Welcome 2014

The cold front arrived last night with strong winds, strong enough to knock out our electricity for several hours, but no matter, it was bed time and we enjoyed having it so dark.  The dying fire in the stove cast a copper glow on the floor as I headed to bed, climbing under the mountains of covers.  The temperature steadily dropped through the night.  This morning when I got up it was 21 F with a wind chill of 9.  For us, that's cold, but Emery and I just laugh, put on another sweater and an extra pair of socks until we get the fire burning brightly.   We are a sturdy lot, not minding the cold one bit.   The birds are busy at the feeders, needing lots of food to help keep them warm.  I sit on the floor by the fire, camera in hand, aimed straight at the feeders.  Amazed at how fast the birds eat up the bird seed.    It seems we are filling the feeders every couple of days.   
It is a new year, but nothing feels different to me. Oh sure, I made a couple resolutions and decided to do some juicing for the first few days of 2014 to compensate for all those cookies I ate during the Christmas holiday.  My resolution...to be more aware of my thoughts, my actions and my reactions.  A tall order, but each tiny step forward is progress.  I saw something on Facebook yesterday that made me think.  It was about loving yourself more, and I must admit that when I first saw it, it seemed a bit self centered, then I remembered the words of Jesus, that tells us to love others as we love ourselves.  From that thought came a million other thoughts, such as, o.k. maybe what is wrong with humanity, is that on the most basic level we don't love ourselves very much and in that, we treat others with that same level of compassion that we show ourselves.  So the base of the problem is perhaps not that we are sometimes hateful to others while standing in line at the store, or when we are stuck in traffic, or dealing with our children or spouse but it is that we lack that love for ourselves.  The cure for all this, learning to love ourselves.  For me, that comes to a deeper understanding when I think about Gods love for me and learning to forgive myself for the things I feel I fail at.   We all have moments when we know we could have, should have done better.   The world we live in today, is filled with media that uses its own agenda driven measuring stick that one would have to be dead in order to not feel at one time or another.   Its not a big problem for me, but there is instances when an unkind word towards me, may give me that feeling that perhaps I don't measure up.  So, I guess from time to time in this new year, I will think about that little picture with the words about loving oneself and use it as a tool to help me with my resolution to be more aware.   The goal is always for me, to live a more simple, more loving life.  To move past the "wants" and see what the real needs are.  Even in striving for a more simple life, there can be so many "wants"    I remember wanting more chickens, a bigger garden than we really needed.  Wanting more objects and even clothing that let everyone know, I was a simple living gal.   I have learned a lot in the last few decades, and one thing is for sure, you need a lot less than you want !
Happy New Year Friends !  May this new year open our eyes to the blessings we are already surrounded by.