\\make my day!

Today I was talking to a friend about enjoying the little things in life. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed and jaded by the things that aren't perfect or unfair or just unpleasant I have a tendency to focus on them and let it upset me. But if I can find something, anything, even if it's small, that's good- it will make my day! So here are some of the things that make my day.

Sweet iced tea with fresh mint- I mean really, just saying it makes me happy.
Downy fabric softener- no, I'm not convinced that it makes my clothes that much softer, but putting on a warm tee shirt that smells like lavender and vanilla in the morning is a good way to start the day.
Getting a text message in the morning from a friend just saying hi- I don't know why I love that so much, but to me it's like knowing someone cares I'm alive this morning and it makes me smile.
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cliff Bars- literally the best tasting protein/ energy bars out there... Kind of like eating a cookie with no guilt.
Patty Melts from Bill and Ruth's- I don't know why they're so good, they're kind of a glorified hamburger with white cheese on rye bread, but they are delicious, and I love them.
Not going into work until 9- Only happens about once a week but there is something magical about sleeping an extra hour...
Finding a new song that I listen to over and over to soak up it's sheer brilliance- what's even better is when you find a band with lots of those songs.... mmm
Getting my back adjusted at the chiropractor- this is good for two reasons A) it helps the pain in my back and B) my chiropractor is awesome and really funny.
Playing football at internship- It helps that we all have a healthy level of competitiveness but other than that we're all pretty good which makes playing fun.
Having a moment of clarity or inspiration while writing- It just throws me on a roll and I end up writing 3 blogs and and a chapter of my book.
Running into someone I haven't seen in a long time- They're usually nicer and more complementary than people you see every day...
Vitamin Water- I get it in huge 20 packs at Sams, and it just tastes healthy, plus they list a ton of vitamins on the label that, if nothing else, make you think you're doing really good on your diet.

\\ The undecided squirrel

A few weeks ago, I ran over a squirrel. It was not my fault. I was on my way to work and this little squirrel was on the road in my neighborhood... I stopped to let it pass, and it started to, but then started erratically running back and forth in front of me. As if he was playing some kind of game... Unfortunately for him, he lost. As I said, this was not my fault. I gave him every opportunity to get away. But he did not take it, he did his own thing, and he died... How many times do we do this in our walk with God? We are given every opportunity to have the best life imaginable, but we run back and forth... Not sure of which life to choose- a life of greatness and purpose or a life of sin and separation. And like that squirrel, we pay dearly for it. Life is not a game. It is dangerous to be so undecided... It is deadly. So lets not dash back and forth, take the right path... It's smarter... and safer that way.

\\ask

Remember when you were little and you had a million questions about everything? Everything was a mystery and you simply had to know the answer! It was innate. And it wasn't just asking questions about where the rain came from, it was asking why it rained? You spent everyday with the childlike wonder and amazement that is so precious and yet, it fades and dissipates as we "grow up". We grow up and we stop questioning. We stop asking why and how and who, and this affects our creative ability. This change manifests itself in many areas but usually it manifests in our spirituality. We take what we're told about God without seeking Him, finding who He is to us. We either stop caring all together or we just take what we're given and we never question it, wrestle with it, challenge it. I think that's dangerous, because then we become followers, instead of leaders. Don't take curiosity for granted, it's a gift from God that promotes and produces creativity in life.