Lose Your Sense of Fun and You're Sunk

"You are painting every moment of your life on a canvas using indelible ink. Live beautifully. Live intentionally." ... Bruce Van Horn

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So this morning I reached into my cupboards and moved the mustard and pancake mix way over to make room for the killer deal coming this weekend on cereal. Vintage music played when I grabbed the salsa so to place it across the kitchen on a high shelf and well--even though I've been married more than 3 decades (and my young chickadee days are over)--still, it all had that Playing House Feeling of my days as a sweet bride.

No, really.

And later online I got a free subscription to Family Circle Magazine (you can get one, too) and I recalled sitting on porches wrapped in an apron and clipping recipes, coupons and pages of pretty rooms. And feeling like the 1950's were alive and well, no matter who declared them dead.

Then I printed out coupons which our local coupon blogger kindly, amazingly matches up with sales for us and I felt a tiny bit like this:


She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family...
...She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come...

... when I recalled articles lately which warn us groceries are going up another 3.5 percent. Am I afraid? Uh, no. I'll just keep buying only what's on sale and with as many coupons as I can find. And of course, God will keep providing as He always has. (Inflation doesn't phase Him, either.)

Today when it reaches at least 40 degrees(!) I'll grab a rake and gather up the leaves I left beneath the snow, then I'll walk around the block, then probably wash a load of towels. (Oh, I forgot to tell you--I think Jesus repaired our washing machine--or sent an angel. Seriously. It was ending cycles with water in the bottom and that's usually The Sign that you'll be driving over to Sears to buy a new one soon. But it works great now.)

My point? Have fun. Yes, even in 2014. Even in this sad world that needs God so badly, a world which watches us to see if we really believe and if that belief resounds with a peace that passes all understanding ...

... or with blog or Facebook posts crammed full of bitter political complaints and character assassinations (the unsaved are not drawn to a merciful God when they watch us shoot our own soldiers or people who are Holy Spirit-clueless).

Choose gratitude. Choose smiling. Choose delight.  And then reach Heaven having missed out on no good thing.

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."   ... Romans 8:37

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Last night Tom and I finally watched Gravity and oh! Scary stuff. But good and I still can't believe how short it felt. And it made me even more grateful for my simple life upon terra firma!

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If anyone else loves books about Alaska, you may enjoy this one I ordered today. Read the reviews here, but I ordered it here because I'm such a cheapskate penny-pincher.