I told my husband I was going to write this blog and he said, "Ah! Are you going to make me look bad?" Haha, no, I said... I'm going to make ME look bad.
Recently, I've been reading the book It is Well by Chris Faddis in which he tells the tragic, yet faith-filled, hope-filled story of losing his wife, Angela, to cancer. I followed Chris and Angela on their Facebook support page and cried at every post or picture posted. The posts spoke of very real suffering. The posts spoke of hope in Christ. The posts spoke of beautiful spousal love which transcended every mediocre version of love in movie or song, past feeling to dying to one another spiritually. The pictures showed their family loving one another through it all - both of their children hugging their mom on her hospital bed. I almost can't write about it even now, the intensity of suffering and faith that gripped our hearts and made us pray for a miracle.
There is a bigger Truth revealed in this book that hit home for me - a Truth I always knew, but hearing from someone who had put it into practice to the end rocked my world!
The Truth is: I am called to get my husband to Heaven.
Yeah, yeah, I know that and I do my best. But here's the other part of that:
My husband is the person God has chosen for me, to help me get to Heaven.
Let's read deeper... this isn't just about praying together. This isn't just about trying to guard the other's heart. This is about the CHALLENGES of marriage, specifically the challenge of being married to WHO you are married to!
(DISCLAIMER I want to clarify that I'm not saying if anyone of us is married to anyone abusive or unfaithful or irresponsible financially, etc, that it's something to be tolerated - I'm speaking today only of the normal, everyday annoyances and personality challenges that we face as married couples once the honeymoon is over!)
I have seen a lot of growth in myself, being married to David. He is more relaxed than I am, in general. His first response to crisis is prayer. My first response to crisis is panic, then prayer. :)
Chris Faddis talks about how we see the good and the bad of one another and how great it is that we can love each other beyond that. My husband's weaknesses, though, have a way of bringing about my weaknesses.
When he forgets to do something I have asked... I get frustrated and angry. Is that just his weakness -- or is it mine?
When he plays with the kids before bed while I am trying to calm them down for sleep and put the kibosh on all the fun..... is that his weakness -- or mine?
When he is running late in the morning because he took an extra long prayer time and I am mad that I put everyone's shoes on and he still isn't in the car -- is that his weakness or mine?
When he wants to be affectionate and gets his feelings hurt because I reject the affection in my own frustration that he doesn't understand I do NOT want anyone else to touch me that day... is that his weakness -- or mine?
Sometimes I think... AH! IF ONLY HE WOULD CHANGE this or that! Or Why, WHY, can't he see things MY way?!?!
Granted, there are legitimate things that he needs to work on. But more often than not... his weaknesses... the weaknesses I can so easily find in him (and overlook in myself), simultaneously bring up my own weaknesses... my weakness towards....
Impatience.... Self-centeredness... Frustration... Lack of Compassion... Lack of Humility... Lack of Generosity
These virtues are MUCH easier for me to practice outside of marriage, but oh-so-difficult to put into place in marriage... why? Because, I think we take advantage of the fact that we have seen one another at our worst, and are still loved. We assume the love and let ourselves get away with not really deserving it- nor even attempting to earn it.
So my spouse will get me to Heaven, not just by guarding my heart and praying with and for me.
He will get me to Heaven not just by being a loving father or a dedicated, faithful husband.
He will get me to Heaven just by being who he is - who God created him to be, for me.
And as I pick up his laundry in the middle of the bedroom floor once again....
I will be a saint.
:)
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Friday, January 24, 2014
My Mom's Rule of Life
Last year, I was reflecting on vocation and how each vocation looks very different from the other. The differences are obvious, but I wondered... what structures are in place in convent or monastic rule that are geared towards aiding the sister or brother to self-discipline/holiness. As I was reflecting on these things, I realized that each religious order has its own schedule and set of rules that they live by in order to stay organized, ensure adequate service to the community, discipline themselves to prayer and worship and study regularly, etc. I realized that even priests whose schedules vary greatly, are required to say the Liturgy of the Hours, which in itself is a loose structure for the day.
I really began to pray about how I could incorporate a schedule for our family and one day felt inspired to google something like.. "Family and rule of life". Up popped, Mother's Rule of Life by Holly Pierlot. (See Book Here)
It was literally an answer to a prayer! I immediately purchased the book and devoured it. We tried to implement it last lent, and then everyone was sick and then shortly after that we began to pack up our home to get ready to move to Kansas! The McHugh Mother's Rule of Life never stuck.
Now I feel called to pursue it again. It required a few transformations and confessions...
1) If I was being honest, my time at home was fairly wasted. I just didn't feel like cleaning. I was overwhelmed by having to do it day after day. I sat on the couch a lot and used the kids as an excuse to not really get much accomplished. During the summer, LIFE IS SO MUCH EASIER! Because we can go to the park and house stays much cleaner! :) Also, fewer clothes to wash in terms of bulk !
2) I realized that if my husband is at work all day. I should be at work, too. Not that I can't or don't need time to relax, but vocation is also work and I was beginning to slack off. Honestly, a lot of this has to do with that fact that I don't have school aged children and just didn't know what the heck to do with myself being home all day. I was going NUTS. To be fair, the kids were going nuts too.
3) My kids were watching too many movies. When we can't go outside I'm like... what are we gonna do... bake another stinking batch of cookies? I'm not creative. I really don't like crafts. Again, I just didn't know what to do with myself and winter/cold this time of year always gets me down in the dumps. I am really not a fan of packing up three babies and going anywhere, plus my kids or my husband and I were sick for almost a month, so we couldn't even invite anyone over!
Now, our schedule is simple and I'm not overly obsessed with keeping it, but it gives meaning and structure to each of my days. I've worked out almost every day for a month. The only day I didn't work out was when I was traveling to go record a theme song for LA Congress. This workout discipline has NEVER happened. My kids have begun to understand and know what is expected of them and when it is expected and that has made it easier to get them to learn what they are supposed to do, too!
Here is our schedule:
Mornings are TOTALLY flexible. Whatever time we get up, we get up. I'm not going to set an unrealistically early time because my baby still wakes up 3-4 times a night, toddlers wake up, and it's just gonna be how it is... I don't have anything SET in the schedule until 9am.
9am: Workout (This happens after breakfast and the workout is about 40 minutes, so I have wiggle room here)
10am: Clean an area of the house... Mondays= bedrooms, Tuesdays = bathrooms, Wednesdays = main rooms, Thursdays = kitchen, Fridays = Laundry, Saturdays = Catch up on anything I wasn't able to finish.
11am: Educational activity with the kids (We are working on Teach Your Kids to Read in 100 easy Lessons) Story time, game, cooking, etc... whatever we do must be with the goal of teaching them something and doing something constructive with them.
12pm: Lunch and Prayer
12:30pm Pick up
1:00pm Quiet Time. I pull out toys or books for the kids and they can do whatever they want as long as they are quiet and not into trouble ;) I will read, write music, or whatever I can do in that time that puts me in quiet mode if the baby cooperates -- working on making that time electronics-free for me -- no phone or computer!
2:00pm Music Time - Music lessons with the kids
2:30pm - 5pm I usually have music lessons, so I'll pick up and leave the kids to play and while I teach they can watch a movie.
5- 7pm Dinner prep and Cleanup
7pm: Bath, pick up bedrooms, stories, prayer
8pm: Bedtime for kids.
8:30 - 10:30pm unstructured couple time
Again, this is so general and loose that it has given me lots of wiggle room to fail but not so miserably that everything piles up on me. This is transforming our family for the better, but we still have lots of work to do before discipline as a virtue takes hold! We also are still working on better and more prayer time. I need personal prayer time and David and I need more prayer time together. So our schedule is imperfect, but we are working on it. Also, if we want to go out, we can.... if we have someone come over, it's not a big deal. I have stopped having all day cleaning days and for me, knowing there is a beginning AND an end to my cleaning time is really motivational!
So, this is the beginning to the McHugh Rule of Life! Now, off to convince my husband that the movie he is currently watching is boring...... HA :)
I really began to pray about how I could incorporate a schedule for our family and one day felt inspired to google something like.. "Family and rule of life". Up popped, Mother's Rule of Life by Holly Pierlot. (See Book Here)
It was literally an answer to a prayer! I immediately purchased the book and devoured it. We tried to implement it last lent, and then everyone was sick and then shortly after that we began to pack up our home to get ready to move to Kansas! The McHugh Mother's Rule of Life never stuck.
Now I feel called to pursue it again. It required a few transformations and confessions...
1) If I was being honest, my time at home was fairly wasted. I just didn't feel like cleaning. I was overwhelmed by having to do it day after day. I sat on the couch a lot and used the kids as an excuse to not really get much accomplished. During the summer, LIFE IS SO MUCH EASIER! Because we can go to the park and house stays much cleaner! :) Also, fewer clothes to wash in terms of bulk !
2) I realized that if my husband is at work all day. I should be at work, too. Not that I can't or don't need time to relax, but vocation is also work and I was beginning to slack off. Honestly, a lot of this has to do with that fact that I don't have school aged children and just didn't know what the heck to do with myself being home all day. I was going NUTS. To be fair, the kids were going nuts too.
3) My kids were watching too many movies. When we can't go outside I'm like... what are we gonna do... bake another stinking batch of cookies? I'm not creative. I really don't like crafts. Again, I just didn't know what to do with myself and winter/cold this time of year always gets me down in the dumps. I am really not a fan of packing up three babies and going anywhere, plus my kids or my husband and I were sick for almost a month, so we couldn't even invite anyone over!
Now, our schedule is simple and I'm not overly obsessed with keeping it, but it gives meaning and structure to each of my days. I've worked out almost every day for a month. The only day I didn't work out was when I was traveling to go record a theme song for LA Congress. This workout discipline has NEVER happened. My kids have begun to understand and know what is expected of them and when it is expected and that has made it easier to get them to learn what they are supposed to do, too!
Here is our schedule:
Mornings are TOTALLY flexible. Whatever time we get up, we get up. I'm not going to set an unrealistically early time because my baby still wakes up 3-4 times a night, toddlers wake up, and it's just gonna be how it is... I don't have anything SET in the schedule until 9am.
9am: Workout (This happens after breakfast and the workout is about 40 minutes, so I have wiggle room here)
10am: Clean an area of the house... Mondays= bedrooms, Tuesdays = bathrooms, Wednesdays = main rooms, Thursdays = kitchen, Fridays = Laundry, Saturdays = Catch up on anything I wasn't able to finish.
11am: Educational activity with the kids (We are working on Teach Your Kids to Read in 100 easy Lessons) Story time, game, cooking, etc... whatever we do must be with the goal of teaching them something and doing something constructive with them.
12pm: Lunch and Prayer
12:30pm Pick up
1:00pm Quiet Time. I pull out toys or books for the kids and they can do whatever they want as long as they are quiet and not into trouble ;) I will read, write music, or whatever I can do in that time that puts me in quiet mode if the baby cooperates -- working on making that time electronics-free for me -- no phone or computer!
2:00pm Music Time - Music lessons with the kids
2:30pm - 5pm I usually have music lessons, so I'll pick up and leave the kids to play and while I teach they can watch a movie.
5- 7pm Dinner prep and Cleanup
7pm: Bath, pick up bedrooms, stories, prayer
8pm: Bedtime for kids.
8:30 - 10:30pm unstructured couple time
Again, this is so general and loose that it has given me lots of wiggle room to fail but not so miserably that everything piles up on me. This is transforming our family for the better, but we still have lots of work to do before discipline as a virtue takes hold! We also are still working on better and more prayer time. I need personal prayer time and David and I need more prayer time together. So our schedule is imperfect, but we are working on it. Also, if we want to go out, we can.... if we have someone come over, it's not a big deal. I have stopped having all day cleaning days and for me, knowing there is a beginning AND an end to my cleaning time is really motivational!
So, this is the beginning to the McHugh Rule of Life! Now, off to convince my husband that the movie he is currently watching is boring...... HA :)
Operation Less is More Week II
WEEK II
Stats: 164
Difference from Last week: -1 lb
Size: I can squeeze into my size 11 jeans!! Woohoo!!
Even though I haven't lost many pounds this week -- well... one pound is alright -- I have lost in the past almost three weeks, about 2 inches off my waist!
This is what I've been doing:
Stats: 164
Difference from Last week: -1 lb
Size: I can squeeze into my size 11 jeans!! Woohoo!!
Even though I haven't lost many pounds this week -- well... one pound is alright -- I have lost in the past almost three weeks, about 2 inches off my waist!
This is what I've been doing:
1) Eating a lot. Stress ate a LOT because my kids were sick for almost a month and I was out of my mind. So, that stinks because I think I would have had much greater success if I hadn't sabotaged myself with ice cream and mindless Ritz cracker, cream cheese eating. It's just that my neighbor made the most amazing jalapeño jelly...
2) I am in love with the workout DVD's my friend, Joia ( http://eatsweatprayrepeat.com) lent me. They aren't the jumping-around-feel-like-I'm-dying Jillian DVD's. They are called ChaLEAN EXTREME and they focus on strength training. I have done them almost every single day. They are slow-moving, muscle building and I. Am. Stronger.
The other day, while I was doing my workout, I got down to do a pushup and noticed... wow, I don't feel like I'm about to collapse on the first one. It was noticeable!! I also noticed my belly button was a little more perky which is a great thing after having three babies -- it was looking pretty sad for awhile there. Hahaha. I know that sounds kinda funny, but I'm firming up! I was also able to do these workouts even though I fell down the stairs holding my 7 month old (he's fine) and totally bruised up my entire backside/leg. It was SUPER BAD, but because the workouts are so slow moving and concentrated, I was still able to do them and not miss any time.
Message Joia if you want info on how to get your own set. Seriously. I like these.
We are also on a schedule! Finally as a family we have days where certain things get done -- I'll post more of that later -- and I am just praying for the flexibility to go with things that come up but the commitment and will power to stay on track, too! This has helped me get my workout on. The other day after we finished breakfast, my two year old said "Ok! Now it's time to exercise!" (That's another reason I like strength training -- because I don't feel I need to wait an hour before working out!)
The other day, while I was doing my workout, I got down to do a pushup and noticed... wow, I don't feel like I'm about to collapse on the first one. It was noticeable!! I also noticed my belly button was a little more perky which is a great thing after having three babies -- it was looking pretty sad for awhile there. Hahaha. I know that sounds kinda funny, but I'm firming up! I was also able to do these workouts even though I fell down the stairs holding my 7 month old (he's fine) and totally bruised up my entire backside/leg. It was SUPER BAD, but because the workouts are so slow moving and concentrated, I was still able to do them and not miss any time.
Message Joia if you want info on how to get your own set. Seriously. I like these.
We are also on a schedule! Finally as a family we have days where certain things get done -- I'll post more of that later -- and I am just praying for the flexibility to go with things that come up but the commitment and will power to stay on track, too! This has helped me get my workout on. The other day after we finished breakfast, my two year old said "Ok! Now it's time to exercise!" (That's another reason I like strength training -- because I don't feel I need to wait an hour before working out!)
Anyway... it's the final countdown to my 30th birthday on the 5th! Just wanna get out of the 160's, even though I made it to where I can squeeze into my birthday goal jeans... My goal is to lose just 5 more lbs!!!! Can I do it??? CAN I????
No idea.
Okbye.
No idea.
Okbye.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Operation Less is More
So now that the holidays are over and it is slightly less chaotic.... I decided to rename my weightless portion of my blog! Operation, "Less is More". Less laziness = more energy, less junk food = more healthy me, less resistance to exercise = more muscle, and less weight = more excuse to buy new clothes! ;)
Here are the stats as I sort of "recharge" this blog !
BEFORE I STARTED CONCENTRATING ON HEALTH:
Stats: 180
Size: Squeezing into 12/13 (Like.. SQUEEZING).
Here are the stats as I sort of "recharge" this blog !
BEFORE I STARTED CONCENTRATING ON HEALTH:
Stats: 180
Size: Squeezing into 12/13 (Like.. SQUEEZING).
NOW
Stats: 165
Size: Comfortably Size 12/13
It's kind of crazy to think 15 pounds is the size of my youngest son. When I pick him up, I feel way more accomplished in my weight loss versus just looking at the number on the scale. I lost a tiny person. :P
Anyway, here's what I've been doing the past couple weeks, and I'll continue to blog weekly from this point on:
1) Gave in to diet coke when terribly sick. It's strangely the only thing I wanted. So I had to re-give it up.
2) Meal planning. This is for health purposes but also budget purposes.
3) Applying my Mother's Rule of Life book to our lives and it's been amazing when everyone is healthy, but I allow myself to fail at it when kids are sick or we have a major disruption. House is clean even if there are toys all over the floor. That makes me happy.
4) My friend and fellow Catholic musician/speaker, Joia Farmer, lent me her ChaLEAN Extreme DVD's and I have to say I'm really enjoying them. I feel stronger after one week than I have in awhile and the exercises are really calming in a way. I'll blog more about this later, but in the meantime, check out Joia's blog: http://eatsweatprayrepeat.com
Thanks as always for your loving support and encouragement. Let's see if I can maybe get out of the 160's by my birthday on Feb 5th! Ahhh it's going to be hard... but I'm going to be 30. New decade, new goals.
Peace!
Thursday, January 2, 2014
A Year of Joy
This year, I resolve to be joyful. I've been reflecting that it is something I tend to lack and not for lack of desire to be joyful and not even because I'm not happy -- I am happy and pretty content with life. By joy, I mean the virtue of joy - that infectious joy, that Christ lives in me and loves through me and when we meet, you may experience not just a smiling face, but the joy of Christ. That incredible joy that brings us awe and wonder that someone can still bring joy to others in the midst of their own suffering and sorrow.
Here are a few opposites to joy that I struggle with:
1) Skepticism.
I'm often suspicious. Suspicion can be a gift -- I can tell when something isn't quite right or someone isn't quite right or their motives aren't pure. I remember a long time ago, meeting someone who, for some reason, I did not trust. I was on a hiring panel for that person and I wrote the boss an email before he was offered the position saying that there was something about him that I didn't trust - something not quite right about him. I couldn't put my finger on it, though. I don't want to go into details, but this person is now in prison! This sounds like a gift, but I walk that fine line between being wise and being skeptical. A healthy balance is important and discernment is essential when it comes to a person's character or motivations, but sometimes it keeps me from being joyful and reaching out to others. I can be really guarded. I pray for more openness towards people - not forsaking discernment for throwing caution to the wind, but I pray to discern Jesus in that person, and to not put myself in a box.
2) Ungratefulness.
If someone does something "out of the blue" nice for me, I immediately want to repay them. There is an Office episode where Dwight and Andy try to keep doing nice things for one another so they don't "owe" one another and it turns into a ridiculous competition. THIS IS SO ME! I have a hard time just being grateful for the kind deed. I pray that rather than let my first thought be, "how can I repay this?" Or, "I don't deserve this!" I hope I can just give thanks and in doing so, repay the good deed through thanksgiving and joyfulness, open to the Holy Spirit in how I may be called to be charitable, myself.
3) Laziness.
I have more or less adjusted to being mostly a stay at home mom. I keep the house as clean as possible with three babies three and under, cook dinner most nights, play with the kids, do various ministry and music activities.... 90% in my pajamas. I. Look. Like. A. Slob. In the same way that I get mad at my husband for "not being romantic" since we're now married, I have all but given up on my appearance since marriage. Ha! (This is disregarding all health and fitness - I'm not talking about that - I'm speaking strictly dressing up and running a brush through my hair). It's like... I'm married... I don't have to look pretty anymore unless I go out in public. Haha! For REAL ! So, I decided that this year, I need to take fifteen - twenty extra minutes and put myself together. Once, when I got out of bed, my hair was so messy (ok, so more than once), but my son said, "Mom, you look like a beautiful monster." :P When I take the time to look nice, it has a huge effect on my attitude! I feel more ready to conquer the day and less like a sluggish, grouchy head. :)
4) Negativity.
I think since I've become a mom, my thought process of "what can possibly go wrong" has taken front and center stage when it comes to, well, almost everything. With kids, "what can possibly go wrong" often does go wrong. For example... I give my kids a little cup of popcorn to watch a movie. What could possible go wrong? Popcorn crumbled and ground into every nearby crack and cranny of the couch, carpet, and body parts - that's what could go wrong! That's a minor example. There are lots more. Baptisms in the toilet... etc. So, rather than focus on how to make something work, I catch myself being overly concerned about "what could possibly go wrong" when it comes to any new idea or change or behavior - I'm overly focused on the negative sometimes. To combat this negative thinking, I've started leaving a positive note for my husband almost every day. We have a notebook in the bathroom. I write him a "fun fact about my love" for him. Things that he may or may not know about what I've noticed about him from when we first met or something that caught my attention that day. I've been doing this for a few weeks now since it has been on my heart to be more joyful. This helps me to focus on love and joy and not on the nitpicky things we can tend to argue about. He's caught on, too, and has started leaving me notes. It's awesome. What a simple thing to do, but it brings me so much joy to be on the giving and receiving end of positive comments. It's a small way I have found to think more positive and honor the gifts of those around me versus their faults.
5) Lack of Prayer.
When I spend time in the Lord's Presence, I feel more at peace and that peace translates to joy. This one is simple. I just need more time in the Lord's Presence. I took the kids to Adoration while we were running errands the other day - just five minutes was all we four could manage, but it made all the difference in the world. Seriously. We need more of that. My kids even need more of that - it's not just about me! Praise Him!
So, I resolve this year, to be more joyful. Less skeptical, less critical, less lazy, more grateful.
Less of me. More of You.
Happy 2014!
Here are a few opposites to joy that I struggle with:
1) Skepticism.
I'm often suspicious. Suspicion can be a gift -- I can tell when something isn't quite right or someone isn't quite right or their motives aren't pure. I remember a long time ago, meeting someone who, for some reason, I did not trust. I was on a hiring panel for that person and I wrote the boss an email before he was offered the position saying that there was something about him that I didn't trust - something not quite right about him. I couldn't put my finger on it, though. I don't want to go into details, but this person is now in prison! This sounds like a gift, but I walk that fine line between being wise and being skeptical. A healthy balance is important and discernment is essential when it comes to a person's character or motivations, but sometimes it keeps me from being joyful and reaching out to others. I can be really guarded. I pray for more openness towards people - not forsaking discernment for throwing caution to the wind, but I pray to discern Jesus in that person, and to not put myself in a box.
2) Ungratefulness.
If someone does something "out of the blue" nice for me, I immediately want to repay them. There is an Office episode where Dwight and Andy try to keep doing nice things for one another so they don't "owe" one another and it turns into a ridiculous competition. THIS IS SO ME! I have a hard time just being grateful for the kind deed. I pray that rather than let my first thought be, "how can I repay this?" Or, "I don't deserve this!" I hope I can just give thanks and in doing so, repay the good deed through thanksgiving and joyfulness, open to the Holy Spirit in how I may be called to be charitable, myself.
3) Laziness.
I have more or less adjusted to being mostly a stay at home mom. I keep the house as clean as possible with three babies three and under, cook dinner most nights, play with the kids, do various ministry and music activities.... 90% in my pajamas. I. Look. Like. A. Slob. In the same way that I get mad at my husband for "not being romantic" since we're now married, I have all but given up on my appearance since marriage. Ha! (This is disregarding all health and fitness - I'm not talking about that - I'm speaking strictly dressing up and running a brush through my hair). It's like... I'm married... I don't have to look pretty anymore unless I go out in public. Haha! For REAL ! So, I decided that this year, I need to take fifteen - twenty extra minutes and put myself together. Once, when I got out of bed, my hair was so messy (ok, so more than once), but my son said, "Mom, you look like a beautiful monster." :P When I take the time to look nice, it has a huge effect on my attitude! I feel more ready to conquer the day and less like a sluggish, grouchy head. :)
4) Negativity.
I think since I've become a mom, my thought process of "what can possibly go wrong" has taken front and center stage when it comes to, well, almost everything. With kids, "what can possibly go wrong" often does go wrong. For example... I give my kids a little cup of popcorn to watch a movie. What could possible go wrong? Popcorn crumbled and ground into every nearby crack and cranny of the couch, carpet, and body parts - that's what could go wrong! That's a minor example. There are lots more. Baptisms in the toilet... etc. So, rather than focus on how to make something work, I catch myself being overly concerned about "what could possibly go wrong" when it comes to any new idea or change or behavior - I'm overly focused on the negative sometimes. To combat this negative thinking, I've started leaving a positive note for my husband almost every day. We have a notebook in the bathroom. I write him a "fun fact about my love" for him. Things that he may or may not know about what I've noticed about him from when we first met or something that caught my attention that day. I've been doing this for a few weeks now since it has been on my heart to be more joyful. This helps me to focus on love and joy and not on the nitpicky things we can tend to argue about. He's caught on, too, and has started leaving me notes. It's awesome. What a simple thing to do, but it brings me so much joy to be on the giving and receiving end of positive comments. It's a small way I have found to think more positive and honor the gifts of those around me versus their faults.
5) Lack of Prayer.
When I spend time in the Lord's Presence, I feel more at peace and that peace translates to joy. This one is simple. I just need more time in the Lord's Presence. I took the kids to Adoration while we were running errands the other day - just five minutes was all we four could manage, but it made all the difference in the world. Seriously. We need more of that. My kids even need more of that - it's not just about me! Praise Him!
So, I resolve this year, to be more joyful. Less skeptical, less critical, less lazy, more grateful.
Less of me. More of You.
Happy 2014!
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