksgiving, I could write endless posts about the things I am so privileged to have, experience, feel, and witness in my life. I am blessed beyond measure and hope that I can always be aware of every blessing I am graced with. Right now, I am acutely aware that I am blessed with angels in my life-in both heavenly and earthly forms. I am amazed and humbled by the never ending line of good, kind, generous people that parade through my days and in and out of my life. I feel God's love and His light from each one of them. Thank you to my angels; seen and unseen. I will pay it forward.

And if that's not enough, take a little listen to this song. It came on the radio last night as I was feeling immensely blessed by a few angels who stepped up for me. This brought it all home.

Oh.... I believe there are angels among us
Sent down to us from somewhere up above
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live, to teach us how to give
To guide us with the light of love

I'm Ticklish

I am strongly opinionated about a few things and Christmas is one of them. I love it.

I have been watching people on social media and in the stores as they see Christmas decorations out and  hear Christmas music "and it's not even Thanksgiving yet!" It absolutely tickles me how heated this subject can get. Not that I get tickled at the arguing  about when and how Christmas should be celebrated, but at the fact that it makes people so emotional. Emotion can be a good thing. Being passionate about something has a place in the world for sure.

I will put it out there that I believe everyone should follow their hearts concerning Christmas as well as Thanksgiving. I believe, and I know there are people out there who believe as I do, that Christmas and Thanksgiving go together as well as peanut butter and jelly. I can't think of anything more fitting than taking a holiday of giving thanks and pairing it with a holiday that celebrates receiving the greatest gift the world has ever known; the Son of God, the Savior of man. Taking a season of Thanks and adding the Spirit of Giving is a beautiful way to spend time. I celebrate Thanksgiving, and I do it to the hilt. I even celebrate it before Christmas! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I happen to love counting my blessings with family and friends gathered around me, eating Thanksgiving dinner and listening to Johnny Mathis or Bing Crosby croon songs about a silent night in Bethlehem. There's no better slice of heaven in the world.

So I guess I'm saying that it's okay if you decide to listen to carols after Thanksgiving. If you put your tree up in December I am happy for your tradition. As for me and my house, we will revel in the joy of families being together, giving thanks and caroling, and celebrating the wonder in all of it. TOGETHER, these things keep me focused on the things my heart knows these holidays are for: love, charity, gratitude, giving and peace. I never worry about this time of year becoming commercialized for my family because we keep the good things of both  Thanksgiving and Christmas  as the main focus . Christmas spirit can last all year, just as Christ and His love has endured through the ages. I'm grateful.

Observations

I find that there are times when I have to just stand back and take in the view. Not just of the world, but of the people in it. Sometimes I get so caught up in my life, I forget to look around me. I forget that everyone else is experiencing things too.  I forget to understand them, and what they may be going through. Some of my observations lately...

Most people are doing their best. Sometimes their best fluctuates, but most people try to do their best with their circumstances.

Most people try to be kind, and the majority of them have NO idea they could have just offended someone. Granted there are people who are mean just because they can be, but most people aren't out to get others. Most of the things we humans get offended by were never meant to offend us.

There is a bright side to every situation. To be fair, there is another side to every situation. And there's usually a little truth to both sides. I like looking for the bright side on either side. Sometimes I have to really look for it. But I feel like it's a great exercise to engage in.

This is a biggie for me: EVERYONE gets overwhelmed! A-ha moment!! Even the dynamic, energetic, have-it-all people get overwhelmed. It's part of being human. I have viewed this in myself as a character flaw, but I realize it's actually normal. I need to remember this.

There are times that a thank you can make or break a situation. Maybe even save it.

No one is perfect. It's a worthy goal, but clearly unattainable in human form. I think forward is a wonderful direction to be going in.

Life is good. For every bad there is a good. For all the junk that gets reported in our world, there are acts of kindness, miracles, happiness, and good deeds going on all over the place that we never see or hear about. That gives me great comfort.

It's a Gusher

Okay....I've got to fangirl a little. So I'm going to gush-just a little-again.....about one of my favorite bands. I love American Authors. I just do. They make me happy. They are positive and upbeat. And I met them!!!

So as a little background, I bought tickets to see American Authors in August. Chad, Meghan and I have been so excited! You know I have to be excited about a band to buy tickets to see them on a Monday night, and a school night to boot!

We got in line outside the venue about 4:30 pm-and the doors didn't open until 6:30 with the concert starting at 7:30. As it was general admission we tried to be early so we could be as close to our guys as possible. We met fun people there in line, and were probably among the first 50 or so to get in. So we scooted right up front and center. Actually there were two rows of people in front of us, but it was an awesome view.

The opening bands were pretty good (until one of the bands decided dropping the f-bomb during one of their songs was a cool thing to do) and though we knew almost none of their music it was enjoyable-until the lead singer jumped off stage and the crowd rushed the stage with wrecking-ball force. Now keep in mind, I'd been wrestling teenagers all evening to keep my spot near the front. I was kicked, called names and jabbed in the ribs repeatedly, but I was determined to stay up there so we could see our heroes up close. Well, the stage rush hurt all of us, and sent Meghan into a full-blown super asthma attack; one that we couldn't get back under control. So we had to fight our way out of the crowd and into the back to save our kid! It was heart-breaking. Once she could breathe again, we could see how crushed she was to be that close and then have to be hauled away from her heroes. When American Authors came on stage Meghan cried a fair bit through the first few songs, but soon we were able to settle down and enjoy just being in the same room with them. THEY ARE AMAZING! Some bands just don't sound as good live as they do on the radio-well this band surpassed all expectations. So good, so happy, so positive and fun to be with!

Though I was reveling in the fact that I was seeing these guys live, the mother in me was a wreck about Meghan. I felt so bad I had to pull her out of there. I knew I had just squashed one of her dreams. So I prayed. Yup-prayed. During the whole time my band was playing and I was dancing I prayed that something could happen to turn our night around. And it did. During the last song, Zach Barnett announced that if we could just stick around for a bit, they would come out and try to meet some of the fans. I've never moved so fast to get in a line in my life! And we met them. And they're wonderful. They are warm and kind and fun and genuine. They turned our night back around completely. I'm a grateful mom, a grateful wife (Chad supported this even though he had to be up at 4:30 the next morning) and a grateful fan....

Best Day of My Life!

Dave, Zach, Meghan, Me, Matt and James