Keeping it Wonderful

There'll be parties for hosting

Marshmallows for toasting

And caroling out in the snow

There'll be scary ghost stories

And tales of the glories of the

Christmases long, long ago

December is always a crazy busy month... or so they say.

 I think we can make it as crazy as we want  or we can pace ourselves, choose what we really really want to engage in and enjoy each moment without over doing it. 

What do you think? 

It's the most wonderful time of the year

There'll be much mistltoeing

And hearts will be glowing

When love ones are near

It's the most wonderful time of the year

Being a small business owner, I have made some concessions to the 

Christmas Craze as my livelihood depends on this time of year. 

I put up Christmas decor WAY before my birthday, 

which if you know me if almost unheard of! 

And I've been advertising specials and whatnot 

on my Facebook pages and offering all sorts of things.

 Its fun but it's also tiring.

I want to just be in the moment of the season and keep focused on the 

WHY of the season.... 

The REASON for the season...

 Christ's birth.

It's not about angels without remembering the angels who proclaimed His birth.

It's not about lights unless you recognize Jesus as the Light of the World. 

It's not about gifts unless you count the greatest gift of all, God's Son to save the world. 

And it's not about the tree unless you remember the most sacred tree of all, the cross upon which Christ was crucified.

As you prepare for the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year" I hope you remember the 

WHY of the Wonder. 

Wishing you a most Merry, Holy, Blessed Christmas.

Ready, Set.... GO!

Tomorrow is the Big Day! 

The Run for the Honeywagon.

 Bucket List Day. 

Team Burke. 

The LoveBurkes do the honeywagon. 

A 4 mile walk. 

We've got this. 

No problemo! 

Piece of Cake.

And speaking of cake, I just might have some to celebrate after we finish. 

(gluten free of course) 

 Took an obligatory 2 mile around the high school track this morning, just because. I debated on making this a rest day but the muscles really needed to be stretched. And it was such a glorious, beautiful, sunny morning. The birds were trilling, the parking lot was busy with cars; high school kids showing up for some event, cars whizzing by on the highway, and the wind rustling my hair and nipping my ears. 

2 miles around the track, with a chocolate protein smoothie to finish it off!

I woke up with a sense that 

today was a day I really needed to remember all I am thankful for. 

To not let any waves of overwhelmedness, depression, anxiety or worry, get me down. 

As I gazed out my living room window, sipping my morning cuppa, and watching the sky change colors with the breaking of sun through clouds, I just stopped.

THANK YOU.  

Thank you God for your mercies, new every morning. 

Thank you God for your loving kindness. 

Thank you for loving me. 

Thank you for providing for me. 

Thank you for never giving up, even when I feel like doing so. 

Thank you for your strength that carries me when I am weak. 

Thank you for making me weak, so I will learn to depend and  lean on you. 

Thank you for building my faith muscle. 

Thank you for the little pill I take each day

 that helps keep me balanced and sane.  

some days this IS how it feels!!

I do try every day,

 to remember to be thankful for the things one would think we wouldn't be thankful for.

 Like depression. Who would be thankful for that?

 Or financial worries and woes. Who wishes for that in their life? 

For body aches and limitations. Why? 

But we are told repeatedly in scripture to give thanks. 

To praise him.

  Give Thanks in ALL THINGS, for this is the Will of God. 1 Thessalonians 5.18 (emphasis mine) 

some days are just FULL of hurdles!!

Really God? Give thanks for circumstances that aren't pleasant? 

Give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5.20

Give thanks for feeling weak and needy? 

My grace is sufficient for you; My power works best in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12.9 

what a wonderful way to look at it.

Yes. Some days its harder than others for me to remember to be thankful. 

To give thanks.

 And it is on those days that I need it the most.   

Yes, even more than coffee.

even more than coffee, I need to give thanks.

Tomorrow I will bust a move along with my sweetie, knocking out those 4 miles like it's nothing.

 And along the way, I will continue to be giving thanks.