Blessings of the Week - vol. 37

Happy New Year!

-1-

A Wonderful Visit with my Parents. It was just about as good as it gets. We celebrated Christmas. Santa visited. There were lots of games of Yahtzee and Rock em Sock em Robots. The kids read to my parents. Grammy and PopPop read to the kids. Memories were made. In every possible way, their visit was a real blessing this year.

-2-

A Quiet Week of Rest. After our busy fall, chaotic Advent, and house full of guests for Christmas, I needed some down time. I cancelled all the plans we'd made for the past few days and we holed up together. I got old toys purged and found homes for new toys. We went swimming as a family. DH took the kids to a movie. We watched movies, played games, and thoroughly enjoyed some quiet, restful family-centered time. What a blessing... what a gift... what a way to end one year and begin the next.

-3-

Remembering to take care of myself (again). After missing my workouts for 6 weeks, barely ever finding time to read or write, and even just squeezing prayer in my life, I've reveled in these few quiet days to get all of those things back on track. In Spiritual Direction this week, Father and I talked about setting a plan to make sure that exercise, prayer, and personal time stay in my schedule. And so, I am recommitted to doing so... to making my self-care a priority just as much as care for the rest of my family is a priority. As we move from the quiet of vacation back into the busyness of regular life, I need to take this blessing with me... to remember and put into action the necessary components of self care. It's a way to honor God as well as to care better for my family.

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I am wishing you a 2010 filled with blessings... and the time to pause and reflect on those blessings, offering thanks and praise for all the Goodness that He delivers every single day. Happy New Year!