9. Sunshine and a warm winter day.
10. Kids running outside and enjoying the afternoon.
11. A job I love.
12. A quiet hour to think and meditate on what is good, and Him who is the source of all goodness.
13. A thoughtful book to wander through.
14. An under-the-weather husband who goes to work so he can provide for his family. How he loves us!

Not because I have to, but because what else could my response be to such a love as this?

“What kind of mother do I want to be?”
“What kind of wife do I want to be?”
“What can I do really well?”
“What can I let go of?”
“What is my purpose in this moment?”

Thinking…

Continuing my Gift List for this year…
This week, I’m thankful for:

5. My kids’ joy in the little things, like new pajamas.
6. Hope, even in the midst of disaster.
7. A quiet place to read and reflect and slowly start my day and
8. Children who know my need for a slow start and happily and patiently give me the space to do so.

Photo: My quiet place bathed in early morning light.

Yes, I’ve officially been a designer at Scrapartist for two years now! It seems like a lot longer to me, though! I just love it there! To celebrate, I’ve got everything in my store on sale for 30-50% off all week, and if you sign up for my newsletter before tomorrow, you’ll get a sweet little kit for free! Happy Scrapping!

“There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.” Elizabeth Lawrence

“It is never too late to have a happy childhood.” Tom Robbins

Today, no matter where you are or what you have to do, don’t forget to make some time to play.

*Make a snowman in your yard, even if you don’t have children, build a sandcastle, splash in the rain.
*Get out some paper and a pencil and doodle.
*Eat dessert first.
*Stop everything for five minutes and just look, just listen.
*Make something for someone you care about, just because.

Happy Monday!

This week, I’m thankful for:

1. Red paper flowers, cut out and carefully arranged.
2. A quiet evening in the dark, curled up on the couch with my husband and a good movie.
3. The power of prayer to change despair into hope.
4. A good book to read aloud together on freezing cold afternoons.

It’s a new year and I’ve been thinking a lot about life and what I want to get out of this whole thing. I have a choice–I can keep going on as usual, getting distracted by the day-to-day drudgery, unable to see the gifts and getting disillusioned by the American dream. Or I can choose something better–to take a risk, to place all my eggs in one basket, to choose to live deliberately, like every choice, every action, every prayer makes a difference.

I’ve been inspired by this post by Randy:

In the next twelve months, I want to believe for more than I believed for in 2009. I want to reach harder and burn hotter than I did in 2009. Should someone want to write my story at the end of my days, I want them to stare at January 1, 2010 wondering “What in God’s name happened to him then?’

That’s what I want from this coming year. To give myself fully to living out this life that I’ve been given, whatever that looks like, whatever it takes, I don’t want to look back and have any regrets. I don’t want this life to go to waste.