In a Facebook group I belong to, Fridays are days for celebration. Today I found an old blog post about celebrating. I first shared it on November 12, 2014, on my former blog. It has been updated, but all the links shared here are still live and available to read. There was a linkup by Marvia Davidson called Real Talk, and the topic that week was Celebration. Marvia believes there is nothing too small to celebrate, and I tend to agree.
We so often think something has to be really big for us to celebrate – a holiday, birthday, or some other milestone reached. Where did we get that idea?
WHY CAN’T WE JUST CELEBRATE LIFE?
My friend Suzanne Terry put it this way in her November 11, 2014, blog post for Real Talk, Feast – Just Because:
This is my favorite reason to feast – nothing. No reason at all. I am prone to making elaborate dishes on a whim to savor just for the sake of savoring them.” Then she says, “You are alive. Celebrate!
In other words she’s asking why we need a reason other than that we are alive. She also realizes that it’s not always that easy. Most of the time we go from one thing to another missing the “right now” of our lives.
We often just live for each event, counting down the days or we pine for things past wishing we could bring them back. Neither of these are healthy for us. I’m not saying we can’t look forward to things or reminisce about past events. There is a place for that.
What I am saying is that we so often miss little every day things in our habits of rushing through life to get to the next thing. We can miss the beauty of the ordinary, everyday things around us.
WHY DO WE NEED A REASON TO CELEBRATE?
My answer is that we don’t need a big event to do something special. My friend, Mary Beth Pavlik, shared a mouth-watering recipe called Apple Pie Biscuits she found by Joy the Baker.
It looked easy and delicious, and I wanted to try it sometime. Then I read Suzanne’s post about feasting and celebrating, so I decided I would make it that very night for dessert.
Well, I didn’t get to it then but determined to make it for breakfast the next day. It was a hit! My husband felt like he was sitting down to a feast with his bacon, eggs and coffee and these special biscuits.
What if we chose to slow down and focus on the ordinary things of each day?
What if we woke up each morning with the goal of finding some beauty in our lives?
Maybe we would find ourselves a little more content and realize how much we do have to be thankful for even in the midst of our struggles and our hard things.
What if we chose to celebrate life rather than complain about what we don’t have?
What if we looked at each day as a new door to open with wonder as we search for treasures?
We could search in ordinary and not so ordinary places to see what treasures await. I wonder what shapes, colors, sizes and textures we might find. Maybe we would find many reasons for celebration.
What do you like to celebrate? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
I’m linking up with: #BVNetworkParty, #TeaAndWord, #LMMLinkup, #TuneInThursday
Celebrating life as each new day unfolds… <3 Blessings and love! xo
Yes, each day can be a celebration! Blessings and love to you, Bette! xo
P.S. Celebrating World Peace Day with a poem today… https://4writersandreaders.com/2018/09/20/celebrate-international-peace-day-every-day-peace-comes-walking-poem-by-bette-a-stevens
Thanks, I will check it out! 🙂 Blessings!
I love this, Gayl. And everyone needs those biscuits in their lives.
Thanks, Suzanne! Yes, those are so delicious! Hope you are well! Blessings to you! xo
“There’s nothing too small to celebrate!”, is going to be made into a sign for my home office! Thank you very much! Much Love!! ❤
Oh, cool! You can probably make a lovely sign with your painting abilities! 🙂 Much love to you, too, dear sister! xoxo
Celebrating the small things in life give us the opportunity to notice big blessings, too. 🙂
Yes, Melissa! If we practice celebrating and giving thanks for the small things we will do the same for the big ones as well. : Blessings to you!
Dear Gayl,
So, so beautiful, as my husband and I are celebrating the life of our friend John. Truly it is as you say, “we are alive!” Life is such a gift, and John is more alive now than ever before. Yes, we should celebrate every day because our lives are so very precious to God! Thank you for sharing the gift of life with me, my friend! Love & Hugs to you! xoxo
Dear Bettie,
I’m so glad you were able to have that time with your friend and his family before He passed on. Yes, he is so much more alive now. Thank you, too, Bettie, for sharing the gift of life with me. : Many blessings, love and hugs to you! xoxo
Makes me want to sing Celebration by Kool and the Gang!!!
Yes, I love that! It really puts you in a celebrating mood. 🙂 Blessings to you, Susan! xoxo
Yes, we are blessed, we are alive, we are His! Let’s celebrate over a cup of fragrant tea & treats of pure deliciousness! 😀
Jennifer
Sounds marvelous, Jennifer! Wish we could enjoy a cuppa together. What fun we would have! Blessings to you!
Dear Gayl, I love these thoughts! You are definitely a woman after my own heart. Over the last few years God has been showing me how to savour the small and look for wonder in the ordinary everyday, rather than mourn missing bigger things. This post really speaks to my desire to do just that. Blessings, love and hugs! xoxo <3
Dear Joy, I’m so glad you are here and that God made our paths cross! I often forget to look for the wonder in the ordinary, everyday. That’s why I remind myself a lot. I’m glad to have you on this journey with me. Blessings, love and hugs right back to you! xoxo
My chronic illness had caused me to enjoy the little things more. You post also reminded me of Emily Freeman’s book Simply Tuesday.
Yes, it’s interesting how when we are forced to slow down we are able to see what we may have missed before. I read that book. It is a good one to help us remember to slow down. Blessings to you, Mandy! Thanks for your encouragement.