My Cup Runneth Over!

For today, I am running over with an abundant heart full of gratitude: I have had enough energy to get the things done that needed to be done by me, I have been hugged by friends at the shops where I put out Christmas items, I have heard from all my daughters, I was given a neighbor years ago that became a "Grandma" to my youngest girl after my Mom died (invaluable) and I talked with her today, my husband and I went out to lunch and talked and talked, we drove through the hills and valleys and soaked in the colored leaves and sunshine, I have a new "heart" friend through blogland, and I am looking forward to my tomorrows.

Not every day is like this but more are than are not and so for this day I am taking the time to feel the gratitude and say with every molecule of my being "Thank you, Father". And so it is.

Caught Between Two Worlds

I have another blog "Finders Keepers" and I just wrote a post there by the same title as here. As I was writing about being caught between Fall and Christmas at my antique booths and how it makes my head spin I realized I was feeling something deeper. Hence, this post. You see if I am really truthful with myself (and really isn't that who matters most?) I get torn between two worlds at Christmas starting right now. It is nearly two months until Christmas but I feel the pull of the material world, the pressure of our own culture to buy, to have, and to do. And then in the quiet I feel the pull of Spirit, of God's love reminding me that what I buy is not important but that how I treat people is. He reminds me that no gift takes the place of time well spent with a friend.....of shared laughter, tears, memories. He reminds me that spending time in the quiet with Him, fills my spirit to overflowing, empowers me in ways that are good so that I may be more like Him.

I must remind myself every day, with the pressures of advertisements to conform to a certain image, that I be true to me to what I know is Important and Everlasting.

How about you? Do you take the time to step aside and think about the Holiness of the Holidays? How do you keep the sacred?