I invite you to join me today:
+ letting laughter bubble up and out
+ turning whole-heart to the One who heals our broken places, strengthens the weak, enlivens the numb, brightens the dreary, sparks the flame of our divine radiance
+ embracing family, in whatever shape, form, face it has taken: striving to release the pain, offer compassion to the stuck, reach out a hand to the afraid, love and thank and appreciate the ones who are with you no.matter.what
+ savoring sweets and salts and buttery and flaky and fizzy and crackly and luscious and velvety, all created by hands of love
+ letting moments of overwhelm take hold for just a breath: one fiery, foot-stomping, I’m TIRED of this burst; then breathing, one-two-three-out, letting that energy wash over and away, making room in our weariness for stillness to enter, for peace to return, for perspective to soften our edges, for gratitude to wrap our tired shoulders in comfort
+ sparkling our spirit with all that glitters, twinkles, shimmers, and glows, remembering that we are not meant to be dull and drab and lifeless: we are born for joy
+ seeking beauty in the forgotten moments, the quiet corners, the moments between: scrawling our loved ones’ names on glittering packages; the last scrape of spatula; the intake of breath after laughter; the release after camera-click; cold, clean air settling in our lungs; the cheery calls of hello! goodbye! merry Christmas!
+ and always, aways, delighting in the giving of thanks:
for all of this, and so much more.
Join me next week for a three-part celebration (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday), joyfully sending off 2011 and ringing in 2012. Think: printable goodies for you; top moments here and in your life; a round-up of inspiring blog posts I’ve discovered that celebrate this ending/beginning;
and finally, oh yes, a glitz-and-glam horn-tooting pot-banging sparkling-cider giveaway (imcluding free issues of Sprout and even one year-long subscription). Hoo yeah!
In the meantime, Merry Christmas to beautiful you and your family. I'll see you next week!
Sprout is OUT! Sprout, my new online magazine, strives to uplift and inspire by cultivating color, beauty, and meaning in our daily lives. Issue 1 asks: what would happen if we faced every day with a spirit of celebration? Click here to visit Sprout's home base.
3 colorful comments:
Amanda, may your Christmas be a joyous one.
Grace and peace to you.
Once again your words pour over me, simultaneously comforting my heart-owies and lifting my soul-wings for flight.
The words that stuck out most to me in this post: "delighting in the giving of thanks." Not just the actual giving of thanks, which, depending on circumstances, can be a minor miracle in and of itself. But oh, think of it . . holding on until I actually deLIGHT in giving thanks.
That's my goal for today.
your life and the beauty that shines so bright
helped make my Christmas
shiny and merry and meaningful.
Thank you for sharing your muchness, sweet Amanda:)
-Jen
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