Good morning, world! First post on this new blog - who-a! Still a bit confused about the exact reasons for starting this adventure in blogging but willing to give it a try, nonetheless! Since I've read Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, I've been really trying to change the way I look at life. In her book, Ann teaches the reader how to "intentionally embrace a lifestyle of radical gratitude; and slow down and catch God in the moment." WOW. Just think about that for a minute or two. Intentionally - on purpose - with full intent to accomplish - really meaning to do something, in this case embrace. Embrace - to hold tightly and meaningfully. Embrace like a hug we give to someone we really love and cherish. Embrace what? A lifestyle. A way of living life. Up to now, I've spent years trying to figure out just how to live the lifestyle I've chosen. That of being a Christian. A believer in the Lord Who cared enough about me to put all the things and people in place to show me that the only way for me to live is in Christ. I desire to live for Eternity in Heaven. The only way to the Father is through the Son. Not through any good works or things that I do. No. While doing good things will definitely be a by product of living a life for Him, it is still not enough to guarantee my eternal Home in Heaven. Could it really be as simple as opening the door of my heart to Him? Yes. And no. It is that simple but it also means inviting Him in to take up residence. To make His permanent Home there. To change whatever He needs to make it HIS home. Where He is the One Who is in charge of your thoughts and actions. Yes, we still have free will but if we truly make Him the Lord of our life, then we must deliberately and intentionally embrace the changes that we need to make to live our life for Him.
And through this book, I have finally found out how He wants me to do just that. By intentionally embracing a lifestyle of RADICAL (extreme) GRATITUDE (thankfulness). In all things, I must give thanks. I must be very intentional about looking at everything in life with eyes full of gratitude for what HE has done. Is it easy? Not always. The enemy wants desperately to keep us from doing it. He does his best to make us focus inward not  upward. In or up. The difference in the direction we follow is totally ours to make.
I'm going to choose UP.


Today's Menu is making the choice to look UP. It will serve me well as I will learn to season everything with thanks and love.


I am thankful for this beautiful rose that is blooming today and the bud that will bloom soon. I love the saying that goes, "I can complain because the rosebush has thorns or rejoice because the thornbush has roses. The choice is up to me." That pretty much sums up my thoughts for today.