Hi guys!!! Okay. So, I want to apologize, not for the things I have been doing, but for those I have not. I committed myself to writing here regularly, but for the past week and some change, I have not… But I will say that the time “off” has been nourishing.

First and foremost, I was able to think, reflect, and write… A LOT! So I have tons to share.

Possibly more valuably, however, I was truly able to live ‘In The Moment(s)’… I spent time with my church, hung out with several friends, celebrated some birthdays, babysat, danced, and celebrated Christmas with family… Including special experiential gifts with my two first loves! 👪

Living in the moment, for me, is not just about saying I’ve done something, but truly experiencing it. I have realized that I actually have to slow down to engage with the world around me. “What memory can I have of something if I never spend time with it?” I ask myself.

I took my mother to Chicago on 12.26.14. The “purpose” of the trip was to attend The Joffrey Ballet’s presentation of The Nutcracker. This may have been the first time I’ve ever sat in a production where (besides the on stage happenings) I could have heard a pin drop in a large auditorium! What I loved about this was that it demanded focus on the stage; I lived in every moment of it! Understated, it was amazing! My mother also enjoyed it as much as I, if not more, and it was priceless to see her smile. Now, while the ballet was the “purpose”, we also wanted to experience the Windy City! So we did, by foot; and though we traveled fast as we walked, we stopped everywhere we wished to take in all of the city’s offerings that we had time for. The Art Institvte (huge!!!) was our first stop, we also found our way to the Skydeck @ Willis Tower, ‘The Bean’ & other things at Millennium Park, Navy Pier, and United Center… to name a few.

After we flew back, I had to settle myself enough to regain energy so that I could take my father to the Dallas Cowboys game, 12.28.14! We played against the Redskins @ FedEx Field. While it seems a little less extravagant, the same sentiment is shared. My father and I bond greatly over sports; his interests have strongly influenced mine! America’s Team has been having a great season (especially on the road), and it’s been good to be a fan this year! 🙂 Needless to say, the experience was unparalleled… Laughing and cheering with daddy, alongside a slew of other fans… We were even able to find pleasure in the four miles of walking that day, rain & shine!

Now I know, Christmas isn’t about gifts or trees, it’s about celebrating the birth of Jesus! I did that too! And in short here, I’d like to share what giving means for me… Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice, he gave freely his life for us, that we may have eternal life through him, that we may not “suffer” (so to speak) for our sinful ways. He has paid the debt for our consistent shortcomings. “God is love”… In giving, I am not trying to buy tighter knit familial ties or closer relationships with friends; as I give, I always hope that it is an expression that I have paid attention to those around me, that I understand (or seek to understand) what is of value to them, that I care, that I share, and most of all, that I love them enough to contribute to their happiness even when they are full with joy.