What I’ve been about and some random thoughts.  I hope your weekend is blessed and warm!  I appreciate you for taking time out of your busy day to read the words I’ve written.

1.  I have been decorating for Christmas.  Thursday was decorating day, but I started late, so it spilled over into all day Friday.  I still have a few things to tweak, but it is pretty much done.  This year I have decided to use what I already have and incorporate everyday objects from around the house and my knick knack stash.  The only items purchased new are some boxwood wreaths that have not arrived yet.  They can be used year round, so not necessarily just for Christmas.  I may need two or three candles, but otherwise it is a nothing new Christmas. On Monday December 16, I will be linking up with the Nester for her Annual Christmas Tour of Homes so if you’re interested in how the Christmas decor turned out you may want to come back.  In the meantime here is an in progress picture. It will be simple this year.

2.  I look out my window and it looks as if someone has taken a sifter and scattered powdered sugar across the lawn and on rooftops.  It is pretty, but oh so cold.  We usually don’t have weather this wintry until later in the month or even January. According to the Farmers Almanac we are headed into a long winter.  I know a couple of my friends will be extremely happy about all the snow – present and future.  Bless their hearts.

3.  Sometimes, I would like to give up social media and go back to a simpler time when there was less invasion of privacy and I didn’t know every time someone’s baby had a poo.  We are bombarded with so many images,, tips, warnings, conspiracy theories and pout pictures that we are in danger of becoming desensitized to the things that really matter. Maybe I’ll consider taking a break for the winter.

4.  As I sit here and look around my messy cozy home I realize just how much I am blessed.  I should never complain about anything.  I have more than I need and probably even more than I really want.  With each passing birthday, I realize that less is more and people, not things are the blessings in our life.  The less we have, the more time to bless and be blessed.

5.  You may have heard that I attended an event at the Barn a couple of weeks ago. It was hosted by Emily Freeman.  She posted pictures of the event here  in case you are curious. She also had a few links to others who wrote about the experience, so you may enjoy them as well.  It was a great event that is still impacting about 80 people.

6.  And lastly, I have been swirling thoughts around trying to figure out just what is the purpose of my blog and who does it impact and why.  I want to explore this more going forward and will probably be devoting a post (soonish) about some of my thoughts with questions for my readers.  I love writing and I believe that it is a gift of God.  I don’t believe that I always use it well or with intention.  I don’t want to waste the gift of words.  If I have a message to say and an audience to say it to, then I want to honor God by doing it his way.  And if he has other plans, then I want to be sensitive to that and not beat a dead horse. I’d appreciate you joining me in prayer for direction.

7.  If you’re looking for a good book about how to use the gifts you have been given and how they just may be the art you were designed to make I’d highly recommend a million little ways, by Emily Freeman.  It will help you search your soul. Whatever your age. It’s never too late to make art.

What about you, what is on your mind this weekend?  Feel free to leave a comment and be sure to come back tomorrow for the second Sunday of Advent.

My thoughts may be random, but grace is not,

Teresa