sappy words and hot tea

My mind is on so many things this morning. The nature of good and evil, the good intentions of loved ones and the essence of friendship. A lot of heavy thoughts on this Christmas eve eve...and not one I'm ready to share with everyone.

But instead, I will take a page from my friend Georgia's blog, there are ten things that warm my heart today.

1. The love of family and friends - everlasting and everlong. It it the beacon in the storm and the shelter in the cold.
2. The grace of forgiveness and forgetting - there have been so many times that I have screwed up, whether intentionally or unbeknown to me. Forgiveness is appreciated but forgetting is true grace.
3. The laughter of children at this season and all year through - nothing makes me smile more than seeing the sheer joy of a child's face alight with happiness.
4. The security of living in a country where we have abundant resources. And though we don't always use them the best we can - we have much here and I'm grateful for the access to those resources.
5. The simple pleasure of hot tea, honey and a good shortbread cookie. When the weather is dank and nasty - I have these simple things to warm my stomach.
6. The unconditional affection of my boy kitty - though I fuss and cuss that I don't want the responsibility of a pet, I do enjoy his snuggles and purrs when I'm feeling down and lonely.
7. The warm light of candles.
8. The words of other writers that strike a chord deep within my heart. Words to lift and inspire me...words of comfort, words of peace, words of understanding, vulnerability, even fear. A reminder that though I feel lonely, I'm not always alone.
9. My camera's ability to explore places I've never "seen" before and the comfort I receive just holding it in my hands.
10. And the knowledge that in the midst of it all....weeping may endure for a night, joy comes in the morning.