![]() THE GRATITUDE JAR In January I came across an idea of documenting a year’s worth of gratitude. I found a jar- actually it was a flower vase that I perched smack in the center of my fireplace shelf with a sign that read, “Be Grateful.” I purchased a notepad and every Sunday night I wrote down what I was grateful for that week. My goal was to fill the jar and read them at the end of the year to remind myself of how gratitude filled my life. Sometimes it was simple things and sometimes splashy memorable experiences. I wrote notes of gratitude about lessons I learned. I wrote notes of gratitude about things I shared and taught to others. I wrote notes of gratitude about people, places and things I love. A year goes quickly. As the weeks and months went by my jar filled higher and higher with gratitude in the shape of folded paper. The end of December has arrived and as I dump the jar out to read each grateful memory I relive the tasty morsels of my year. Reading through my jar of gratitude I realize all my notes revolve around the three reasons I believe we are here in this life….to learn, to teach and to love. I rarely wrote notes about material things. It was learning, teaching and loving that I was the most grateful for. As I look to the bright and shiny new year ahead of me, I do want to exercise, eat better and improve my health. I also will hold a special ‘word’ for the year as my theme for the next 12 months, which I have done for many years. What I won’t do is set myself up for broken resolutions that revolve around things, money, or unreasonable expectations. My plan for the year ahead is simple… to learn more, to teach more and to love more. With this plan I know my life will be full, my heart will be bursting and my gratitude jar will once again overflow. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Learn more, teach more and love more. That is why we are here.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ PENNIE HEART TO HEART THE GRATITUDE JAR ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about how you can track your gratitude in the coming year. It is worth the effort! Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at: [email protected]. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2018 Pennie Hunt This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt. Feel free to forward and share this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information.
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![]() PEPPERMINT SLIME AND MARSHMALLOW SNOWMEN Every year I make name card holders for the grandchildren’s Christmas table. It makes dinner special as they find their assigned seat and what is holding their name. This year I had a grand idea of using snowman ball ornaments on top of three candy canes and the loop of the candy cane would hold the name card. My grandson, Riley, is sooo excited about the holiday decorations, so I asked him if he would like to help me make them. ![]() After a visit to Hobby Lobby in search of small candy canes, scouring the lights and decorations and a stop for lunch we went home to create! We found the photo on my IPad of a similar idea and started unwrapping candy canes. I thought it would be awesome. Riley was skeptical. It didn’t take long to realize that Elmer’s glue on candy canes creates something like peppermint slime. Who knew candy canes and glue don’t mix My mind quickly began thinking of what I had in the house to improvise and save this disaster! What will look like a snowman? What will not melt with glue? What will make me look a little less loser–like in the eyes of my grandson? Well, when all else fails bring out marshmallows! Big GIANT marshmallows! I thought it would be awesome! Riley, who by now had eaten enough candy canes to have rosy cheeks and watery eyes from a little too much peppermint, was still skeptical. ![]() By the end of the afternoon we had used toothpicks and glue to attach the bodies, stood them on a base of red and green felt, gave them ribbon scarves and buttons. It wasn’t until I broke a toothpick in half and pushed arms in the first little puffy man that I saw Riley smile. “Now, that is CUTE!” he said. Wahoooo! We had snowmen! Once again I had received a lesson in acceptance. My idea of the perfect card holder failed. It took a little flexibility to improvise a new concept. They aren’t perfect. But by the time Christmas dinner is ready the marshmallows will be hard as stone, standing strong with the name tags sitting in front of their fat bellies while my grandchildren laugh and compare who has the funniest snowman. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson- Holidays don’t have to be perfect. Flexibility in the process may turn out to be the best part of all. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to release the expectation of perfection during this holiday time. Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: [email protected]. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2018 Pennie Hunt This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt. Feel free to forward and share this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information.
***In preparation for the new year ahead, I thought I would remind you to be thinking of your "One Word" for 2019. Here is a revisit to the word I picked in the past. I will let you know what my "One Word" for 2019 is the first week in January.
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I HELD JOY
IN MY HAND I purchased holiday door hangers that said, “JOY” for my friends and delivered them with notes that held my wish for them to have Joy in their lives for the New Year. I found a special ornament that said “JOY”during a shopping adventure, brought it home and hung it in a prominent place on my tree. I even read the popular book that taught me how to declutter my closet by keeping only things that bring me “JOY.” Every year I choose a word. A word that will guide my life for the next 12 months. This is different than a resolution. It doesn’t cause me guilt or shame when I give up the diet I promised myself I would maintain or the exercise program that typically lasts a month. This is a word I try to live by for a year. I begin thinking about it around November. Some years I struggle to find the perfect word. Last year it came to me during a meditation. This year it slapped me right in the face. Over and Over and Over again. It took me a while to catch on. Why did I decide to read the book in November that caused me to begin really thinking about what does bring me JOY? Out of all the thousands of ornaments for sale in the stores, why was I drawn to the one small JOY ornament to bring home for my tree? Why did I choose the JOY door hangers for my friends? While shopping a few after-Christmas sales it flashed before me like a beacon guiding me to open my eyes. Everywhere I turned in the mountains of left over holiday items covered with words, sentiments and greetings - JOY jumped at me. One piece pulled me closer with intentional force. I reached through the crowed isle to pluck the simple glittery word from the shelf. I stood in the middle of the store holdingJOY in my hand. At that moment the golden statement sunk into my heart. THE WORD IS JOY! JOY had been trying to reach into my life in small and quiet ways. It had been whispering to me, “Wish ME to your friends, bring ME into your home, allow ME to fill your heart!” The in-my-face synchronicity was not to be ignored. THE WORD IS JOY! MY WORD IS JOY! I brought the golden JOY home and hung it in my office as a reminder to live the New Year in JOY. To only bring things into my life that bring me JOY. To seek experiences that bring me JOY. To share JOY with others in every way and every day. To be mindful enough to learn what really does bring me JOY and love myself enough to settle for nothing less than a JOYOUS life and a JOY-filled year! Feeling very satisfied with my decision, I moved on to my daily routine of opening the mail. The last envelope was a holiday card that had most likely been delayed in delivery. I reached in the red envelope. The silver glitter covered card reflected the sun magnifying the message into a blinding validation. The card had one simple word on it- JOY! Of course it did…. THE WORD IS JOY! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Love yourself enough to know what brings you JOY and welcome it into your life!” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to experience JOY in the new year and share it with others. What is your word for the new year? Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: [email protected]. Thank you!
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All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2018 Pennie Hunt This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt. Feel free to forward and share this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information. ![]()
It held my children, grandchildren, cousins, neighbors and dogs. It has been a rocket sliding down a hill, a snow wagon and a photo prop.
It caused laughter, delight and joy. It caused fights, bruises and tears. I am not even sure if I remember the day it arrived in our home. Most likely it was delivered in a sleigh by a man in a red suit. I do know the sled has been around for decades. I ran across it in my garage propped in a corner. The runners once bright and shiny red looked rusty. The wood worn, the original twine colored rope long ago replaced by a red version. With the outside temperature too cold to turn on the garden hose, I did the next best thing – I brought it in the house. I gave it a shower. Leaning it against the tile I took the shower sprayer down and began cleaning off the years of neglect. As the cobwebs ran down the drain I saw my children – dressed in snowsuits, hats, mittens and boots. Hardly able to move due to the layers of protection. The only skin showing was their faces with the glow of their cold blushed cheeks. The water poured brown and dirty as years of memories flashed through. The year it was taken to the lake while the men ice fished and the kids would take turns having sled rides across the frozen water. The hill that seemed Alpine-big and served as the daredevil challenge for those days when the sled was ridden until little fingers were frozen and the draw of a warm bath and hot chocolate waiting at home became strong enough to end the fun. The year my brother’s St. Bernard pulled the sled filled with squealing kids across Grandma’s yard. Drying the sled off, I rubbed the runners to polish every inch while memories continued to reach every corner of my heart. The way I felt as I watched my three most important loves, hearing their squeals of delight as I held my breath hoping they would reach the edge of the snow safely. The way I ran to them when an unseen rock would derail their speed causing a tumble, a spill and tears. The arguments over who would get the next turn. Tying greenery and a plaid bow around the wooden slats, I remembered… The day my daughter perched her babies on it to snap the perfect holiday card photo.
The Sled.
Now instead of the dirty corner of the garage, it stands in a place of honor next to my antique sewing machine surround by twinkling lights. The red and green bow a crown of appreciation for work well done. I walk by it and see those chubby snow kissed faces. I hear the squeals of joy. I think of how my children are grown and their children are taller than me. I wonder how time has slid by so quickly -- year by year, snow by melting snow, and one quick ride down the hill at a time. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Pay attention to the little things in life – they slip and slide by quickly.”
YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about the special memories in your life...what object spurs them? Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: [email protected]. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2018 Pennie Hunt This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt. Feel free to forward and share this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information. |
AuthorThere is a certain magic about where I live both physically and spiritually – on the crossroads of Spirit and Brave. Archives
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