Lessons Learned.

A few lessons recently learned.

One, you can't depend on someone else for your happiness. Granted, we've all heard this a million times, but as I've been seeing my joy in the Christmas holidays dwindle more and more with each passing day, it just rings so true to me now.  I wasn't even enjoying wrapping presents, which is usually a type of therapy for me. Unfortunately, I lost sight of what Christmas is about, which isn't about me at all and is about God's unselfish act of sending His only Son into this world so that we might be saved and have a way to go to Heaven.  Enough of my selfishness of wallowing in self-pity and instead I'm refocusing on the real reason for this holiday.

Two, things you post online can hurt people. While we all realize this on a logical plane, I'm not sure we remember it every time we post something out here in the great wide open field called the Internet. It feels anonymous because you don't look someone in the eyes and see their reaction once you hit enter. But the reaction is there, just the same.

And Three... I need to value myself more and appreciate and acknowledge my self worth. While I believe I have self respect, I don't think I truly appreciate the gifts and skills and personality God gave to me. He deliberately place certain attributes and abilities into my genetic make-up and I don't believe I have the faith I should in these gifts. This is something I have to work on. 

Hopefully my frown will be turning upside down and I'll feel like writing in my thankful journal again, will pick up my camera again, and enjoy all the beauty and blessings that surround me.  So much to be thankful for, so I need to focus on those things.  Tonight I think was the beginning to it all - how could you not smile with this little one giving you hugs and kisses? And wanting to have Santa write me a special letter... She's a sweetie. I'm very thankful for the little girls in my life - AH and Ellie Bellie (who is pictured). They always bring smiles. :)