Joyfull Living

One of my favorite things about Christmas is decorating my home. There is such joy in watching lights twinkle and see a touch of Christmas everywhere I look. Now it is not usually Better Homes and Gardens decorated, but rather a huge mix of this, that and the other put together until it becomes a beautiful collection of Christmas cheer. What I don't love is putting away the decorations. The usual method is to buy a new storage box each year and quickly place items in all the boxes until they are full. There are a variety of sized storage bins all filled to the brim with all the Christmas items. My decor could be categorized since there are items that are used on the mantle, coffee tables, above cabinets, tree ornaments, garland etc. But when putting them away, they all get thrown in the box that needs to be filled.  This 'system' has resulted in more boxes than necessary, it takes up more room than needed and causes more work at the beginning of the next Christ...

Several years ago when I first started running, I basked in the thrill of faster times, longer distances and enjoyed the competitiveness of 5K races.  Now with much more time as 'a runner', I've turned into a lazy runner! My running routine consists of the same route, same routine, speed, little exertion or challenge to excel. I haven't competed in a 5K in a few years now. This weekend our town hosts a 5K Turkey Wobble. This was just the spark I needed in my running. In preparation this week, I ran and timed myself for 3.1 miles, learned to push through fatigue, regulate my breathing and finished in an acceptable time. It's amazing what some anticipation can do for you!  The last day of training, my goal was to go 3 miles, then simply walk as I finished the run. Feeling good with some extra time remaining that morning after I hit the goal, I kept on. There is such an adrenaline rush when you find your goal and push past it!  Step by step, breath by breath I...

Today was the day I've been waiting months for! A cool, crisp morning to celebrate the beginning of the month of November.  What a difference one day can make. Yesterday evening, sweet hubby and I took an evening walk. The weather was warm and muggy. The more we walked the warmer it got, until we headed home feeling sticky and nasty.  This morning though, we opened the door and a fresh, cool, refreshing breeze greeted us! After 7 months of warm, humid mornings, this was a delightful beginning to the day! Today is also the beginning of a new month - Welcome November!   There is something that brings out a newness in our hearts this month.  Traditionally this month we tend to focus more on gratitude, on counting our blessings. A spirit of thankfulness is like this morning's weather - a fresh and refreshing perspective.   Through the daily grind of life, our focus tends to be on each day and the tasks it brings. Over and over, same people...

  I LOVE October!  I think I say that about every month of fall! September is usually a special month due to my husband and I both celebrating birthdays. It is also usually the month the extreme heat of summer begins to fade away.  This September was a little different. Our family faced a month of very difficult and challenging situations. If we chose to keep our focus on the circumstances, like ocean waves, reaching higher and higher they threatened to pull us under. But God...  He goes before us and knows exactly what we need, when we need it.  I had decided to participate in a month long, daily reading challenge - One More Step. Every day brought strength, hope and peace directly from the Word of God. When we choose to focus on the greatness of our God instead of life's situations, God wins every time.  As we close out September and move into October, we call it the Journey Forward. Life often gives us a hard road with twists and turns,...

This weekend, our family hit a major milestone in life! Our youngest son turned 18 which means that all 3 of our sons are now adults. We took some extra time reaching this milestone because God wrote our story a little differently than we had originally planned. Over 18 years ago, we were a family of 4 - dad, mom and 2 sons. Perfect size, perfect space between children, living a full and active life. After the birth of our boys and after we suffered 3 miscarriages we figured our family was complete.  But God wasn't done writing our story! During a season of life filled with some challenges, God brought us a miracle - a pregnancy, a renewed vision for life and family and a test of faith that built a deeper trust in the Lord.  I love looking back at that time of life now as we can so clearly see the hand of God in it. I share more about in the series Visionary Womanhood . But a quick synopsis began with a layoff at my husband's place of employment. Training began ...

This week sweet hubby and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary. The days leading up to the date were filled with the demands and rhythms of life and we held off any celebrations for a few days.  One of those life scenarios dealt with our vehicle. Since my knowledge of my car consists only of driving and putting gas in, sweet hubby has always urged me to pay attention if something is not right and let him know. I noticed a different sound while driving and mentioned it to him. Together we went to the car and determined the sound came from the fan of the air conditioner control knob.  Anniversary day came and as he went to work, I was to take the vehicle to the repair shop and tell them what was wrong. The technician came to the car and listened. "The blower fan is stopped up" was the quick diagnosis. A series of questions were asked such as did I park under trees, were pine trees near the car etc. Usually leaves can fall and get trapped in this area and hinder th...

With Father's Day coming up quickly, our thoughts naturally turn to our fathers, it is extra special if you are a girl who have or had a dad that loved and supported her.  My father is no longer with us, but he left a healthy dose of memories - along with instructions on how to use them! As a girl growing up, my father often spoke of his father who passed away before I was born. My father was greatly influenced by his father and his passing deeply affected him and he freely shared from his grief. He shared memories from his childhood and the love that was passed between them which was very special.  My favorite memory of my father was when we were on vacation at the beach. The day was cloudless as Dad and I went into the ocean to swim and were standing with the waves gently washing over us. We were truly making memories and he wanted to make sure this one was planted deep into my heart. He spoke of his father and the pain he felt when he passed away. He shared how mem...