Embracing Simple Living

Tale of Two Thompsons

“Love people and use things because the opposite never works.”
Joshua Fields Milburn, The Minimalists  

I write this post on the heels of Black Friday and the upcoming holiday season.

Although the season is supposed to conjure up warm, fuzzy feelings, spending time with family and partaking in all things Christmas, it’s a time of stress for more people than you’d think.

We all want that picture-perfect Christmas. The holiday parties, the presents under the tree, the homemade food at Christmas dinner. But those holiday parties, those presents, that Christmas dinner? They kind of stress you out. They stress me out too.

You’re suckered into buying a cheap Dirty Santa gift that the recipient likely won’t even use. You’re spending hours in the kitchen baking holiday treats rather than spending time with family and friends. Or you’re stressing out at the store, attempting to find the perfect gift for someone…

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Encouragement for September 12th

Guess what today is? I’m sooooooooooo excited! Do you want to get on board and spread some sunshine in the world today? Yes? Awesome!

Did you know that September 12th is National Encouragement Day? Since 2007, every September 12th is celebrated as a special day to pour some encouragement into the lives of the people with whom you come into contact on National Encouragement Day. This could be friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, the mailman, store clerks, the trash pick-up service (what would we do without them?!), the babysitter, your bus driver, the bank teller, YOUR DENTIST!!!! Yeah…..don’t you ever wonder what it’s like to see sour faced patients come into your office for their bi-annual cleaning?

Here are some simple things to get you started thinking about how to encourage someone today.

1.)   Take your neighbor some baked treats.

2.)   Call your spouse in the middle of the day and say something nice.

3.)   Tell your adult children how wonderful you think they are.

4.)   Write an encouraging note to someone.

5.)   Take someone to lunch.

6.)   Pay for someone’s coffee or meal in line behind you.

7. )  Mail a card to someone who you know needs a “lift”.

8. )  Compliment someone on the long ride up in the elevator…or at least say “hi”.

9.)   Buy the receptionist in your building her favorite candy.

10.)  Take some flowers to an elderly person.

11.)  Before you are tempted to say something snide, rude, negative or discouraging to anyone, whatever the situation…..bite your tongue!

There…..isn’t this fun?  BE ENCOURAGED! And by the way….keep rowing your boat….you’re doing great!!!! Don’t give up….I know you can do it!

Love, grace and peace,

Willie

Second, Comes Marriage!

Hi, y’all! Happy second day of September!

My very first post was about love and since that is such a delicious theme, I do believe I will carry on with that, if that’s okay with you. I suppose June is traditionally the month when weddings are on our minds.

Around our house, however, things are shifting into the next gear because our son’s November wedding is only nine weeks away! I am one of those people who love weddings. ( I also am one of the few who love graduations and all those speeches and watching the graduates walk across the stage, but that’s a topic for another day…..).

This second day of September is the day my parents were married in 1951. Those were simpler times back then, but the love, faithfulness and commitment vows my parents made was the real stuff upon which a lasting marriage is based. Dad wore a nice suit and mama had a pretty sage green wool ensemble and they stood in front of the piano in the front room of my grandparents’ house to say their vows.

My husband and I love both our parents and since both couples were married in September just five years apart, we likewise thought that would be a fine month in which to park our own wedding, hoping to emulate their example. Perhaps their good vibes did rub off on us, because September 4th will mark 35 years of married living for me and mine! WOW! A few of his finest qualities that first attracted me to him is his outgoing personality and that he is easygoing, fun to be around, hard-working, patient and forgiving.  In some ways, we still feel like we’re the 23 and 22-year-old couple we were wayyyyyyyyyyy back in 1983!

As hubby puts it, “Time flies when you’re having fun!” I agree.

This is our newly married daughter and son-in-law recently having their own version of “time flies when you’re having fun”! They share their newlywed adventures over on her blog Tale of Two Thompsons.

Here’s to marriage and all the engaged couples saying “I do” in 2018! Who in your life can you celebrate today?

Love, grace and peace,

Willie

First, There Is Love

Love is in the air!  Can you feel it?   Do you see it?

There are places you love to go. (the lake)

…things you love to do. (waterski on that lake)

…foods you love to eat. (fresh grilled salmon)

…sports teams you love to follow for life. (Go, Vols!)

Most importantly, there are people in your life whom you are called to love.

Last night, two families came together to celebrate our son and almost daughter-in-law with a ‘couples shower’ as they look forward to their November wedding.  This couple loves each other and they want to do life together.  It is a wonderful thing to look on as the next generation makes their way in this world.

I remember my boy like this.  He was all boy and curious about everything.  No grass grew under his feet!  One day, in a moment of motherhood impatience, I told his four-year-old self that he asked way too many questions.  After a long moment of silence from the backseat, his little voice pleaded, “But Mommy, if I don’t ask all  the questions, how will I know all the answers?”  Sweet.

Now that curious boy is 26-years-old and ready to establish his own household.  A new chapter in the book of life is being written.  Since I love to write, I look forward to the blank pages waiting to be filled!

You may be familiar with the passage of scripture in I Corinthians 13, referred to as ‘the love chapter’. Even though brides and grooms often quote this beautiful prose in their wedding ceremony, these directives were actually instructions to the early church in Corinth on how to treat each other every day.  They also apply to our lives in 2018.  The greatest gift we have been given, that we are privileged to give each other, is….LOVE.

What story of love can you write today in someone’s life?

Love, grace and peace,

Willie