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| My college dose of “happy”–book by Barbara Ann Kipfer |
Just a fun post today on a topic that my friend, Kim Taylor, suggested on my FB author page. In college, I loved the book 14,000 things to be happy about by Barbara Ann Kipfer. I’d mark the things I liked in the book, then add my own happy thoughts in the back. The thoughts below are a mix of both.
At the end, please share some of your own happy thoughts! It’ll be a little pick-me-up for the day!
1) Standing with my dad, looking at the Pleiades through a telescope in the freezing cold with wet hair.
2) Crickets chirping and cows lowing in summer.
3) Antique trunks–wondering what they held.
4) Visiting art galleries (esp. the Museum of Modern Art in NYC).
5) Woodspice and maple-frost colours. Also, spelling COLOUR with a “u.”
6) The words Halcyon, Cerulean, Ephemeral, Nebulous, Alabaster…I could go on and on here.
7) Pipe organ music.
8) Harpsichord music–I sense a loud and blaring musical theme here….
9) Someone who tells you you’re beautiful, even though you’ve been married for years.
10) Secret messages written in runes.
****Okay! Your turn! This was so stinking fun–maybe I’ll have to do it more often. So great to look at the good things and not focus on the bad! C’mon! Share stuff with me below and make me (and the other blog readers) smile! Maybe I’ll post them on my FB author page, too!****
Oh, I WANT to do this! After my celebration tonight, I'll have lots of happy thoughts to share! I'll be back!Blessings,Becky
-Rain on a barn roof.-The smell of books my mom sends me (I promise, they smell better than other books!)-Date night with my husband.-Flowers just because.-A week of vacation with NO particular plans.
Sarah, love those thoughts and they made me smile. Esp. the rain on the barn roof! And vacations without plans…sigh. Becky, looking forward to your thoughts!
Overhearing your child saying something sweet to a sibling.Hearing a song from your youth and being "snapped back in time"Seeing pyramids of fresh, shiny apples of all kinds, piled high on display at the grocery storeThat first taste of candy corn in fall!The smell of freshly baked ANYTHING!Planting a garden and watching it grow :-). Watching an old friend persistently keep trying to write and be published and feeling pride to have been a small part of her life. 🙂
Kim! Beautiful thoughts. Love them. And you made me smile, but I also teared up at that last one. Thank you, my dear friend!!!
Bookstores and libraries.Fresh snow (we don't get snow that often :D)The smell of fresh-baked bread.Waterfalls.Sleepy kittens.Random acts of kindness.
-compliments about my kids-sunshine-a friend's voice on the phone-being somebody's somebody-packages in the mail-hot Earl Grey tea-making friends with people you've never met-the moment before the movie starts-writing the perfect scene-being told you matter
Belly laughter. Doesn't matter who or when. I love it. Infectious!Fun songs.Violins. Violins with piano and guitars. Speaking of guitars… listening/watching my husband play, sing, and worship.Libraries. Bookstores. Old homes. Bed and Breakfasts.So much fun, I feel better!
Oh, so fun to read all these! Botanist–yes, fresh white snow is so lovely. And baking bread! MMM!And Jennifer–those compliments on our kids just make us glow, and we carry those with us. And, ooh–love that moment before the movie starts!!! And calls from friends…And Jessica–belly laughter is so fun and so rare. I usually wind up choking! Ha. And so great that you love to watch your hubby worship!Thank you ALL for brightening my day! It's sunny out, but around 11 degrees–so VERRRRY chilly!
Green jasmine tea.A great novel.Colorado in the fall.Hearing my grown-up children talk about Jesus.
I'm back.Celebrating my birthday with my husband and children.Homemade cardsThe first sip of coffee in the morning.Turning the last page and wishing it wasn't.The first day(s) of life for chicks…or goats. Oh. Mah. Word. (As a certain authoress friend says)When my dog looks at me as though she's really listening AND understanding.Books in the mail. Even though I have a Kindle, this is still THE BEST THING to come in the mail.Okay. I could go on. And on.This was a great post!
-Catching a kitty playing when no one's watching-Unexpected handwritten mail (even better if I recognize the writing immediately)-That instant of "hey, I don't know this song, but I like it!"-Eye contact. I usually smile at random people I see. I got a husband that way, in fact. (Kept him, too!)
Davalyn–love those, esp. the one about grown-up children. I know that will be a thrill to my heart someday, too.And Becky! Loved yours–I was just thinking that same thing about my dog. Sometimes she seems to know what I'm saying (and other times, she ignores it completely!). And the first day in the chick's life! I've never seen that but I must someday!And Brandy–yes, I've had that feeling on songs. And smiling at people you don't know! When I lived in NYC (15 years ago!), I stopped smiling at strangers–way too dangerous there! But I'm slowly getting back into it as I'm living toward the south now. But way to catch a husband! Grin.
Oh, your post put a smile on my face … and I want to join the fun! Things that make me happy:a napsnuggling under a blanket with a good book and glancing up to watch the snow falling outside my windowsthe laughter of my children"just because" flowers from my husbandsinging loud and long with my daughters in the car (yeah, my son never got into that!)dancing in the kitchenstillness
Ah, Beth–stillness–how infrequently that seems to occur! And when it does, it'll probably freak me out! Ha. And love glancing up to see the snow fall while cuddled up. Great stuff, thanks for sharing!
Fun! Some things that have made me smile today:-My bright green WARM scarf-My space heater-Time alone with God in the morning-My hilariously fun coworkers-COFFEE!-Thinking about God as my friend…it's been the theme of my morning so far. 🙂
Enjoyed your comments, Melissa–and do I sense a WARM theme going on here? I hear ya, girl! Wind's a'whippin outside and I'm chilly inside. Just made some tea and hope to get down to editing. Pondering God as a friend–how great! I was reading Spurgeon's devotional this morning on the wonder that Christ is our brother. Amazing stuff.
Heather,I think I'm in love with you.LOL!No, really, I identified with all of these things from some tender place in my heart. Especially the cows lowing and crickets chirping and the spellings of all those unique and mysterious words. Music to my ears!Here are a few of mine:A man's voice when he's saying something richly masculineCoconut and dark chocolate togetherSomeone else said it, but, the earth just after it rainsPeppermint essential oilFresh herbsGregorian chantsCeltic music, especially jigsThanks for the fun post!Bethany
Bethany, you kindred spirit you! I think we're on the same wavelength for sure. I thought I was the only weirdo who loved Gregorian chants…which might play into that richly masculine voice thing. And coconut/dark choc? Lovely!
Heather, you're right–this is fun and so uplifting. Here are a few of my happy thoughts/things that make me happy:–snoozing cats–classical guitar music, fiddle music–movie musicals–someone laughing at my joke–friends