"Carve" out Some Time

As Thanksgiving approaches I often feel like it is the forgotten holiday. People jump from fall and Halloween straight into Christmas with both feet. Now do not get me wrong, I love Christmas and the season with all my heart, but I am also a big lover of Thanksgiving. I have been excited about Thanksgiving since mid-October. I am excited not only for the food, but also for the day that will be set aside to spend time with my family.

I challenge you to take the day of Thanksgiving and disconnect from the things we are normally connected to. Leave your phone in a different room, do not let the stress of life get to you, and take a deep breath. Use this day to connect and be present with your family. Remember all the simple things we have to be thankful for; health, food, a place to live, or jobs.

Take time that day to connect and talk to the family that is present with you. Enjoy the food, conversation, and laughs. Break out some board games or a deck of cards and enjoy time and company. Take the time and let the true spirit and meaning of the day set in. Do not get lost and rush through a meal so you can stand in line at stores.

Now, you better believe that the day after Thanksgiving I am in full Christmas mode. Bring on the decoration, music, and movies. I love both of these holidays, mainly because I connect them to people I love being the same spot and enjoying the company of each other. While remembering not only the birth of Christ, but also reflect on the numerous blessings He has provided to me in my life.

Let me know some of the things you are thankful for below. 

Thankful

With Thanksgiving coming up I thought I would make a post about the things I am thankful for. The first thing I am thankful for is my faith. It has always been something I have been able to lean on. I love that faith is something personal and something that is not done for other people. I get to take the time to study the Bible and think about the things that are done. I am also thankful for my family. I love them and they have always been there for me. I am thankful for the crazy friends that I have. They sometimes drive me nuts, but they also make me laugh. There are endless memories and happy moments with them. I love the professors I have had the opportunity to work with. I have learned a lot from them and have had endless opportunities to better myself as a teacher. I am thankful that my last semester of actual classes is about to finish and that next semester I will be in a classroom working with students every day.

I challenge you to take the time to sit down and think about the things you are thankful for. I would love to hear the things you are thankful for.  

Facing Fears

So as I have said before I live in the Midwest. With this piece of information we all know that there is snow where I live and we get quite a bit in the months between November and March. Well the snow began for the year on Friday to Saturday night. This is the first snow that we have gotten this year that has stuck and accumulated on the ground. While I love snow and am devastated if I think there will not be a white Christmas I have one major fear that comes with snow. DRIVING!!!

I do not like driving in the snow. It makes me nervous. I am not exactly sure where this fear has come from. I am fine if other people are driving in the snow, I just get scared if I have to drive. Also if the snow is already on the ground I am fine, I just do not like driving while it is snowing. I get scared because you could be doing everything correct and lose control of the car and other people are sometimes crazy drivers in the snow.

Of course, it would happen that during this first snow I have to drive an hour to babysit for a family. I was freaking out a little bit. I woke up that morning and spent time praying for calmness and safety. I left to be on my way and spent the time in the car praying. Thankfully, I was safe on my drive and had a great time babysitting.

It is important to remember that God is bigger than all of your fears. He is protecting you all the time and keeps you in His arms. God provided me with a sense of calmness and strength. I am not saying my fear of driving in the snow had been cured, but I now know with God I can handle it and stay calm.

Spring Time

My favorite time of the year has arrived and that is SPRING. I know that most girls love fall but, I enjoy Spring wholeheartedly. It is the first sunny, warmth you receive after a long winter of below zero temperatures plus the wind chill. I feel like I can breath the air easily. Spring also has a smell to it that I love (you may think I am crazy but I promise there is a smell). It also is the perfect temperature and people truly appreciate the outdoors. I also love that everything is turning green and beginning to grow. I challenge anyone who reads these post to take the time to go outside and appreciate the Spring. Take the time to have silence and think. Appreciate God's creation and thank Him for everything He has done in your life. I often find it easier to look at the positive when the weather turns amazing and I am out enjoying the sun and beautiful creation.