Challenged by a devotional sent to me by a friend, I began to think of the things I love. What simple things bring joy into my everyday life?

I love the warmth of the sun on my skin. I love the buzzing of cicadas on a sultry summer day and the concert of crickets at night. I love the smell of pine forests. Of horses in a stable. Of hay. Of my morning cup of dark coffee. I love the purr of my cat as she cuddles up next to me. I love the softness of her fur.

I love the haunting whinny of the Eastern Screech Owl in our woods and the chilling scream of the red fox at night. I love taking a walk with my husband under the full moon. I love the pinks and purples of sunrise. I love to watch the first rays of sun light up the tops of the spruce trees by the house. I love the sight of clouds piled up on the horizon like crashing waves suspended in motion.

I love dark chocolate. Sushi. Raspberries. I love the sound of laughter in my home. I love to hear my husband and children play instruments and sing. I love when the whole family gets together over a meal.

I love the fall foliage of scarlet and gold, orange and pink. I love the rustle of crunchy leaves under my feet. I love the smell of autumn. Of wood smoke. Of rain.

I love to get lost in a book, to read late into the night. I love a deep conversation that uplifts my soul.

I love to watch puffy snowflakes drifting down, piling up, covering the world in white. I love the silence after a winter storm. I love the sparkle of sunshine on glittery snow. I love to flop down in a pile of snow like a child. I love to sit by the wood-burning stove and stare into the fire.

I love spring—the flowers, the robins, the Canada geese in the sky. I love life, and I love God for creating me and all these things around me.

I would also love to hear what you love.