Happy St. Patty's Day and Gratituesday

Top o' the mornin' to ya!

How are my lovely lucky leprechauns doing today? I love St. Patrick's Day! All the green colors (one of my favorites!), the hint of spring in the air, and it's my grandfather's birthday. So we get to celebrate twice!

Today, I am most thankful for the grandparents I do have that are still alive. All but one are still with me. SH's grandparents are all gone now. Thankfully, I got to meet two of them. It is when I think of them, that I realize how lucky I am to still have the majority of mine.

My paternal grandfather was killed in an on the job accident in 1988. He was still so very young. The only time I have ever seen my father cry was when he knelt down to tell us of his passing. I was only 8 years old. The only things I can remember of him were the black glasses case and pack of gum he always had in his pocket. I will always remember my grandfather with a pack of gum. :) He looked so much like my daddy. And my daddy has many of the same traits. From what my father has told me, my grandfather was generous- to a fault. He would give you the shirt off his back. And then some pants and a belt to go with it.

My father once asked him why he was always giving away anything he had. My grandmother had 10 children. The big family could barely keep food on the table, much less hold on to the material things they may have acquired. He told him, "I give it away because they need it. And I have it to give. But I give for selfish reasons- for the way it makes me feel inside. Really, they are the ones doing me the favor."

My daddy helping me down the stairs on my wedding day.

And even today, my father is the exact same way. By the grace of God, we are in a much better position financially and as my father's business has grown over the years, so has his generosity. They need it and he is the position to give it to them. Whether that be tickets to a sporting event, a meal at a restaurant, or cash to carry someone over to the next month, my father would be the first one to give it to you. And as selfish as I can be at times, I know that this valuable lesson is a part of my family's legacy. I can only pray that God will fill me with this type of generosity and kindness.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

xoxo Y

PS- Thanks to all the girls that signed up for the 21 Day Challenge. I'm so excited about this and I know we can do it! I'm all about the short term goals and I think that we're setting ourselves up for success- especially when we are all here to encourage each other. And I'm loving how some girls are even using this as a weight loss challenge. You can lose a lot of weight in three weeks!

If you missed out on the sign up, click here for the rules and to join.

PPS- I'm going to be revamping Crafty Tuesdays, and making it more accessible to those who aren't so blessed in the hand making department. :) So stay tuned!