7 Quick Takes

Use the link in my sidebar to visit Jennifer, on ConversionDiary.com...a place filled with HUMOR, good insight, and poignant stories about her family life and journey to the Catholic Faith...and each Friday, Jennifer invites you all to post seven quick posts to sum up your bloggy thoughts for the week!

MY QUICK TAKES for NEW YEAR'S DAY, 2010!!!!!!!!!

1) As I am technically MID life now at age 45, I am noticing that certain things really change in my thoughts and in the way I experience life from days of my younger years...such as:

* Silence was once deafening to me and is now GOLDEN!

* It used to take an ETERNITY for days and weeks to pass and now DECADES FLY BY IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE!

* Things that used to be very important to me (like clean walls and window glass) have
been exchanged on the priority list for other things (like playing with my kids, chatting with my husband, and praying for my friends)

* Wanting to LOOK good has been replaced by wanting to BE good.

* Being alone used to mean LONELINESS and now it means BLESSED TIME WITH GOD

* Wanting the approval of others has been replaced by wanting to BE WHO GOD HAS CREATED ME TO BE

*The joys of a size 5 are now equally celebrated as a size 8!!!!!!!!!!!!!

* Thinking that "there's always tomorrow" has been replaced by "there is ONLY THIS MOMENT"


2) I like where my thoughts are NOW better than where they were then.


3) I read a woman's post on her blog saying that she buys her Christmas wrapping paper in order to color-coordinate with her living room walls!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!! Never ever ever ever in a million YEARS would such a thought enter my mind...I am in awe and amazed by people who have such a gift for symmetry and art and ambiance that they THINK of these things to create an atmosphere of such beauty in their homes!!!!! (Is mismatched, handed down, probably nicked and broken but glued together, and bought at the Dollar Store but given by Little Hands a "decorating style"? LOL)

4) Throughout Advent and Christmas, I have been reflecting on the awesomeness that in order to comfort us in our Littleness and weakness, GOD HIMSELF chose to become the MOST LITTLE AND WEAK OF ALL as an INFANT SAVIOR...He truly has shown us how to LOVE from BEGINNING TO END by entering our earthly world in a most defenseless and vulnerable form...He has also validated the SACREDNESS of HUMAN LIFE IN ALL ITS STAGES by being conceived in the womb of a woman, thereby beginning His KINGLY REIGN BEFORE BIRTH!

5) On a much lighter note, I LOVE peanut brittle don't you? We don't usually make it throughout the year but save it for Christmas time to enjoy and give as gifts to our loved ones. What's YOUR favorite Christmas treat to make? (Visit HERE and scroll about 3/4 of the way down the page to find our peanut brittle recipe...it's super easy and one in the microwave in just minutes!)

6) GIVING 100% of myself is one of my New Year's resolutions. I've shared some thoughts on this topic on BENMAKESTEN if you'd like to read them.

7) I really want to thank each and every visitor that joins me on this blog and my others.
Sharing the journey with each of you is a true blessing in my life. Rest assured that you are in my prayers as we welcome the year 2010 and know that I wish you MUCH JOY and CONTENTMENT as you grow closer to Christ in the year ahead!

Can't wait to read YOUR Quick Takes for the day!