The Prayer of a Child

The prayer of a child is always so sincere, direct and believing... great example to us all. This story is a good reminder of that.
Good night dear friends!

“Go Check on Wendi!” 
When our oldest daughter, Wendi, was five, she attended morning kindergarten class. One day I sent her to school, then readied our two younger children to go shopping. I felt rushed because it usually took over two hours to do my grocery shopping, and I wanted to be done in time to pick up Wendi from school. So with my shopping list in one hand and my two preschoolers in the other, I set off for the store.
About 20 minutes later I had a clear thought interrupt me: Darlene, go check on Wendi. I thought to myself, How silly! Wendi is fine at school. I dismissed the thought and went about my shopping. A short time later the thought came back again. Darlene, go check on Wendi. The thought came so clearly that I stopped in the middle of a grocery store aisle.
Looking at my shopping list and at my two young children, who would not be patient much longer, I reasoned to myself, This is silly! I’m sure Wendi is fine. I continued down the aisle and turned the corner when the words came forcefully yet again: Darlene, go check on Wendi!
I told a clerk I’d be back for my groceries and rushed from the store. As we left, I noticed a severe thunderstorm had come up. Wendi was terrified of thunderstorms. Still, I knew she was safe at school. Nevertheless, I began to worry that something terrible might have happened. I hurried to the school only to find everything calm. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and even the storm was passing. I was confused and thought perhaps I wouldn’t go inside after all. But after making the effort to get there, I decided I should at least walk to the classroom and reassure myself that all was well.
I turned the corner to Wendi’s classroom and saw the door was open and Wendi standing in the doorway. How odd! Why wasn’t she at her desk? As I approached her she seemed just fine and had a smile on her face.
I didn’t know what to say, so I just bent down and gave her a hug.
“Mommy, I knew you’d come!” she said.
With that her teacher came over to us and said, “How did you know to come?” Then she explained that the thunder and lightning storm had upset the class. As she tried to gather the children to sit together on a carpet, she noticed Wendi at her seat praying. When Wendi finished, she told her teacher that she was all right, that she had asked Heavenly Father to send her mommy to her, and could she please wait by the door. I could not stop my tears as I realized the prayer of faith of a five-year-old had literally moved me from a grocery store five miles away to be at her side. I am deeply grateful to Heavenly Father for this experience, for we both learned divine lessons about faith and trust that day.   By Darlene Joy Nichols
here:

You almost have to read this twice...

I love quotes that make you really stop and think about your life, and this is one of those quotes. It is important to slow down and realize where our heart really is. It made me stop and evaluate my mind and my heart! Each day I will try harder to make sure that my thoughts are always in the right place.
Good night dear friends!

Shirley to the RESCUE!

Having never had a sister before, Shirley is the closest thing I can imagine! She and I were roommates when we were in college, and she has been with me ever since. I love that girl...she is someone who makes me laugh, no matter how bad things seem. I wondered if Jeff ( being worried about me the last month or so ) called and asked her to come? Or did she just know ( like a sister ) that I was nearing the end of my rope and literally just hanging on? No matter what the circumstances were that got her here...I am eternally grateful!
It seems like even getting her here was a test. There was a storm right before they left, and her flight was delayed and her plane didn't come in last night until almost midnight. Then yesterday evening before we picked her up, we noticed our Hot Water Heater was leaking bad! Yes, after 14 years ( which is a long time ) it bit the dust. We really were blessed to be home when we found the leak, things could have been so much worse. We stayed up till almost 3:00 last night trying to get water out of the garage and trying to get the water to turn off completely. Shirley and I had to get water in a bucket to wash our face and to flush the toilets. ( We are both from West Virginia so... we just felt like we were going back to our roots !) We laughed and laughed because the water was sooooo cold and because of all that had happened.
Today was a blur, we were so tired. We were afraid if we sat down, that we would fall asleep so... we just kept going. We created in my sewing room for a few hours and had a blast. It is much more fun to create with someone else.
Tonight I am wiped out and these two quotes made me think of the last 2 days that I have had. I need to sleep in the worst way, so good night dear friends!

7 Secrets of Success

7 Secrets of Success...
I found the answers in my room.

Roof said: Aim high
Fan said: Be cool
Clock said: Every minute is precious
Mirror said: Reflect...before you act
Window said: See the world
Calendar said: Be up-to-date
Door said: Push hard to achieve your goals!

He is growing up so fast!

Here is our little Kai! Can you believe he has grown up so fast? Hard to be so far way but ...I think he still knows how much his Nana and Poppa love him! 

It's Date Night!

It's Date Night! YEAH!!!!!

Doing what he loves!

 

This is our oldest son Bradley, he is a son, brother, husband, father and graphic design artist! 

It has been fun to see him graduate from college and doing every day what he loves! I truly think

that everyone should have the chance to do something that they love... every day! He just finished getting his new web site up so I thought I would share that with you tonight! I think as a Mother, that is one of the greatest hopes you have for your kids...to find their passion and purpose in live and to live it!

So go check out his website here:  

Good night dear friends!

"Do what you love and love what you do! "

 

I totally need to do this experiment!

 As many of you know, I started writing this blog, for no other reason than to hopefully share something positive in the world each day. I share it also, in hopes that by sharing my life's story that it may be of some help to others who might have to travel down some of the same roads. I love the challenge of daily writing this blog. Many times my daily entry will have more articles from other places that I have found than my own words. All of which I have found to be uplifting, funny or motivating. Jason Wright has been one of my favorite writers ever since I read his book called The Christmas Jar. Today was busy and in search of something that really makes you think, I chose his article, probably because I realize that I totally need to do this WITMIT experiment today, and in the future. Hope you enjoy it. Good night dear friends!

Wright Words: Could the WITMIT experiment work for you?

I’ve always been easily distracted.

You know my type. I could be running the race of my life and stop 10 feet from the finish line to pick up a shiny penny.

These weekly columns take more time than they should because I’m always going back to the beginning to remind myself what I’m writing about.

Wait a minute. I write a weekly column? When did this happen?

A couple of months ago, I was standing at my office idea board — a large section of my office wall I coated with thick whiteboard paint. It comes in handy for quick notes, sketching out plots or jotting down personal reminders.

There I stood, lost in a bulleted to-do list with more line items than the federal budget. Feeling overwhelmed, I scribbled to the side of the list: “What is the most important thing?”

I re-read my list and asked myself again: “What is the single most important thing I could be doing right now to advance my responsibilities, my goals and my day?”

After another moment, I erased the question and wrote in big block letters the acronym: WITMIT.

What is the most important thing?

I sat back down and decided to tackle a project I’d avoided for far too long. It had been the single most important thing I’d needed to do for two weeks, but I’d delayed the pain by convincing myself everything on the list was equally important.

And who am I to discriminate one task from another? I believe in equal rights for all procrastination.

When I was done with the dreaded task, I glanced back at my whiteboard and thought, "Way to knock out that WITMIT."

The experience prompted me to consider the time-management systems I’ve used over the years and the countless books I’ve read on personal productivity. Some of those approaches worked pretty well, right until I saw a shiny penny.

Sometimes the distractions are email, social media or a request from a reader to sign and mail a book. All might be worthwhile tasks and may, in fact, be quite important. But are they the absolute most important thing I should be doing in that very moment?

How many times have I found myself looking at my clock at 5 p.m. and rushing to finish the one thing that was most important for me to accomplish during the course of the day? Before I know it, I’m texting my wife to negotiate for a few more minutes.

But it’s not her fault I spent the day sorting through less important tasks and procrastinating the WITMIT until the whistle blew. If I had a nickel for every time I walked in the door at dinnertime to find my family waiting for me at the table, I’d have so much money I probably wouldn't be so distracted by all those shiny pennies.

Could the WITMIT experiment work for you?

When you’re done reading this column, take time to examine your day. What are the things you positively must accomplish before you tuck in the day and kiss it goodnight? Do you have an email to send, an errand to run or a client to call?

Ask yourself after completing each task, “What is the most important thing for me to be doing next?”

Maybe you spent the morning working on an important business proposal and your brain needs a break. Take a breather and reply to a note from the old friend you haven't heard from in months. An hour ago it wasn’t your WITMIT, but now it is.

Perhaps you need a moment to decompress after a stressful meeting by visiting Facebook and scrolling through your newsfeed. Did you survive a trip to Costco with a mini-van full of kids? You might deserve more than a moment online, your WITMIT might be to hug the DVR and catch up on “Downton Abbey.”

Has it been too long since you’ve taken your spouse to lunch or volunteered at your child’s school? If so, you may find either of those activities should become your WITMIT for the afternoon.

Imagine how productive we’d all feel every day if by lunchtime we’d knocked out those items that kept us awake the night before. Was it that letter to the IRS? What about that awkward discussion with your boss? Could it be an apology? If so, especially to a spouse or child, it should always be your WITMIT.

Sometimes our projects are multi-step hikes through an organizational jungle that will take days, weeks or even longer. Still, we should ask ourselves: What are the most important steps I can take on that trail today that lead me to a successful end?

My objective with my own WITMIT experiment is to accomplish more of the important things earlier in the day so that by quitting time, my WITMIT will always lead me home.

You may have a time-management system and tools for personal productivity that work for you. If so, keep it up! You’re ahead of the game. But if you’ve struggled to find consistency, give WITMIT a try by identifying the single most important task at any given moment.

So, what’s the most important thing I should be doing right now? I can send this column to my editor and call home to check on a child who’s been ill this week.

What comes after that?

What's the next WITMIT?

Is that a penny?

To read more of Jason's Wright Words you can go here:

"Dost thou love life, then do not squander time,
for that's the stuff life is made of."
Benjamin Franklin

Good advice for us all!

I have a dream!

What an amazing speech Martin Luther King Jr. gave. As one friend said...we should all listen to this once a year, in hopes that we would never forget how to treat each other. You can listen to it when you go here:
Then I also found these ideas on honoring MLK on an ABC news report. Great idea.
Good night dear friends!

5 Ways to Honor Martin Luther King Jr.

I found this HERE:

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

How to Honor MLK

Give Something

Even if bone marrow donation is not for you, the program values your time and skills just as much. You can spread the word online as a social volunteer or sponsor a membership drive to identify potential donors. And keep this in mind: More than 1 in 3 black people in this country can't find a marrow match they need to treat life-threatening diseases such as sickle cell and lymphoma.

How to Honor MLK

Learn Something

The life and times of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. fill enough tomes to keep the most voracious readers satisfied until kingdom come, but consider smaller bites for Monday in the form of documentaries (check your TV listings) or even archived news conferences like these from the day after King's assassination: These two -- from a somber President Lyndon B. Johnson and an agitated black activist Stokely Carmichael -- provide a sobering contrast.
The History Channel website puts others within easy reach.

How to Honor MLK

Teach Something

What good is accumulating all that knowledge without sharing it with others, particularly young people for whom King has been reduced to the "I Have a Dream" speech and a day home from school. So corner some young relatives or mentees this weekend, challenge their understanding of King's legacy and help them fill in the blanks. Or lead a group trip to the library if you need some scholarly support, or find a King-focused church service to highlight the influence of where he was spiritually moored.

How to Honor MLK

Commit to Something

King's legacy includes his unwavering commitment to civil rights and non-violent social change. What better way to pick up on the theme than by applying such principles to your own community. Among the questions you might ask yourselves: Do all your neighbors have unfettered access to polling places? Are the elderly as nourished as they should be? Are your best schools equally accessible by all? Are the children physically fit and destined for healthy adult lifestyles? These are a few possible places to begin your mission.

How to Honor MLK

Dream Something

King's dream is well documented, thanks to his 17-minute, Lincoln Memorial speech at the March on Washington nearly 50 years ago.
"I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain," he said Aug. 28, 1963, "and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together."
What's your dream?

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/martinluth101472.html#3FvSBCVYXXwIrUmA.99

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Seven Wonders of the World....

A dear friend sent this to me, how true. Once again it is true the eyes of a child...that we truly see correctly. 

Hope we can remember these Seven Wonders in our lives more often! Good night dear friends!
  

Living Proof

Tonight Jeff and I watched the movie called The HELP. What an amazing story! What courage those ladies had, to finally change their lives and lives of generations to come. This is my picture when I was in Elementary School. I was the girl in the middle and my best friend Kathy was on my right ( left of me in the photo). Even though I had a big smile on my face for photos...I had a terrible secret and every day I wondered how I could ever survive that secret. I was a child of incest, my grandfather was the one who abused me. I dreamed every day that some how I would get out of my situation and be safe. I so hoped that some day I could  be a Mother and raise my children in a home that was safe and protected from such horrible abuse. I know many other survivors who said that they wished they had died, when they were in the midst of their abuse. I never felt that way, I knew it was wrong and just wanted it to stop, and for someone to protect me. I was a fighter, I never once thought it was ok or normal, I knew something was wrong for a family member to treat you like this.

I have mentioned this before, but I never told my best friend about my abuse....why? Well, I didn't tell because I didn't want her to get really hurt, that is what my grandfather said would happen to anyone I told. I did try to tell someone when I was 5 ....but I wasn't believed, not sure why they thought I would lie about something like that? So I kept that secret until my Amy girl ( my first child ) was born...she was the light of our world, I had never felt a happiness quiet like it ... that of being a MOM. But soon the realization that she was my little girl, some people said she even looked like me as a child. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. What was I thinking? How could I keep her protected and safe, when my grandfather was still alive, and living on the family farm?

That was the beginning of breaking this awlful chain of abuse, that had plaqued our family for at least 3 generations ...if not more. I started to get help, couseling truly did save my life. I was living proof that something had to change... and I have spent the rest of my life, telling my story and hoping that other victims could soon feel the freedom and the peace that comes from being a survivor. Life is really better, life is worth living for.

When I heard this song Living Proof on the movie tonight, it made me think of my life. No I did not go through what the people in this movie did, but in some small and different way...I felt like I understood what it meant to fight against an injustice... mine was abuse!

I hope every person out there who has been hurt, broken and damaged by abuse...will realize that there is a God in Heaven and He loves you. I hope you pray for strength and courage to tell your story, to tell the truth and to stop the abuse...starting with you. Remember what was said in the movie..."You is Kind, You is Smart, You is Important". I promise you that is true. And no matter how broken or damaged you feel, through your Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ's help...you can heal...truly heal! I know, because I am Living Proof! ( the lyrics to the song is below )

Good night dear friend

It's gonna be a long, long journey
It's gonna be an uphill climb
It's gonna be a tough fight
It's gonna be some lonely nights
But I'm ready to carry on
I'm so glad the worst is over
('Cause it almost took me down)
I can start living now
I feel like I can do anything, yeah
And finally I'm not afraid to breathe
Anything you say to me
And everything you do
You can't deny the truth
'Cause I'm the living proof
So many don't survive
They just don't make it through
But look at me
I'm the living proof, oh yes, I am
Thinking 'bout life's been painful, yes, it was
Took a lot to learn how to smile
So now I am gonna talk to my people
About the storm, about the storm
Oh, so glad the worst is over
('Cause it almost took me down)
I can start flying now
My best days are right in front of me
And I'm almost there 'cause now I'm free
Anything you say to me
And everything you do
You can't deny the truth
'Cause I'm the living proof
So many don't survive
They just don't make it through
But look at me
I'm the living proof
I know where I'm going
'Cause I know where I've been
I'm gonna feel strong, that's showin'
I'm gonna be strong, keep growin'
That's the way that I will
Anything you say to me
And everything you do
You can't deny the truth
'Cause I'm the living proof
So many don't survive
They just don't make it through
But look at me, yeah, yeah
I'm the living proof
Nothing about my life has been easy, no
But nothin's gonna keep me down, no, down
'Cause I know a lot more today
Than I knew yesterday, now
So I'm ready to carry on, oh Lordy, mmm, mmm

---

Mary J Blige The Living Proof is a new song recorded by the R&B Queen especially for the new movie "The Help", due in August 2011

Songwriters: Mary J Blige.; Jr Mason., Harvey; Thomas Newman; Damon Thomas.

The love of a brother!

This was an amazing story about what Brotherhood should really be, you can watch and read it here:



Good night dear friends!

I love the color RED...it makes me happy!

I am looking at my empty house and getting sorta sad. Christmas decorations are down but not put away. There is just empty spaces and boxes, if you didn't know any better...you would think we are moving, but we aren't! I thought I was going to have my January stuff all made up by this time, so I had something new to look forward to decorate after Christmas. But things didn't go quite as planned this past year. So I decided to just look up some photos of things that are RED ( my favorite color...Pink runs a close 2nd ) and it worked, as soon as I posted them ...it made me happy! I just love the color Red, and you would know that for sure if you ever came to my home. Red is my color, so here are some cute photos and cute quotes to hopefully make you smile today!
Enjoy and good night dear friends!

" Go ahead and put some COLOR in your life"

"Surround yourself with things that you absolutely LOVE, it makes all the difference" ~ Lynn Woodard

My email was hacked!

For all of you that got an email from me about the great results from using Viagra....I am sorry. My email got hacked. I always wondered how that happens when we have so many anti-virus things on my computer but...it still happened. I am so sorry about that, I didn't have any warnings first.
Some people have asked to be taken of my email list, that is fine, but I hope you understand it was just hacked, and not something I definitely would have been a part of.

Life...it just keeps happening...sometimes good and sometimes bad, but personally I am just grateful every day to still be experiencing ALL of it!
 Life is still Good!
Night dear friends!

" Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can't change! "

What an inspiring story!

As a cancer survivor myself, I am always drawn to the survivors who touch so many lives in a positive way, and only hope that I can do that for others too in some small ways. This story as told by Jason Wright was one of those kinds of stories

 As a Mother, I can only imagine how grateful these parents were for a whole football team who rallied  around their son, giving him more reasons to live, and thrive! This is such an inspiring story, hope you enjoy it!                         

Good night dear friends.

If you watched the BCS championship game last week between Alabama and Notre Dame, you may have caught an ESPN feature on the adoption of 14-year-old Sam Grewe of Middlebury, Ind., by the Notre Dame football program. And, if you saw it, you’re more likely to remember his inspiring story than the game itself.

Especially if you’re a fan of the Fighting Irish.

But isn’t that how it should be? During the 2012 season, Notre Dame's coaches and players won something much more valuable and lasting than a crystal trophy and championship rings.

They won a brother.

Like millions of viewers around the country, I was awed that such a storied football program would adopt the young cancer patient. Why add anything else to the white-hot hype and expectations that bloom like Indiana’s perennial purple coneflowers?

For Sam, the story began when he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, an aggressive cancer in the bone. It often appears in the leg and can lead to amputation. But when presented with options, the athletic and competitive Sam convinced his parents to permit a rare Van Ness rotationplasty. The procedure involves removing the femur and knee joint. With the tumor gone, the foot and ankle are pulled up, rotated and reattached.

It may look like something from a sci-fi movie, but the reversed foot actually becomes the knee and the stump provides better mobility and a receptive joint for attaching a prosthetic leg. Doctors explained to Sam and his family that the unusual procedure — it’s estimated there are just 20 such surgeries each year in the U.S. — was his best shot at ever playing sports again.

That’s all he needed to hear.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly had approached South Bend Memorial Hospital, asking if they had a cancer patient the hospital could recommend to be adopted for the season by the team.

Did they ever.

Just two days before his surgery, the football team gathered for an adoption ceremony. It’s a sweet gesture, right? Give him a T-shirt, maybe a few jerseys and pose for pictures while the cameras roll. Make him an honorary member of the team and then get back to spring practice; you’ve got a title to chase, after all.

That might have been the easy way, but that wasn’t the Notre Dame way. He didn’t become just a friend, assistant or booster. He truly became a brother.

A few days ago I spoke with Sam Grewe’s mother, Michelle. I wondered, "Is this genuinely how it worked? How real was this? How much was about optics, public relations or some obligatory service program required of the players?"

“Jason,” she said calmly, “Sam had opportunities with that team that would make grown men cry.”

Not only was Sam and his family given tickets to each home game, he was invited two hours early to the stadium to spend time in the locker room. At kickoff he watched the game with his parents before joining the team on the sidelines during the fourth quarter. After the final whistle, he could often be seen back in the locker room enjoying the postgame celebration and sharing his favorite highlights.

And he didn’t miss a game.

Even when carrying 10 pounds of IV fluid on his back, even when rushing out to vomit in the parking lot, he wasn’t about to abandon his brothers on game day.

But it didn’t start and end with home games. Before away games the players would often visit him on their way out of town, taking time from training and prep to visit him in the hospital on some of the more than 140 nights he’s spent hospitalized over the past year.

It didn't even end with the regular season. Who flew on the charter jet to the bowl game in Miami? Sam and his entire family.

Notre Dame defensive end Grant Patton spoke of the players' commitment to ESPN. “We all made a promise to him that he would be our brother. And I believe, at least for me, it goes beyond football, and it goes beyond this season. It’s not a ‘this year’ thing. It’s not a ‘next year’ thing. It’s not a ‘while I’m in college’ thing. It’s a ‘forever thing.’”

Sam’s road to forever is a long one. He has two more rounds of chemotherapy and a lifetime of battling "scanxiety" with his family, a term used by Sam's mom to describe the fear of the recurring CT and MRI scans to ensure he remains cancer free.

No doubt it will be easier to manage that fear, and anything else life might throw at him, with the support of both a loving family at home and an army of Fighting Irish brothers spread across Indiana, eventually the NFL and many other professions. Can't you picture Notre Dame’s Manti Te'o, one of college football's most high-profile players in history, texting Sam during his rookie year in the NFL after his first interception for a touchdown? “You catch that pick 6, Sam?”

Of course he will. That’s what brothers do.

I asked Sam to pick a favorite moment from his time so far as a member of the Notre Dame football team. “It’s hard to choose because there were so many. The Wake Forest game had the most cool moments because I walked out with coach (Brian) Kelly; was in the front row singing the alma mater; and led the victory cheer in the locker room."

Like his mother said, some of his opportunities would make grown men cry.

The Elias Sports Bureau, ESPN and die-hard fans of both teams will record and remember that Alabama won the BCS title for the 2012 season.

But those most closely associated with the program will record and remember that the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame won something much more valuable over the last year.

They won a brother.

Notre Dame's special player and adopted brother

This feature from ESPN shared about 14-year-old Sam Grewe and Even though he isn't on the roster, how Sam has been an inspiration for the Notre Dame football team this season.

Watch this video about how the Notre Dame team  felt about Same here:

Read more of Jason's articles here;

Am I truly happy and am I living an abundant life?

For the past few weeks I have been struggling to fill my Empty Bucket. Many days I feel like I have done a good job of it and other days... I feel like I failed in deed. My problem on those latter days is...I was trying to do it alone. I know better, but still sometimes.... it is easier to think that you can do it all by yourself IF you just try harder and longer. The truth is ...I never have to do it alone unless I choose too. This sweet video  story that I found here:
It reminded me of this very subject, why am I such a slow learner some times? ( You don't have to really answer that? )
I hope you will take the time to watch it, and realize that none of us need to try and do it alone. We could be living an Abundant Life if...we keep Christ in our lives. Why is that so hard to remember? We seem to never forget it from after Thanksgiving and on into the Christmas Season. But it is the rest of the year that is the real test. Is Christ a part of our lives? And if not....why? And if so....how is your life changed because of it?
It truly is where my greatest happiness comes from, I just forget that sometimes. This was a great reminder!
Good night dear friends!

  “He does not believe that does not live according to his belief." ~ Thomas Fuller ( English churchman and historian that lived in the 17th century )

"Don’t limit yourself and don’t let others convince you that you are limited in what you can do. Believe in yourself and then live so as to reach your possibilities."

You can achieve what you believe you can. Trust and believe and have faith."  ~ Thomas S. Monson

Find your puddle!

Just got back from Leavenworth. Jeff surprised and took me away for the weekend. Seems like he knew that I still needed to refill my bucket some.
 It was beautiful there, I will show you photos soon. But it is late and I am wiped out.

  Great little ( just a couple of minutes ) video, to help remind us all to live more in the moment... and to find your own puddle today, check it out here: 

Good night dear friends!

Mother and Daughter

Well, I was able to spend the whole day with Amy and the girls. It was a great time. It had been  a couple of weeks since I had seen the girls, and oh have I missed them. And how I wish I could do the same...spend the whole day with our little Kai, he is growing up so fast... we don't want to miss making some great memories with him too!
  I realized today, how grateful I am to have daughters. When I read this letter it made me think of my Grandmothers, my Mom and it even made me think of  me, in the advancing years. It had a sweet message and so I thought I would share it tonight.
I hope you enjoy it. And as for filling up my bucket... I really was able to do that, thanks for your patience. Still, Jeff told me tonight ( surprised me ) that he is going to take me away for 2 days on a little GET AWAY. He said I still had some more to add to my bucket. So I will not write again until Sunday! I am excited!
Good night dear friends!    

 A letter form a Mother to a Daughter
"My dear girl, the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m... going through.

If when we talk, I repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt to say: “You said the same thing a minute ago”... Just listen, please. Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same st
ory night after night until you would fall asleep.

When I don’t want to take a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass me. Remember when I had to run after you making excuses and trying to get you to take a shower when you were just a girl?

When you see how ignorant I am when it comes to new technology, give me the time to learn and don’t look at me that way... remember, honey, I patiently taught you how to do many things like eating appropriately, getting dressed, combing your hair and dealing with life’s issues every day... the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through.

If I occasionally lose track of what we’re talking about, give me the time to remember, and if I can’t, don’t be nervous, impatient or arrogant. Just know in your heart that the most important thing for me is to be with you.

And when my old, tired legs don’t let me move as quickly as before, give me your hand the same way that I offered mine to you when you first walked.

When those days come, don’t feel sad... just be with me, and understand me while I get to the end of my life with love.

I’ll cherish and thank you for the gift of time and joy we shared. With a big smile and the huge love I’ve always had for you, I just want to say, I love you... my darling daughter."

I found the photo from here:

"No language can express the power, and beauty, and heroism, and majesty of a mother's love.  It shrinks not where man cowers, and grows stronger where man faints, and over wastes of worldly fortunes sends the radiance of its quenchless fidelity like a star."  ~Edwin Hubbell Chapin

"If you have a mom, there is nowhere you are likely to go where a prayer has not already been."  ~Robert Brault

Choices

Someone sent this to me today. My girlfriend and I were just talking about this exact thing. I think it is a big ah hah moment in our life, when we realize this quote is true... our life is made up of choices. We have the Choice to overcome our childhood, to become better parents, to decide what job we want, what type of relationships we want and on and on.
Many people seem to get stuck in their life because they blame everything that happens to them on the things listed below...and they act as if they no choice. I don't believe that, you always have a choice...that is a gift that God gave to each of us. We just need to learn how to make better choices if we want our lives to be better and different. Seems so easy, but I know it isn't always easy... but making the right and many times hard choices...is the right thing to do.


Life truly is made up of a lot of lessons and a lot of choices huh?
Well, I am going to make the choice to go to bed, it's late and I need the rest.
Good night dear friends!

Wright words for the new year!

Wright Words: Use monkey bars to craft 2013 New Year’s resolutions

Ready or not, here comes 2013.

Are you ready to bid farewell to 2012? Are you ready for New Year’s resolutions? Are you ready to self evaluate the year that’s passed?

Are you ready to climb back on the monkey bars?

I hate to brag, but I absolutely dominated the monkey bars as a kid. It’s no exaggeration that if playground monkey bars had been an Olympic event, I would have stood atop the podium waving wildly at my mother as the national anthem played and Bob Costas got teary eyed.

Obviously, there were gym teachers who suggested I forgo my amateur monkey bar eligibility and turn pro. But for me, the monkey bars were never about money or fame. I climbed for pure sport.

They were simple times when satisfaction was measured one metal bar at a time. My legs swung just far enough off the ground to create a tiny ration of risk, but not so high that a fall would cause serious injury.

When I felt really bold, I’d try lunging ahead and skipping a bar. But that rarely worked out very well for my ego — or my tailbone.

Sounds a lot like the process of setting New Year’s resolutions, doesn’t it?

Even as a youngster I made lists each year of the things I wanted to improve upon. Sometimes the goals were attainable, just a single bar away on the monkey bars. But other times, my eyes were bigger than my reach and the goals weren’t simple — they were simply impossible.

I remember the year as a young man when I set a goal to do one pushup on Jan. 1, and then increase that number for every day of the year. The plan was that by December I’d be doing more than 300 pushups a day, without stopping, right until Dec. 31. On the final day of the year I was set to do 365, leap to my feet and pound my chest.

I made it to Jan. 12.

Believe it or not there were years I was so skinny I could hide behind a salted pretzel stick. So, naturally, I set goals to add mass and gain weight. Then, when I got older – whoops! – I had to make goals to lose it.

Many times I’ve set goals to give up soda, and once I even made a resolution to invent my own.

I failed at both.

By the time I arrived at college, my New Year's resolution tradition went digital. I created pie charts and graphs monitoring my progress throughout the year on a range of personal improvement areas. But all too often I didn’t meet the majority of those benchmarks and I beat myself up for the failures.

Once, before I was married, I made one of my roommates late for a New Year's Eve party because I was in my room frantically putting the finishing touches on my top 10 list of resolutions for that upcoming year.

One was to be a better roommate.

As I’ve become older and more experienced at the lessons and blessings of both success and failure, I’ve learned to shorten and simplify those lists. I’ve discovered tremendous joy in New Year's resolutions that are just one reach away on the monkey bars.

Each successful reach and grip of the next bar gives me momentum and pulls me forward.

Lose a few pounds. Run a bit longer. Be a better friend. Write just a little more often in my journal.

Pray more. Serve more. Love more.

Of course, I've also learned that even the easiest goals can slip from my grasp and I tumble to the ground. But, thankfully, I usually land on my feet and there’s always a friend either on earth or in heaven ready to spot me and give a boost back up to the bars.

2012 has been a challenging year for me and it feels like I’ve slipped from the bars more often than not. I’m grateful for family and friends who’ve lifted me back up into the air as I regripped each and every day.

This week, millions of us will set new goals for the year ahead. May we remember the satisfaction that comes from taking one bar at a time, relying on momentum and our spotters around us, and setting reasonable goals that get us from one side of the year to the next.

Cue the national anthem. I’m back on the monkey bars.

 You can read more of Jason't Wright Words here:

If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.”

Albert Einstein I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”  Jimmy Dean “What is not started today is never finished tomorrow.”  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

My Bucket is Empty!

 

 I am sure all of you have heard of the analogy of a Full or Empty Bucket. Well in my case...my bucket is empty right now. My coping ability isn't equal to the expectations and stresses that I have right now. Why? Well, because I haven't been real good to myself lately. I have made my body and mind go at 150% for too long, and now it is time to stop and rejuvenate. I need to make an appointment with myself and NOT BREAK IT!

So I am going to be refilling my bucket for the next few days...hope you understand. I am going to not write in my blog for a few days. I am going to wait till Tuesday before I write again. Giving myself 4 days to fill my bucket. I woke up this morning and realized that I had this overwhelming feeling that my body has been pushed way to far by not much sleep, stress, no exercise and just general lack of attention. I have been pushing past that WALL, and I know better than that. It is never a good idea to do that. 

If some of you feel the same way, then here are a few suggestions that I am making for myself...everyone's bucket gets filled or emptied differently... but these might help you.

Take time out for myself... take a hot bath, read a book just relax
Have lunch with a friend...that gives you a lot of positive energy
Remember to say NO to things that I really can't do
Eat right...take more time to prepare nutritional meals
Sleep...our bodies heal when we are asleep
Exercise...I have been too busy to do my exercise, that is something I know I shouldn't get too busy to miss.
Spend time being creative, that really fills my bucket.
Make time for spiritual things...reading my scriptures and more meaningful prayer.
Connect with dear friends...take time to  make a phone call or write a letter.

These aren't in any certain order but...I have really got to stop and do them. Thank you for being patient with  me. I realize that I have a lot more to give, when my own bucket is FULL!

If there is something particular that you are concerned about, you can always put a word in the search engine at the top left of this blog and read past posts about it!

Good night dear friends!

"Life is like weightlifting. It is best when you can lift what life gives you. It is best when your lifting ability matches the weight you have to lift"

Found bucket photo here:

Choices

I was talking to a friend today about this very subject. We all make choices every day that truly make up our life and our consequences ( which are a direct result of our choices ). And the answer seems so easy to just say ...".make better choices"...but saying and doing are certainly different things, and one is much harder than the other. There are cycles that we get in, thought patterns and some of those aren't easy to change and probably could be made easier if we sought professional help.
Someone once said to me that they couldn't see a counselor because they thought that would be labeling their self weak. I on the other hand feel just the opposite. I think people who are trying to get their life, their head, their thoughts and their actions in balance, and go get counseling...are very strong people. I think anyone who is actively striving to get more peace, wisdom and balance in their lives...are those who are on the right track. Shouldn't we all be actively working toward a better life, a more secure and grounded life? Couldn't we all use a bit more PEACE in our lives? Yes, I really do believe...it is all about our choices. 
Now I am going to make a good choice right now and go to bed early!
Good night dear friends!


"Five frogs are sitting on a log.
Four decide to jump off. How many are left?
Answer: five.   Why? Because there's a difference between deciding and doing."
Mark L. Feldman & Michael F. Spratt,  'Five Frogs on a Log'

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"Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your spirit. That is the real meaning of peace."
Author Unknown

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"If you wish your life were different… do your life differently."
Terence Houlihan

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