little did she know...: tgitup!

TgItUp, baby! The pre-weekend sensation that's sweeping the nation. Or something like that. Can you believe it's already Thursday? In one way it feels like it has gone quickly for me, but when I remember that i have traversed two climates and a temperature swing of 30 something degrees in the past week, it seems a bit longer.

I know my native land is experiencing if only in my dreams temperatures for January right now. Momma did the honors of reminding me what i'm missing via a simple "it's 77 degrees" text today. Let's just say it was not that here. Not even a little bit. When I was driving back from the grocery with Ella this afternoon, gazing absently into the prosy gray beyond, I thought "this is what I expect January to look like". But you know what, that's okay. January will be January (profound, i know).

But, I still have the sweet taste of 65 degrees and sunny, washed down by dancing snowflakes, in my mouth. And I savored the aftertaste as I burrowed into the couch with Ella for a movie and some gratitude that this is my job. Don't get me wrong, it ain't cake a lot of the time. But, it is a gift all of the time.

Come rain, shine, snow, or hail. This life is a gift. And that sort of segues into another aspect of this New Year that i feel called to pursue. To be intentional about everything. Each day. To take one day at a time, greet the day with a "Thank you, God", and move forward with Him in my sights at all times.

I am a little nervous to even write this, because then it's in print, and putting things down on the great internet void makes it feel more official. Like there's no turning back. And what if I fail? What if I can't do it? What if I backslide and plummet down into my own frailty and can't do it? That's the old faithful mantra that has been parading around and holding court in my brain most of my life. My answer to them now?

So what? I am human so duh. I will fail sometimes or a lot of times. I will never do anything perfectly ever. The only true failure would be not to try because I am too afraid of failing. That sounds like it belongs on a non-descript card in a gas station, but it's true. I will always fall short. We all will. But, He knows that. And He is always there to help us get up and try again.

He fell, too, on the Way of the Cross. He knows what it feels like. But, He got up every time. That is what we must imitate. To fall is human, to get up divine. It will be with His grace alone that we will get up after we fall, and that's okay. We need Him for everything, and the sooner we realize that, the better off we will be-the happier, the freer, the more alive and joyful, we will be.

this is where it's AT

"Come to me, all you who are labored and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light" Matthew 11:28-30

I am going to try. I am going to wake up with gratitude on my lips, even if I don't feel it. I am going to do it to remind myself that all is gift. I am going to be intentional about how I think, how I work, how I eat, how I dress. To sum it up, I am going to be intentional about how I live and how I love. Not just how I love God, and others, but myself. Because, frankly, I won't be able to love others well until I love myself well. No one can. And when I don't do it perfectly, because I won't, i'll ask for grace and strength to get up again.

And that's my TGIT 2 cents for you. Keep the change.

I hope you have had a boss hog week and are getting geared up and ready to tackle the weekend full force. Whatever you do, do it on purpose. When you lounge in your pj's, make it a lounge I (a seasoned lounger myself) would be proud of. Make it surrounded by people you love, with a steaming cup of coffee (don't skimp on the cream) or hot chocolate or tea or whatever your lounging hot drink o' choice is, warming your hands and your insides.

Make it with happy music that has you forgetting what January often looks like. Make it with chocolate chip pancakes with happy faces. Those moments are straight from the Loving Father. And when you venture beyond your own cave, do it on purpose. Be a light in the darkness. Let's seek to make others as jazzed about Thursday as we all are now that TGIT is back.

Snow, Palm trees. Whatever. TgItUP!