Today is Celebration of Life Day! While originally created to honor the children in our lives, it's a great reminder to honor life in general! 

2021 is going to be full of challenges, as 2020 was. That is part of life.. but looking out for the good will outweigh the bad!

So, what's going on in your life that you can celebrate?

For me, it's more time to connect to friends and family because my normal "rat-race" pace at work has changed. It gives me time to reflect upon the joys that my daily job brings, rather than focus on the "to-do" list or what goes wrong! 

In fact, this week I was able to spend  over an hour on the phone with a dear friend who lives several states away. That often doesn't happen in the middle of the week! 

Looking through social media and phone pictures reminds me of the ways I've celebrated life in the past few years.

I've now been in Wilmington, NC for over 3 years and it's starting to feel like home. I've been able to travel to exciting places, both local and out of state: like to Bald Head Island with a church family in the fall and to Anaheim for last year's Youth Ministry Conference. 

I've been able to keep up with friends and family, whether it's visiting them or they visit me, like the above picture of my "adopted" nephews visit in 2019. 

In those quieter moments where I can't go out, travel, and see friends, I still celebrate life by baking, watching movies, reading, or being able to do the things that I love to do! 

Here are some ways to celebrate life today/ this weekend:

• Bake and Make Your Favorite Treats
• Watch a Movie
• Grab take-out from your favorite restaurant
• Share your favorite stories of past adventures with someone special
• Read a great book
• Get outside! Bundle up and visit your favorite park! 
• Visit your favorite museum!
• Call or Video Chat someone you haven't talked to in a while
• Do something that makes you happy- don't worry about the list, it will get done later!