Welcome to the new home of Thought Provoking Thursday!

See this face? That smile?

What can I do to bring this kind of joy to someone I love?

It doesn’t have to be a trip to Disneyworld…

It could be a milkshake after a job well done in the school play,

or sleeping on the couch on a school night…

It could be just snuggling in bed for a few extra minutes in the morning,

or taking time to play a favorite board game and letting the laundry wait…

It could be a family game of basketball after dinner,

or silly, goofy, tickly hugs…

It might be as simple as sitting down and really listening.

What can I do to bring this kind of joy to someone I love?

Something to think about…

Welcome to the new home of Thought Provoking Thursday!

I fall asleep to the sound of

a fan softly humming

in the safety of my temperature/humidity controlled house.

I wake to a softly chiming alarm from my phone,

and slip from the soft, clean sheets of my cozy bed.

Flip a switch and the early morning dark is filled with light.

I stumble into the shower,

where steamy hot water takes just a minute to appear.

Now, dressed, and slightly more awake,

I press a single button,

and wait what seems the longest minute ever

for the coffee machine to blink ready.

I insert a tiny, mess-free, plastic K-cup of coffee,

and wait for my mug to fill almost instantly.

I add deliciously flavored creamer,

and go start a load of laundry.

A minute of  so-called ‘work’,

and I have fresh clean clothes practically cleaning themselves.

I do the same with the dishwasher,

either unloading or loading,

depending on how lazy I was the night before.

Finally awake, I sit down with my steaming coffee

and open my favorite bible,

the one filled with photos of friends I met first

through the miracle of technology

 and memories of real life hugs,

and full of colored highlights and notes.

It’s 5:30 am.

I have just taken for granted more luxuries than many people will know in their entire lifetime.

I am guilty of this more days than I care to admit.  My children sometimes dream what it would be like “if we were rich” and I explain to them how wealthy we are compared to most of the world.  How blessed we are.  And still, I forget and take it all for granted all too often.

One of my favorite reminders is the Advent Conspiracy project my church does each Christmas.  I know it’s May, and far from Christmas right now, but if you’re not familiar with Advent Conspiracy, click here to take just a minute and watch their promo video. It’s eye-opening, I promise.

Lack of clean water kills more people today than ANYTHING.  By 5:30 am, I’ve already showered in, made coffee, done laundry, and washed dishes with clean water, all without even thinking about it.

Americans spend $450,000,000,000 each year on Christmas.  That’s $450 billion, and yet $20 billion is all that’s needed to solve the world’s clean water problem.  $38 a month is all it takes to sponsor a child through Compassion.  Do you see a problem with those numbers?

The phone I carry around in my pocket,

and misplace a thousand times a day…

it contains more resources and convenience

than some of the world will see in an entire lifetime.

• What if you we bought just one less luxury today, tomorrow, this week… and donated the money to someone in need in your local area?
• What if you we started planning for an Advent Conspiracy style Christmas now, so that we could give to projects that provide sustainable clean water wells to people who need it?
• What if you we saved a little money, somewhere or other, and donated to sponsor a child like the one in this amazing post by The Nester?
• What if you we donated the money to help have the bible translated into the language of someone who doesn’t have access to it in their own language?

What can you we do to shine light into the world?

Something to think about…

Easter.

A season of spring, hope, and renewal.

Easter.

By His sacrifice on the cross
we are:

Redeemed.

Restored.

Forgiven.

LOVED.

He is Risen!

What a blessed gift we’ve been given.
Happy Easter!

Photo credit:  André Rakvåg

Last week,  I opened up the mailbox, and found a little love inside.  (Have I ever told you how much I hate the mail?  There’s never anything good in there except more junk and clutter to sort through and deal with. Sigh.)  But on this day, amid the junk mail, was a pretty little card from a friend. Inside it, a short, sweet, inspiring note.  That note totally made my day. Actually, that note of encouragement actually made my next couple of days.

It got me thinking about the friends across the country that I love and miss and wish I could invite over for a cup of coffee.  It made me want to bless those friends with the same kind of encouragement.  And so, one card arriving in my mailbox last week became five cards in my mailbox going out today:

It’s so much fun sending and getting snail mail from someone you actually care about!  I regret that I can’t send old-school cards to each and every one of you reading this blog (though I would like to!),  so this is my online note of encouragement and thanks,  just for you:

Dear friends and readers:
I am so very thankful and humbled to have you here reading my words. I am blessed to share this online space with you, and I am so very glad you are here.  Having you here encourages me, inspires me, and reminds me to always be intentional.  May you be encouraged, inspired, and intentional as well…this week & always.
Much love,
~M

What will YOU do

this week

to show someone a little

Love and Encouragement?