Monday, September 28, 2009

Feelin' Good

Chatsworth Park, Derbyshire, England


I love autumn for a lot of reasons - the leaves changing colors, harvest time, the crunching of leaves, the wonderful smells of pumpkin pie and apple cider...

But I also love autumn because summer is over, the heat has receded, and the days and nights grow chilly again. I love curling up on my couch with a blanket and a book, a fire roaring in the fireplace.

Most of all, though, I love autumn because my entire mood changes.

I've been in hunker-down mode for awhile and it was much-needed. Now, I feel refreshed and ready to tackle things again.

What have I learned during this time off?

1) I need to pray more and listen to what the good Lord has planned for me

2) I need to be content with what I have now instead of always looking for ways to be happy. Instead, I can be happy right now - no special magic required!

3) I have incredible friends, both online and in "real" life that have helped me navigate this recent difficult journey.

4) Nothing, but nothing, beats the power of a good book to help you escape the world for awhile.

And speaking of good books, I have to give a shout out to Francine River's Redeeming Love. It is one of the most powerful books I have ever read and it has made me re-evaluate some key issues in my life. I encourage you to check it out.

How are things in your life?

8 comments:

  1. So glad you're feeling good! I love autumn too, with the cool temps, and even the anticipation of the holidays. There's something in the air, most definitely. After a busy summer tackling a lot of writing and home projects, I'm glad to be settling back into a routine, including blogging :)

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  2. Anonymous1:24 PM

    Welcome back! I'm so happy you're feeling renewed and ready. Keep that feeling with you.

    I'll be sure to check out that book!

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  3. We have a bitter wind here today and I'd like nothing more than to curl up in my cozy blanket and finish reading the book I started. Only guess what? I can't find the book! The horror!!

    Glad you're feeling lively!

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  4. Sage advice, especially #1 and 2. :-)

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  5. Glad to see you doing better! I read that book eons ago and LOVED it!

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  6. I agree with all your points, and love autumn with it's vibrant colours and hint of winter. Not so thrilled about the cold that's on its way though.

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  7. Autumn is always sad at first for me...we get such a short summer, I'm never ready to see it go. But after a bit of mourning, I do start looking forward to cozying up indoors...after all, a perfect writing day is blustering and cold outside, with a laptop computer and hot chocolate inside. :)

    Glad that your hunker-down time left you refreshed! Lovely points, especially #2...something I try to remember all the time.

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  8. Funny. I just wrote a new post on my blog about how things are in MY life - sort of a blurb on Restless Me Syndrome. Then I visited your blog for the first time and felt -- I don't know -- maybe "soothed," kind of at home here.

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