Today's Bliss: Life

I asked N what I should blog about today. Me: "What are you blissful about?" N: "Everything. Life is good." Me: "Any ideas that are a bit more specific? Any more detail you'd like to go into?" N: "Nope. Just life is good."

N the Optimist

Those of you out there who know N will not be surprised by his very short answer to my question! He is not a very talkative fellow...but, he is wise. The more I thought about his answer, the more I realized it was a great one. N and I are very blessed. We have some annoyances in life here and there, but overall, we have a very, very good life and we should be extremely blissful about it every single day. N is good at seeing the bright side. His kind heart and calm personality help him focus on the positive and stay optimistic in most circumstances. I am a realist by nature and tend to be more negative about things. N and I balance each other out and it works well...but we can learn some important things from each other.

What I have learned during my marriage is that I need to learn to be more positive. When I am in the midst of a cloud of negativity or doubt, it is hard to see the Light. I need to stop, put my problem or challenge into perspective, and look at the bright side.This is a difficult thing for me to do, but when I put forth the effort, I am a much more blissful soul. Life is short and life is good. Each and every day should be cherished and we should give thanks for everything we encounter.

Next time you are feeling frustrated or downhearted, look around you and remember N's wise words: "life is good." Many people around the world could not say the same.

Today's Bliss: Parents

Fifteen years ago, I may not have thought of my parents as bliss. But they are. N's parents are, too. We are very, very blessed that we have four people in our lives who know us well, love us deeply, and help us with anything we need. This past week, N and I took spent some time with our parents. We took our Dads to a Predators hockey game; we took our Moms to see Opryland Hotel and the Christmas decorations. Our parents also came to N and I's Christmas party and they really made it fun! All of these events were really nice and gave us some time to enjoy the healthy relationships we have with each other.

N and I look forward to spending the holidays with our parents and we give thanks for them every day! We hope that you have a chance to hug your parents and thank them for what they have given you: life.

N and his Dad

Me and my Dad

N and his Mom

Me and my Mom

Today's Bliss: Holidays

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your loved ones! N and I really enjoyed our trip to Kentucky last week to be with his family to celebrate the holiday. We ate a lot, watched movies, helped decorate for Christmas, spent quality time with each other, and relaxed. I did not touch a computer or get online for 3 days straight...that was most definitely blissful for me! I needed to un-plug. We also got to see the new Muppets movie that I have blogged about a couple of times. It was a really good movie; I felt like I was seeing my old friends! I will forever love Miss Piggy and her extreme self confidence, Kermit's faithfulness to his friends, and Fozzy's determination to be happy.

Time spent away really makes me let go. If I had 4 days at home, I would feel the need to work on projects, conquer to-do lists, and be productive. When I go away, I let myself read magazines, watch television, chat with N more...it is a really good way to recharge, especially before the bustle of the Christmas season that is coming up so soon.

As I look at the remainder of my 2011 calendar that is filling up so quickly, I am bracing myself for a crazy month ahead. But, I am so so blessed by it. I am glad for the yule-tide activities, occasions to greet friends and family, and time to celebrate our ultimate gift: Jesus. I am blessed that I do not feel a need to attend a Blue Christmas service, that I do not feel lonely rather than fulfilled, that I am not searching for a place to go to celebrate with loved ones.

May your upcoming holiday season be blissful and not stressful; uplifting and not sad; loving and not loathing. Look around in thanks for what you have and who you are!

Today's Bliss: The Muppets

Tomorrow the new Muppet movie opens and I will definitely be ready to see it. I have been counting down for weeks to see all of my favorite characters back in action. I have always been a huge fan (you may remember my Miss Piggy specific post not too long ago) and I cannot wait to reconnect with the kind-hearted, innocent Muppets that really helped shape me as a child. I can still sing the Muppet Babies theme song by heart!

This movie is not the only thing that I am excited about today. Thanksgiving week is full of reasons for me to be thankful. Family, friends, fun, food, Friday shopping... I am a very blessed girl and I look forward to celebrating my life of bliss this week! Happy Thanksgiving!

Today's Bliss: Technology

I don't know where I would be without technology. In the last hour, I have gotten so much done, all thanks to the internet and my trusty laptop. And my job? I cannot imagine doing my daily assignments and projects without my computer, email, and the web. I look back at not-so-distant history and wonder how everything worked without the technology that surrounds us everywhere we look. I think that the world was just slower. A century ago, it took weeks for a letter to travel long distances. Now, a letter can travel from one inbox to another, across the world, in seconds.

As easy as technology makes my day to day life, I can see a whole lot of negative things about it, too. We are constantly looking at a screen instead of faces, chatting through a keyboard instead of vocal conversations, relying on computer contact rather than human contact. This is one main reason that I do not have a smart phone. I would be much too distracted by it. I want to live in the moment and enjoy people around me as much as I can.

N used to have a Blackberry. On a trip to the beach, he talked all day about the sunset and how he could not wait to see it! Well, the day passed...evening came...we settled into the sand, held hands and waited for the much anticipated sunset to arrive. It was beautiful! As I turned to look lovingly into N's eyes to celebrate this moment, I couldn't. He was too busy checking Facebook on his phone! He had missed the thing he had looked forward to all day because technology distracted him.

I think that we miss a lot of things because we are staring at our televisions, phones, and computers. Stop. Go outside and take some time to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. Celebrate the gifts that God has given you. Then hug someone, look them in the eye, and give thanks.

Today's Bliss: Comfort Food

Whether your day has been good or bad, whether you've had a day full of fun activities or dull chores, there is one thing that can always make your day better: comfort food. Nothing makes me feel safe and secure like a good, home cooked meal. And it's always especially good if it is a dish that my mom used to make when I was growing up.

I cook a lot. I try to make wholesome, healthy, tasty meals that N and I both enjoy. I actually really like menu planning, searching through recipes for new dishes to try, coming home in the evenings to spend some time with N as we cook...it is a part of my routine that I find really relaxing.

This has been a hectic week at work, so I was really looking forward to a night of cooking and comfort food...and it was just as good as I had hoped. After we ate, I felt relaxed and, well, comforted.

Our comfort food: chopped steak, mashed potatoes, and sauteed garlic and mushrooms.

Sometimes, your greatest bliss can be found in little things around you. Tonight as I was cooking and enjoying our meal, I thought about the things I've learned from my mother as she cooked countless meals for me in her kitchen (and still does when I am at home). I thought about my Grandfather and his cooking prowess that showed itself in our delicious Thanksgiving dinners. I thought about how grateful I am for my family and the examples they have set for me...not just in the kitchen, but in all areas of my life. 

I am so blessed. So are you. Give thanks and be comforted.