what makes you feel alive?

what is it that makes you feel alive?

i asked a friend this question the other day, and it made me think about it myself. what is it that makes me feel alive? this made me go back to a journal entry from a few months ago, when i asked myself this very question:

-nature-being outdoors, appreciating beauty and the majesty of GOD! sunrises, sunsets, light breeze, warm sun...
-worship
-connections with friends (preferably in small groups)
-traveling- learning and appreciating history, art and culture
-museums, zoos, theater, musicals
-amusement parks, thrill rides
-climbing, rappelling, caving, hiking
-water-kayaking, canoeing, paddle-boarding, riding in speed boats, the ocean, lakes, rivers
-adventure
-making people happy, helping people, being thoughtful

most of all...LAUGHING

i don't do enough of these things nearly as often as i should.

 sometimes i just get lazy and it's easier to stay home and watch t.v. (finally got through grey's) ...sometimes it's time (too many things to get done)...often it's lack of the right people to to do these things with (not everyone enjoys the same things). regardless, i need to do the things that make me feel alive, because life is so much more than merely existing. it goes by way too fast, and i'd rather be making memories with friends than sitting around wishing i had.

every day? no.

more often than i do? yes.

it's spring, the weather is getting nicer...

all we have to decide is 

what to do with the time that 

is given to us.

-gandalf

time to enjoy the time that is given to us!

julie

hope you had a thankful thanksgiving...rather than a thoughtful thinksgiving

so, i forgot to tell about yesterday-mom and i went shopping and we found the 'as seen on t.v.' store. and i got a couple of things. my favorite purchase today was this:

you can easily understand why i HAD to acquire this little number!

then tonight for dinner, it was my choice, and i thought mom and dad should experience sushi. well..good thing dad wasn't too hungry, because he wasn't a huge fan. he has a hard time with the seaweed wrapping...he mentioned that it was like having a wet rag in his mouth. mom was ok with hers, but it wasn't her favorite. i was in tears trying to hold in laughter as she was struggling with the chopsticks. she was laughing too, so it wasn't like i was being rude and laughing at her, we were sharing a moment. i haven't laughed that hard in a long, long time! thankful for my parents!


today we went to denny's for breakfast-love it that it's open on thanksgiving.we had quite an enthusiastic server and she seemed happy to be there on thanksgiving day.


we found out that bruno doesn't like walking in branson any more than he likes walking in dallas. must figure this out. and dad took chaco for a walk, but chaco would start going in one direction and then change directions making certain to stay within eyesight of the door to the rooms. not used to doing anything without mama.


for our thanksgiving meal we had...(drum roll) carne con queso dip, with pecan pie for dessert! smile. and since we've been watching football we had to have afternoon popcorn. mom isn't as big of a football fan, she's been playing solitaire and some word puzzles.(like mother like daughter with the word games). she happens to be really good at text twist as well (the yahoo word scramble game).

good thing it's thanksgiving instead of thinks-giving...i mean how different would it have been if the indians had given the settlers/pilgrims a piece of their mind instead of the food.'let me tell you what i'm thinking! i'll give ya my thoughts.' .



because it is thanksgiving, i feel like i should mention things i am thankful for. well, that would be a long list, and the truth of the matter is that i believe a thankful heart should be a never-ending condition. i could say one thing i am thankful for every day for the rest of my life and never run out of things i am thankful for. today i could just start with family, health, a job, friends, the boys, and an incredible GOD who never stops providing and showing his unfailing love!