No more bashing of self....it's not healthy. I just thought I needed to share the previous post to begin taking off the mask. Now I would like to change gears and share some of the things that bring me JOY. I hardly ever participate in those questionnaires my friends pass along to find out my favorite color, my favorite food, where my cell phone is right now, etc. etc. I wanted to make up my own list of things I find WONDERFUL. So if you really care, continue reading. (But, I'm really doing this for myself to remind me of how many gifts God has given me and to remember how wonderful life CAN be. I tend to get so bogged down in the atrocities of the world, the ugliness of people, and the pain that comes with life that I forget too easily the beauty all around).
So, here are a few of my favorite things:
big cumulus clouds floating in a sea of blue sky
snow-capped mountains; clean crisp air; spring starting to emerge as baby buds pushing away the cold
new life: a newborn baby, crocus in spring, a soul coming to know her Savior
my child unlocking the world of learning through the gift of reading
a tiny hand grasping my finger
a toddler's hugs around my neck
little fingers combing through my hair
the smell of freshly baked ANYTHING (bread, cookies, donuts...AHHHH, happiness)
listening to a songbird sing to her lover
hearing the trickle of a mountain spring
watching the sky explode with vibrant warmth at sunset
eating a delicious meal with a glass of wine, candlelight and my high-school sweetheart
watching the grace and beauty of dancers on stage who float on air
the drama of a symphony or the whisper of a sole violin
hearing my children play piano and liking it
leaves morphing into blazes of fire in fall
sweats, blanket and a good book to snuggle down to on a cold, rainy, quiet day
speeding down a powdery slope with the sunshine glinting off the diamond-flecked snow
riding a four-wheeler in the lush green mountains of Kauai
skating along on a jet-ski across water smooth as glass
movies that make me think long after the credits have rolled away
the beauty of words on a page that paints like Rembrandt in your mind--richly textured and so lifelike
the smell of freshly ground Ethiopian coffee beans
the healing power of a good swedish massage (body, mind & soul)
the flood of the Holy Spirit washing over me while worshiping in the presence of God
the knowledge that I am a child of God, dearly loved and blessed beyond measure
"The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy". ~Psalm 126:3
I think I need to make this a regular occurrence. I sure do see life a whole lot differently when I take the time to think about and list the things that bring me joy. It's good balm for the soul.... You should try it, too!
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My mom gave us girls thankful journals, the idea is to write one or two (or three or four...) things each day for which you are thankful. I need to remember to do that.
ReplyDeleteLoved your list and that you took the time to share! So many wonderful large and small things to love!
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