Favorite Things

It was Christmas Eve and our usual family tradition was in full swing - a sleepover in our living room. We snuggle down with tons of foamies, pillows, and blankets, watching a movie until we drop off to sleep one at a time. Last man down turns off the TV.

This year we chose the classic Sound of Music. It is one of our favorites, and in the spirit of the movie and the song.... these are a few of our favorite things! We had great fun thinking about what we would put in the blanks of the song, and everyone had lots of favorite things. Not in any priority, here is a sampling of what makes us feel inspired and good way down deep.

We love to smell

• fresh air
• lilacs
• cookies
• fresh ground/fresh brewed coffee
• cinnamon rolls, oozing brown sugar and butter and dripping with carmel frosting
• Chanel No. 5

We love to taste

• Tacos piled high with all the accessories
• Candy
• Steak with bleu cheese - after a round of golf with friends
• Omelets stuffed and popping with crisp-fried veggies and cheese
• Italian ice
• Kraft dinner
• Ribs at Montanas
• Fresh ground/fresh brewed coffee

We feel happy when we wear

• Bright clothes
• skirts
• dressy clothes
• nail polish
• lip gloss
• Crest white strips
• heels
• jeans
• shorts

We love to hear

• the ocean - one of the best sounds for our soul
• music of all kinds - jazz, worship, rock, orchestra and kid's music
• the song: I Wanna Go Deep
• family and friends on the phone
• laughter
• a good joke
• "I love you"
• Teaching that moves us - toward God's heart and toward personal and family growth

Let us feel

• hugs and kisses - arms wrapped tightly around our necks
• water rushing under a kneeboard or snow spraying in our faces
• our hearts moved in worship to a God who is so creative
• the rush of zooming down a waterslide or roller coaster
• anything soft
• wind on my face

We smile when we see

• colors - lime green, dark blue, black and purple
• the Eiffel Tower
• Beautiful nails - finger and toe
• the enthusiasm and joy of someone who loves what they do
• flower gardens
• good sense
• beautiful dance choreography
• an environment created with specific purpose, intention and beauty
• a kite

We love to

• play volleyball
• help others
• swim
• ice skate
• play soccer
• jump on the trampoline
• snow machine
• cut paper
• lead a group of people toward a goal/vision
• make flower arrangements
• drum, play guitar, play with the band
• host friends

Current favorite books

• Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Montgomery
• Ecclesiastes by King Solomon
• Tough Choices by Carly Fiorina
• I Spy by Scholastic
• Frank Peretti books
• A Hat for Ivan by Max Lacado

In our dreams what we want to do most is

• build a coffee shop
• take Sherri, Eric, and Allison to experience other parts of the world and culture
• get A's at Oxford
• see the Canadian Rockies
• eat a seafood dinner by the sea
• grow 3" taller
• visit family, Willow Creek Community Church and Northpoint Church
• become Canadian citizens

We loved doing this - when we got started I could hardly write fast enough to keep up with what everyone was saying.

We've decided that one of our very favorite things to do is to think about what we love and what pumps us up.

At the start of 2008, Marlin and I want to keep focusing ourselves and our kids, not selfishly, but purposefully on what we love. It accomplishes at least a few things: We become instantly more thankful for what we've been blessed with. We purposely savor life with its little things and take time to notice the beauty all around us and within us, and, probably the most important one- it helps us realize in part what God has created us to do. And our favorite place to be - as other writers have put it so well - is in our sweet spot, doing what we were created to do.