Board Games, Conversational Pauses, and Traditions

I have good news about Mercy Inn. The book reached the top 7,000 of all e-books on Amazon this week. Considering that Amazon sells millions of books, that's pretty cool. Thank you for supporting my efforts to write a cozy Christmas novella. And if you missed the announcement recently, the book is now available in print as well as e-book.

If you are interested, I just lowered the price on two of my devotional e-books to $0.99: Finishing Well: Living with the End in Mind, and Flying Solo: 30 Devotions to Encourage the Never-Married. I'm not sure how long the sale will last, so download a copy if you are interested.

Now, let's get to this week's thoughts about slowing down and living deeper:

• A few of my friends and I went on our annual cabin trip last weekend. We had a blast playing board games, listening to music, and just unwinding. If you haven't scheduled a board game night recently, this weekend might be a great time to do so. Might I suggest the card game UNO?

• In her blog post 22 Tiny Acts of Kindness You Can Do in the Middle of Your Day, Erica Layne suggests this (point number 22): "Pause for an extra second in your exchanges with people. So often when you stay put just a moment longer than usual, you'll find people share something they needed to." I love that.

• I saw this quote from Jeff Goins recently on Tricia Goyer's author Facebook page: "The big moments are the tiny moments. The breakthroughs are often silent, and they happen in the most unassuming places." This has been so true in my life. How about yours?

• This article really made me think: Spend the First Hour of the Day on Activities that Add Value Your Life. It recommends spending your first hour of the day in "high-value activities."

• If you are burning the candle at both ends, you might find this article helpful: 3 Examples of Self-Care in the Bible, written by a pastor who was so burned out that he attempted suicide.

• My dad had a saying, "Never pass up the opportunity to drop something into a red kettle." I think he was talking in general terms, but I heard him loud and clear. I'll be carrying some extra change with me this holiday season.

• Holiday traditions make great memories. Every year, I buy a new Christmas ornament to put on the tree. The ornament usually symbolizes my year in some way. The year my beloved cat, Midnight, passed away, I bought a black cat ornament. Every year since, I've paused to remember her as I hung it. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Just hit the reply button and share away.

If you like what you're reading here and want to support it, then forward this to a friend who might be interested in joining my email list, or consider buying a book or becoming a patron.

Have a great weekend!