thirty days with a grateful heart. the prelude.

Ahh, it's that time of year again... the holidays. 

I have to admit for awhile now, I've had somewhat of a love/hate relationship with the holidays.  Somehow I am guessing this year will be no exception.

I love what they are supposed to be...  a joyful celebration of the birth of our Lord.  A reminder to be thankful.  A special time set aside to make lasting memories with the family and friends that we love the most.  Cozy sweaters.  Brightly wrapped gifts.  The Little Drummer Boy.  Fireplaces and recipes handed down for generations.  It's a Wonderful... Lifetime.  I could go on and on and on.

More often than not, however, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of never ending traffic and foul tempered people and finding just the oh, so perfect gift and my attempt to get it all done just right, it seems improbable that it can be any other way.  That it can be, slower.  That it can be, meaningful.  That it can be, enjoyed and actually celebrated.

And that is when crazytown threatens to take me over, body, mind and soul, and I have to do whatever I can do, with every fiber of my being, to... be still and simply take in the wonder of the season. 

Because it can be wonderful, my friends.  Really, really wonderful.  If we let it.

To that end, last year, a sweet girlfriend of mine suggested I take a few moments each day in December to reflect.  To remind myself what I love most about the season and just what it is all about for me.  To take an opportunity to look at my life, at those in my life, and be amazed at what God has blessed me with.  To simply be grateful. 

When all is going well and life is happy, happy, happy - my gratefulness is abundant.  Most would probably agree.   But, some days, and I have had more than a few of them recently, it seems as if the world is conspiring against my happiness. Some days, I wake up and wonder what in the world I could possibly be grateful for about today?

Perhaps it is especially during those times, when taking a minute, maybe two, to be grateful changes us.  Brings us back to what we know to be true, and ultimately, what is truly important in life.  With ever fiber of my being, that is what I am hoping. 

It was a difficult and life changing journey last year.

I would imagine it will be no less so this year. 

And knowing that, knowing that if there were any point in my life that I needed to remind myself to be grateful, it is now - makes this year's journey that much more... important.  More... necessary. 

More... scary.

Trust me on this one. 

See you tomorrow.  xoxo!