Welcome to the weekend, my pals! Are you able to imagine we’re only a few days away from Christmas?? As I began penning this right now, I noticed this would be the five hundredth Little Issues e-newsletter! This was by no means actually one thing I deliberate to do. I simply actually get pleasure from sharing our life with you on this approach and so I’ve continued writing these emails each Saturday morning.

The world of meals running a blog has modified so much over the previous 15 years and after I began writing these newsletters nearly 10 years in the past, it was my approach of making an attempt to remain related with you all regardless of the web’s push to “simply share the recipe” and cease telling tales together with the meals we share. 

In the present day, to have fun each my love of Christmas and the enjoyable of sending you this five hundredth e-newsletter, I’m giving freely $500 in Amazon present playing cards. 

I get pleasure from celebrating the vacations a lot and I like listening to about your loved ones’s favourite traditions. All you must do to be entered is depart a touch upon this weblog publish and inform me about your favourite Christmas custom!

On Tuesday, December twenty third, I’ll decide 5 of the feedback which were left on this weblog publish and ship a $100 Amazon card to every of these readers only for the enjoyable of it. The winners can be notified through the e-mail used to depart a touch upon the web site. 

(Sadly, as a lot as I get pleasure from receiving your emails, replies through e-mail can’t be included on this giveaway, it’s just too tough to trace entries that approach.)

I’ll go first by sharing my favourite Christmas reminiscence: 

After I was 8 years outdated, I wished curler skates for Christmas. My mother managed to discover a pair of skates, the old style sort with steel wheels. These had been nothing just like the skates my pals had, however they had been skates and she or he was so glad to have discovered them. She cleaned them up and set them apart for me.

Nevertheless, the outdated skates wanted new laces. She had no spare cash for the laces, however she gathered all of the change, principally pennies, in the home and she or he went to the shop.

She took her pile of pennies and a package deal of laces to the counter on the retailer and the younger and impatient clerk informed her that she wasn’t going to take pennies. My mother began crying, however she held her floor and informed the clerk that it was nonetheless good cash and she or he wanted these laces for Christmas. Thanks to assist from the gentleman in line behind her, the clerk lastly bought her the laces and she or he introduced them dwelling.

After I opened my present of the skates on Christmas morning, I had no concept how a lot work and what number of tears had gone into these skates. I used to be simply thrilled to be tying on my first pair of curler skates.

For that reminiscence and so many others, thanks Mother. You taught me to be thankful for every part. You taught me that discovering pleasure within the small pleasures of life is much extra enjoyable than at all times wanting in the direction of the following massive factor.

I watched and realized so much by means of my mother’s instance over time. I do know for a indisputable fact that Philippians 4:11-13 is greater than a Bible verse, it’s a lifestyle. “I’m not saying this as a result of I’m in want, for I’ve realized to be content material regardless of the circumstances. I do know what it’s to be in want, and I do know what it’s to have loads. I’ve realized the key of being content material in any and each state of affairs, whether or not well-fed or hungry, whether or not dwelling in loads or in need. I can do all this by means of Him who provides me power.”

She confirmed me by means of a continuing devoted instance that happiness is a selection. We are able to select to be glad and discover pleasure within the little issues or we are able to concentrate on what is perhaps lacking from the proper image.

If you’re studying this right now, my prayer for you is that you simply’ll discover a particular second to understand one thing massive or small in your life. Wishing you a stunning Christmas week full of little issues that make you smile!

Mary