Merry Monday

Mariah Carey 

Song: "Oh Santa"
  

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Full of Christmas Spirit!

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On Saturday, I went to a local Christmas parade. Even though it was cold and rainy, it was fun standing with some family and taking part of something put on by the community. Oh and some eggnog helped too :) .On Sunday, a group of us girls got together to make gingerbread  (graham cracker) houses today. There's something about getting together and doing something traditional that revs up some cheer.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

Two turtle doves, 

and A partridge in a pear tree.

12 more days til Christmas!

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And the closer I’m bound in love to you, 
the closer I am to free.

— Indigo Girls, The Power of Two

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..

A partridge in a pear tree.

Shout out for Routines

As much as I like spontaneous and breaks from the everyday, there's certainly something to say for routines. As The Happiness Project blog pointed out recently (and I remember in the book) it's actually kinda important to do some things EVERY day. It's harder to do things 3 or 4 times a week, as you're always trying to decide if today or tomorrow is the day, and by doing things every day, you remove the obstacle. Some suggestions - exercise, read the Bible/pray, take a vitamin, tell someone you love them, and tidy things up for 15 minutes.

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Completely unrelated, check out this cool Save the Date video posted on Green Wedding Shoes. 

TGIF

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It's interesting to me that we were made with such a first person perspective. That it's so easy to be selfish, because we only really experience our own emotions and reactions and motivations. It's so easy to be removed from how others think and feel. I'm so aware of the paper cut on my pinkie that makes typing "a" a little difficult. But I would never know if someone else had something like that. I guess it helps me appreciate communication (thanks J for letting me rabble random thoughts, and for the others that let me expand vocally on thoughts), but I know I want to continue to improve on listening. I get easily distracted, and I want to get better at focusing on others, since it's too easy now to know how I'm feeling (after counseling  :) ). So I guess that's a resolution and a prayer, to continue to be honest with myself, and then get outside of myself already.

This Week's Verse

 

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"So whether you eat or drink, 

or whatever you do, 

do all to the glory of God"

-1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV 
   

I get to memorize a verse each week with our new Bible Study, Becoming a Woman of Purpose. Thumbs up so far.  If you see me, feel free to ask me to recite.  

18 days

My soul is like a house,
small for You to enter,
but I pray you to enlarge it.
It is in ruins,
but I ask You to remake it.

-St. Augustine’s Confessions

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It's kinda crazy for me to think that I could have kids someday, who will have never heard Jingle Bells or 12 Days of Christmas before. And that they might think (like I did) that it's the greatest thing ever, and never cease to sing it, at least for a season.

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