I have over 12,000 words to get out in the next two weeks.

I am hosting Thanksgiving and I swear the carpet stains are conspiring to rise up and eat the dog.

I work a part time job in a store in the midst of the busy holiday season.

I am a full time Mom whose husband works 60+ hours a week.

To say there is much going on would be an understatement.

I needed to put in a couple hours this morning on a contract due in three days. It’s a complicated federal proposal.  I am working with a group of about 10 practitioners in a field I have never worked in. I woke up hardly able to breathe.

Of course, it would be THIS morning, my oldest would forget how to move forward, listen and problem solve how to get dressed/brush teeth/tie shoes.

It would also be THIS morning I would have to run out of coffee.

This blog explores eating less, praying more and loving abundantly. This morning, I nearly ate the entire box of donuts, rendering my mouth incapable of praying around the fatty sugary goodness. Loving a smart-aleck, sleepy and slow-as-molasses 9 year old, was a tad less than abundant.

As I returned from speeding to the school and back, my five year old asked me to play “Frosty Basketball” in the driveway.  In my head reverberated the scream, “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?”.  Out of my mouth came, “Sure!”  I set a timer and made clear when it rang, we would be done.

We played one-on-a half (my son is only 3 feet tall) for 20 minutes until the cold made our fingers too painful to play.  I thought, as I sat down to finally work, I would be in pain for not having spent the previous hour nose attached to the screen.  Instead, I found my head to be clear and my heart light.

I’m behind on the work a bit, however, I know I’ll catch up.  I feel stronger and ready to tackle the challenge.

There’s something about taking a pause to play which thaws our often frozen hearts.  I will never forget my son’s giggles as I used the ‘tickle defense’.  I can still feel his little arms around my waist as he celebrated making the shot.

How will you pause to play today?  Is there a frosty basketball hoop which could use your attention?  Your heart sure could.