It’s waking up to sunshine, to a loving spouse, to rain, to chimes, to purpose, to faith. It’s just waking up at all. It’s energy to get out of bed and do all the things that are required of you from that first moment and for the rest of the day. It’s health. When nothing hurts or feels bad. It’s people to love. It’s people who love me. It’s walking and moving and breathing in fresh air and clearing out the cobwebs to think straight and make decisions. It’s birds chirping and singing as if they didn’t have a care in the world. It’s safety in our city and our country. It’s not hearing bombs drop and not seeing military with rifles on every corner. It’s fresh air to breath and fill our lungs. It’s majestic mountains to climb and hike, to photograph, to drive through, to remind us of His majesty.
It’s Mike, my husband of 36 years. My partner in life and love. It’s Andrew, my son who has brought us joy since the first day he was born. It’s Lexie, my daughter who has been a blessing since her first breath and cry. It’s knowing that these kids are my greatest accomplishment in life. If I ever wonder if I’ve done anything right -it’s them.
It’s food, glorious food. Not just for nourishment but for pleasure and community and as a way to serve others. It’s baking. It’s the process of taking ingredients that don’t taste good on their own and combining them to make something Heavenly. It’s cooking. It’s time lovingly spent to provide sustenance and nourishment to myself and others.
It’s friends. It’s having that commraderie. People who need people are the luckiest people in the world. It’s having a home group. It’s knowing you have a home team, knowing you have someone in your court, people that want to spend time with you, people you can call in crisis, people you can call in the middle of the night. It’s community. It’s belonging somewhere. It’s being part of something bigger than yourself. It’s having a pastor or spiritual leader with Godly wisdom to warn us, admonish us, encourage us and remind us of Gods love. It’s everyone sleeping under one roof. It’s not common to have adult children sleeping under the same roof as we do but its our reality at the moment and I love it. I love knowing I can actually be here for them when they don’t have any significant others in their lives yet. We are it. It’s family. Again that feeling of belonging and that love that only a family has for you. It’s siblings, and in laws. its grandparents and parents. it’s nieces and nephews and cousins.
It’s problems. If I didn’t have a problem how would I know my God could solve them. It’s pain. We have to know pain and sickness to know and understand healing. It’s loss. We have to know grief in order to know the Fathers comfort. The greater the love the greater the grief. Intense grief reminds how blessed we were to experience such deep love. It’s tribulation. It’s being humbled and strengthened at the same time. This builds character and integrity like nothing else does. It’s helping others. It’s taking our eyes off ourselves temporarily and meeting the needs of another. The act of helping others is validating and empowering and brings deep fulfillment when all is said and done. It’s empathy. It’s your understanding of others and their understanding of you. It’s encouragement. Who doesn’t love to be encouraged? Who doesn’t need to be encouraged? It’s support. Its knowing you are never on your own. It’s knowing you have your own fan club. Nothing like it. Dont under estimate.
It’s exercise. Our bodies were made to move. It’s how they function best. Exercise can be medicine. It’s hard work. It’s knowing we are valuable and contributing to society. It’s meaning and purpose and fulfillment not to mention provision. We are to work as unto the Lord. It’s commitment. it’s loyalty. It’s integrity. It’s letting your yes mean yes and your no mean no. It’s authenticity. It’s about people actually knowing you and how your most likely to respond. It’s being a safe place for others and being trustworthy. It’s showing consistency of character. It’s being real. It’s discipline. It’s keeping your promises to yourself so you can trust yourself. It’s crying. Tears are a wonderful way to let out pent up emotions -good or bad. It’s a cleansing of the soul. It’s laughing. It is said that laughter is the best medicine. Try it. Let your self laugh and don’t take much of this life too seriously. It’s about celebrating life any chance we get. Any excuse. Life is a celebration.
It’s the ocean waves crashing against the shore on a warm Kona night as you lay awake in bed and realize you are on a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It’s rain falling down cleansing the earth and refreshing all. The sound of rain falling on your tent. It’s soothing and hypnotic.It’s snow gentling falling in front of a street lamp whitening the ground and then sparkling like Swarovski crystals. It’s music that sings the heart and soul to sleep. It’s music that makes any day a party. It’s singing. It’s wanting to sing. It’s having that lightness of heart to want to sing along. It’s Christmas with all the wonder the season brings. It’s a time of giving and sharing and peace on earth goodwill towards men. It’s gifts. It’s the spirit of giving and the joy of generosity. It’s more blessed to give than to receive. It’s surprises. I love a well planned surprise. A good surprise can change a difficult season for someone. It’s memories. Memories made and memories remembered. Reliving a special moment can comfort and sustain the heart.
It’s work. God gives us the ability to produce wealth. Work gives us purpose and fulfillment. Hard work can be so satisfying. A job well done has meaning. It’s wealth. Wealth is not just monetary. It’s wealth of health and wealth of soul and wealth of relationships. It’s talents. It’s recognizing and using the unique talents God has given us. These talents are a gift with which we can create our lives and experiences and bless others.
It’s movies. It’s an escape from reality when needed. Anything can happen in movies with all their special effects and script writing. Things we only dream about. It’s reading. It’s the ability to read. It’s the chance to live out some other story with new characters for a period of time. To get lost in their story and gain insight for your own. It’s a way to go on a vacation without ever leaving home. It’s books. Even in this world of fast paced, state-of-the-art technology there is still something about opening a book and turning its pages that is so gratifying. It’s a library of possibilities and knowledge and history and fairytales. It’s writing. It’s having a story to tell and putting pen to paper. It’s journaling to remember and to let go. It’s journaling for clarity and problem solving. It’s writing to let others know they are not alone on their thoughts, feelings and experiences. It’s pictures. A picture’s worth a 1000 words. So true. A picture speaks every language. Everyone understands a picture. It’s proof of our life and experience. It’s painting. It’s dragging a brush of paint across a canvas. It’s cathartic even if you’re not an artist. And whose to say you are not an artist. If it heals and brings joy, do it! It’s drifting along smooth waters in a paddle boat or blasting across the waves in a motor boat with the sea spray refreshing your being. It’s catching the wind in your sails and cruising along in a sailboat watching the shoreline race by or catching the sunset on the water. There is something about being on the water with all its tranquility and power.
It’s a million little things leading to peace, love and joy. It’s a million little things to be grateful for. It’s a million things to treasure. It’s a million little things that make up a life well lived. It’s a million little things.
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The Red Plaid Apron 