Finding joy is not so hard

This is a picture of one of the joyeous moments in my life. I recently found the wonderful list of reminders on finding joy:

1. Surround yourself with color--use colors that make you feel good
2. Start or keep us a blog--express yourself
3. Schedule guilt-free indulges--like chocolate
4. Swap CDs with a friend--find out a little about them through music
5. Be more spontaneous--do something at the last minute just for fun
6. Spread cheer--smile at strangers, give compliments, be a good listener
7. Think like a kid--make up a holiday to celebrate
8. Find the humor in it--whatever it is, find a reason to laugh about it
9. Make one new friend--only one if it is going to be a true friend, not just an acquaintance
10. Get more sleep--at least 7 hours a night, lying in bed relaxing while you fall asleep counts
11. Put your right brain to work--create an artists wall of your own work and change it often
12. Have a pot luck with friends--strengthen the bonds of friendships and include your new friend
13. Explore your hometown--you should know all about your surrounding community
14. Do something that scares you--like jump out of an airplane :-)
15. Simplify without stress--purge one thing every month for a year
16. Take a "me" day--Schedule a one-day vacation that is just for you, do whatever you want
17. Host a closet raid--invite friends to empty their closets and have a trading party
18. Give good kisses--kissing releases a chemical that makes you feel euphoric
19. Play hide and seek--write down fun things to do and hide them, when you come across one of them, do it
20. Make your family laugh--do the unexpected, surprise them, be goofy for a change

Christmas 2009 at our house

1. Christmas deocrations--Only a Nativity scene


2. Cookies baked, candy made--None


3. Parties attended--Two


4. Christmas songs listened to--Lots


5. Papa's Grow Sticks made--Ten


6. Christmas cards sent--None


7. Christmas gifts sent--None and won't be until after Christmas


8. Hours spent at work--160 in 2 weeks


9. Papers graded--90 in 2 weeks


10. Cold medicine taken--8 Tylenal cold tablets this week.


11. Chicken soup consummed--5 cups


12. Christmas movies watch--Ha, when would I possibly find time to do that.

There is always next year

Watching over me

I do not have time to blog right now, but I can't let this go by unrecorded.

This morning, I had to be at work starting at 7:00 a.m. I started out as usual going north on 19th Ave. As I approached an intersection, I looked over and saw that QT gas was $1.74 per gallon. At the last minute, I thought, "I'm half empty, I'll just pull in and get gas now."

I pulled in. Got out of my car as the light turned green. As I began to slide my card I heard a huge crash behind me. At the intersection where I would be waiting, there was a 4 car accident.

A car was headed west and turning south in front of where I would have been parked at the light. The light had turned red. Another car going east, ran the red light and hit the turning car. The turning car ran into the car where I would have been and because the two cars behind it had pulled up too close--the first car was pushed into the second car and the second car pushed into the third car.

If you are reading this, remember, when you pull up to a stop light you should be able to see the road between you and the car in front of you if you want to be a defensive driver.

I know I was protected this day and said my appropriate thanks to Heavenly Father.