{"id":297,"date":"2010-12-21T14:33:26","date_gmt":"2010-12-21T14:33:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/?p=297"},"modified":"2010-12-21T14:33:26","modified_gmt":"2010-12-21T14:33:26","slug":"within-reach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/2010\/12\/21\/within-reach\/","title":{"rendered":"Within Reach"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Dearest Readers,<\/p>\n

I reached out my hand and you took it.<\/p>\n

In one short week on the web, my hands have been grasped in a way I never dreamed possible. I am humbled that you have put your faith in me to deliver the message that many of you say you have been longing to hear. I may stumble; I may fall along the way. But now I know I have been blessed with many hands to help me up and right my path. And you know I will do the same for you.<\/p>\n

Today is not your typical post. Instead of sharing a Hands Free experience as I normally do, today I will share a Hands Free experience that I am anticipating. You see, this will be my first ever Hands Free holiday. I am certain the upcoming holiday will look differently than it has in the past. I regret that this change did not occur sooner, but I chose not to dwell on that. I am focusing on what I can do differently today, what I can and will do differently on my first Hands Free holiday.<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

This year, I will absorb every smile, every gasp, and every joyful remark as my pajamas-clad children discover the magical proof of Santa Claus. This year, I will not be distracted by the meal preparation I need to begin or the holiday wrap that liters the floor. This year, I am going Hands Free. <\/em><\/p>\n

This year, I will savor every delectable bite of my family's favorite recipes, allowing the flavors to trigger my most treasured holiday memories as a child. This year, I will not be the first one to clear the dishes from the table. This year, I am going Hands Free.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

This year, I will surround myself in the cherished memories of my relatives shared across the dinner table and amidst the arms of the sofa. This year, I will not be sidetracked by what is going on outside the walls of my own home via email, Facebook, internet, or television. This year, I am going Hands Free. <\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

This year, I will delight in the sound of every precious laugh, every gust of wind, and every piece of tranquil silence that graces my ears. This year, I will not ignore the beauty of the sounds around me due to multi-tasking and rushing about. This year, I am going Hands Free. <\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

This year, I will express every ounce of gratitude that fills my heart and touches my soul. This year, I will not fail to recognize every single blessing that God has bestowed upon my life. This year, I am going Hands Free. Thank you, God, for awakening me. It is because of You that I am going Hands Free; and I am never going back.<\/em><\/p>\n

Dear Readers, I know I don't need to explain why I must sign off for a few days. After all, we are in this together. And we all have our very first Hands Free holiday to experience, absorb, savor, treasure, and grasp like we never have before.<\/p>\n

It is in reach, my friends. This year, it is in reach.<\/p>\n

Sincerely,<\/p>\n

Hands Free Mama<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dearest Readers, I reached out my hand and you took it. In one short week on the web, my hands have been grasped in a way I never dreamed possible. I am humbled that you have put your faith in me to deliver the message that many of you say you have been longing to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":301,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,24],"tags":[1520,1521,1518],"gutentor_comment":1,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/IMG_30041.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1fUJF-4N","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/297"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=297"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/297\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/301"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}