This Morning I remember the wonderful transformation in my heart and mind when I began blogging daily at Live with Flair. After a few weeks, I noticed something astonishing:

I woke up joyful and hopeful.

I woke up waiting for something to happen. 

Instead of the depressed, bored, anxious, and half-alive person I was becoming, I morphed into someone trained in the fine art of hope. I can promise you that if you begin to believe that each day holds a gift to unwrap, a wonder to behold, a moment of mystery, and something to help you know God more, the day will shimmer.

Here’s the Morning Pep Talk for you and the children in your life:

Good morning! Welcome to today! On this very day, something just might happen to you. I don’t know when it’s coming, or how it will arrive, but it’s coming. A blessing might come disguised as something else–something not so lovely or interesting–but I know you: you’re the type of person who can see beneath the surface of things. You’re the type of person who can look for evidence of God’s love for you.

You might be bored today or sick or mad or lonely or depressed or anxious. That’s OK. But if you spark a tiny bit of curiosity and expectation that something just might happen today, maybe you’ll begin to feel a little better. And, if you’re feeling particularly excited for this new training in hope, you can start your own Live with Flair blog, either online or in a new journal, to record your moments of wonder, whimsy, and wishes-come-true. It’s so fun to share your discoveries with other people. You can even write to me if you like. (Helpful hint: Remember to look into nature if you don’t know what else to do first. Find something and ask how? why? what? when? You might just find yourself amazed at raspberries, robins, and radishes of all things.) 

So today is a treasure hunt. 

And don’t forget this marvelous truth: You might be the moment of joy for someone else’s hunt. You might be someone’s answer to prayer! 

And, a few days into this project, you’ll find it doesn’t matter where you are or what’s happening. You live in expectation of joyful things.