40 Uplifting Little Gifts at Christmas

Will you be reading over the holidays?  Will you see movies, maybe watch a show or two on TV?  Will you be browsing the interwebs, gleaning the news and pouring over various bits of  print media?

May I encourage you with a bit of advice?

Read up.

Watch up.

Think up.

Up to that which inspires.  Up to that which encourages.  Up to that which gives.

In a world that wants to take us down, make the choice over the next two weeks to abandon the down, and look up.  Up into the faces of your children.  Up into the eyes  of your parents.  Up into the sky at the stars.

To get you started, I have asked some of my favorite people including Steve Rae, Tim Miles, Deidre Miles, Ryan Patrick, Ellen Schneider, Ruth Hinkle and My BFF Nancy to contribute their favorite ways to look up.   And I invite you to share your favorites in the comments below!

Deidre Miles

Watch this  Apple Christmas commercial.

Steve Rae:

1. Read Roy Williams.
2. Be inspired by all of the Boston Marathon bombing survivors.
3. Laugh at Monks doing the Hallelujah Chorus
4. Enjoy The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbs Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson.
5. Check out the incredible work that our Rotary Club does in the world.
6. Be touched by  It’s A Wonderful Life and the Westjet Christmas video .

 Tim Miles:

1. Read  David Owen on golf and on not golf, Jon Acuff and Jeffrey and Bryan Eisenberg.
2. Be inspired by this coach.
3. Laugh at How to start your own Mumford band.
4. Enjoy  The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice Of A 13-Year-Old Boy With Autism by Naoki Higashida (translated by David Mitchell).
5. Listen to my friends Scotty and Cara.  Also Zac Brown Band  and Barenaked Ladies radio on Pandora.
6. Smile Every time the Pope does something awesome
7. Be touched by  two girls born half-a-world-apart meet on Skype, become friends, then meet in person.  Also, GEORGE JONES Funeral Vince Gill & Patty Loveless, and every surprise military homecoming.

My BFF Nancy

1. Read Bill Simmons and Malcolm Gladwell.
2. Be inspired by  Mercer University’s start-up football program; expected to lose all games; won 10!
3. Laugh at the  100 year old lady on Leno’s show; Heisman House ads.
4. Enjoy Malcolm Gladwell’s new book.
5. Listen to  Traveling Wilburys, and anything by Tom Petty or Straight, No Chaser.
6. Enjoy the Surbaru car ads like this one plus ESPN’s Mike and Mike….when they have good stuff and Relevant Magazine’s podcast.
7. Be touched by this Wrigley Gum ad  and listening to “Book of Love” on Pandora.

Ellen Schneider

1. Hear from this guy on this show.
2. Be inspired by this team.
3. Laugh at  this parody of indie music that totally nails it.
4. Read  this *amazing* teen novel.
5. Listen to  this song and video.
6. Check out this rough-but-sweet story.
7. Be touched by this clip from a show I never watch.

 Ruth Hinkle

1. If you’re a writer and looking for an awesome resource, my crazy-cool grandparents have just the thing.
2. For any cat lovers out there, watch this.
3. Read Protector of the Small Quartet by Tamora Pierce.
4. Listen to Billy Joel’s Glass Houses, Sting, Cobalt & the Hired Guns, and  some Regina Spektor.
5. Enjoy Love Actually. 

 Ryan Patrick

1. Read Seth Godin.
2. Be inspired by The Olivet Eagles.
3. Laugh at this. (or anything by these guys)
4. Read  Start by Jon Acuff .
5. Listen to this song.
6. One word – Batkid.
7. Be touched by Oh Sweet Lorraine.

I think Ann Voskamp is the most inspiring writer on the interwebs these days.  This post of hers helped me make sense of what’s been going on in the news, and she regularly helps me  to practice gratitude and to focus on what’s most important.

And as for me that means looking up to a baby.

A baby born in Bethlehem.

Wishing you peace and much joy this Christmas,

and an uplifting 2014.