Just Rest, My Friend

The other night *The Pretty Pens* met for a Christmas dinner and, believe me, we were pretty! Pretty and very festive. Kimberly and her daughter in their holly-red shirtwaists, me in my pine-green knit shirt and multi-colored lightbulb necklace, Grace with her smile that lights the shadowy corners of any room, and salsa-Linda in her faithful black crocs which are as footloose and fancy-free as she is. It's a little thing that makes us love her all the more. We arrived with festive wrapped packages, cellophane-sparkly goodies, and cheerful bow-tied baskets. I never saw bows smile that wide...or journals that spoke so poignantly.

The journal was Kimberly's gift to Linda and me. On the dated back page she wrote a very special, personal note to each of us. Inside of mine, where she explained the purpose of this journal, she wrote:

"I'm sure you have numerous books, notebooks, and journals. (Kimberly knows me well.) This one is different. It is your Blessings/Gifts journal. ...Everytime you think of something the Lord has given to you, write it down."

It didn't take me long to skate into this habit. Not long at all. Then, two night later to be exact, my little family got sick. Scary sick. Kimberly's assurance that "this list does not have to be elaborate" made it easy to keep track of my little blessings and gifts throughout the day. I had only to pay attention to "everytime (I thought) of something the Lord (had) given to (me)..."

It was that simple, that easy, that contagious.

Like seeing Annie tuck one of her new stuffed animals next to her feverish sister as she slept. Or, instead of walking into a crowded, stenchy laundry room, noticing the smell of those recently purchased Gain dryer-sheets scenting the air. And noticing how specially nice the people in the stores are this time of year. Or how, after a sleepless night with a husband coughing and a child hallucinating, one son surprises me with Chinese carryout for lunch. And the other son comes home during his lunch hour to check on his little sister because he's worried about her. And how a dear friend texts a soft message to me that reads, "Just rest, my friend."

Blessings are often found in the little things of life and I found myself surrounded in little blessings today. In one day's time, this new little journal has done what it promised it would:

"May it remind you just how much the He loves you."

Believe me, I felt the love today. And tonight the fever is gone and all is calm, all is bright, as we await the arrival of His littlest blessing which proves how exponentially "he loves us.".