When I share with my family that this is one of my favorite photos from this Christmas, I am given such incredulous squinty eyed yeah right mom disbelieve as a response that it has made me want to try and figure out why.

For I do see how it is not much as photos go, at least once I stopped and looked through the warm fuzzy haze of feelings and took in its composition, but really are not most family photos like that. Think about it, unless you were there or know the people in them intimately, it is the story, the words used to describe them that bring the image to life.

Well I am getting off topic as usual, so let’s see, I was trying to discern what it is about this photo that moves me. The first thing that bubbles to the surface for perusal is that it invokes such sweet memories of this effervescent daughter of mine; for this one dances her way through life. I am blessed to have this captured in a graduated series of snap shots in my mind, beginning with the first moments she could stand, which have her throwing her arms up to the heavens in a celebration of being, and the revelry is still going strong these many years later.

I can also see the new lustrous kitchen aglow through the open door, letting me know that my parents have finally agreed upon something. For they have spent the last forty years discussing the particulars of this remodel, passionately. But more importantly, they have finally done something for themselves rather than living sacrificially for their children. As their daughter, I am eternally grateful for their generosity, but the time was long past due for them to follow through on their own dreams, and therefore I am additionally thankful for the gift of happiness they have given me by doing so.

Then last, but not least, I see a little mini me watching the dance of exuberance from a safe spot. I call this grandson a mini me because he has the same fear of failure and stoic disposition I struggle with; it breaks my heart. However, one of the things he does have going for him, are examples like his dancing Auntie Honey, who will show him that to outwardly express all of his tightly compressed emotions, could perhaps be a whole lot of fun.

So basically I see joy, and love, and hope when I look at this photo, and I suppose for me, that’s Christmas.

I had planned a week, but two days was my breaking point. I suppose that could be a good thing considering my one and only resolution for the New Year is moderation.

I have never made a New Years resolution before, because actually what’s the point. If it is something thing you would like to change about yourself, how is the change in one digit going to make a difference, but maybe I am missing something here so I decided to give it a shot, and I am going with moderation.

You see, I tend to jump into things without proper consideration. My impulsive, and annoying, nature likes to give it my all from the get go. Unfortunately, I am also easily bored and prefer the incomplete, therefore I have a really hard time finishing anything. I am not proud of this behavior, it is a major character flaw, but denying its existence will not make it go away, so instead I intend to try to embrace it in this new year, and do a little bit of everything.

At first I considered making up a schedule so that I could squeeze in my little bits of everything, but then I would completely fill my life with activities allotted their little bits of moderated time. Somehow I don’t think that is really the point.

So, then I considered picking just a few items I would like to accomplish and deciding when they were allowed to happen, hum….this is not cutting it either.

I then started a list of what I would eliminate to make room for the “good” things of life, but how is that moderation? No this not what I am aiming for. I want it all, but how?

So now I am back to where I was when I started last year.

Put God first and everything else will fall into place.

I really like this.

No stress, no plan, just God.