Just keep growing!

A great thought for today!
Good night dear friends!

Created for Greater Things

Jeff surprised me yesterday when he came home from work, with a book. He knows how much I love to read and it was full of quotes and little stories. I was impressed and grateful, I am always looking for a thought provoking quote or story. The book is called CREATED FOR GREATER THINGS by Jeffrey R. Holland  It is a great little book. The story that I am going to share, was a good lesson on doing all that you can. It goes like this...

An old Arabic legend tells of a rider finding a spindly sparrow lying on its back in the middle of the road. he dismounted and asked the sparrow why his feet were in the air.
   Replied the sparrow, " I heard the heavens were going to fall today."
"And I suppose you think your puny bird legs can hold up the whole universe? laughed the horseman.
"Perhaps not," said the sparrow with conviction, "but one does whatever one can."

Are we doing the best we can? Only we know the answer to that question!  Food for thought!

Good night dear friends!

“The potential of the average person is like a huge ocean unsailed, a new continent unexplored, a world of possibilities waiting to be released and channeled toward some great good.” -Brian Tracy

"Ineffective people live day after day with unused potential. They experience synergy only in small, peripheral ways in their lives. But creative experiences can be produced regularly, consistently, almost daily in people's lives. It requires enormous personal security and openness and a spirit of adventure." -Stephen Covey

"Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!" -Anne Frank

Princess and the Pea

Most of us know the story of the Princess and the Pea, I thought it would be fun to have Jenny's one year old photo as the Princess. Well, I won't ruin the photo by telling you all the problems we had trying to get 5 baby mattresses down a hill, into a wooded area with lots of bugs and two tired kids, let's just say the Princess, had all she could take and so she went to sleep. At least someone in our family is able to sleep.

My heart is so grateful to have yet another little granddaughter...another princess in our family. I used to hate to hear someone call their spoiled little girl a princess. A princess in my opinion wouldn't be selfish, mean or spoiled. She would stand up tall because she knew who she was and understood the potential for good that she had. Yes, that's a true princess and that is what we need to teach these beautiful little girls, who they really are... Daughters of God!

"Princesses wear crowns to remind them that they are smart and beautiful because some days it's easy to forget."
-- Author Unknown

"A baby girl...one of the most beautiful miracles in life, one of the greatest joys we can ever know, and one of the reasons why there is a little extra sunshine, laughter and happiness in your world today."
-- Author Unknown

"Our daughters are the most precious of our treasures, the dearest possessions of our homes and the objects of our most watchful love."
-- Margaret E. Sangster

Teenagers!

Tonight as I sat here working on the computer, I could hear all the teenagers outside heading to the park that is near our home. We live in a pretty safe neighborhood, but it seems like when there is a holiday, weekend or school is out... then there is a free-for-all in the park. Many times that doesn't lead to anything good. I was wondering why they were out there on a school night and then I remembered that there is no school tomorrow. I quickly asked Jeff to make sure the cars were locked up because... you know how teenagers are!

I smiled as I said that, because we have one more teenager at home and actually we are quite fond of him. For a school dance this year, he and his date dressed up like Clark Kent ( Superman ) and Louis Lane. Here is the photo of him. When I looked at the photo again tonight, I remembered all the potential that these TEENAGERS really have. I found this story that backs up my thoughts.

"I can't count how many times people have uttered, while shaking their heads in obvious disappointment, "I just don't know what is with teenagers today."

The other day I was in my car on my way to the farmers market with my friend Jan when we passed two teens standing by the side of the road with a car wash sign. My car was filthy  and my heart was full, so I pulled over. There were teenagers everywhere. There was a group directing the cars and another group spraying them down. As sponges were wiped over every square inch of my dirty car, I sat enjoying the little water battles and many silent scenarios that were so obviously taking place. I couldn't help but wonder how many crushes, how many new friendships and how many little insecurities were in the air on this beautiful Saturday afternoon. I was amazed at how forty to fifty teenagers had devoted their Saturday to washing cars, and I was curious what their motivation might be.

At the end of the assembly line I handed them a twenty-dollar bill and asked what they were raising money for. They explained to me that a friend of theirs, C. T. Schmitz, had recently died of cancer. He was only fifteen years old and six-feet-two. He had gone to school with a lot of the teenagers who were there that day and each of them had memories of a boy sweeter than any they had known. His friend Kevin had decided to put this car wash together because he wanted to honor his friend and also bring together his classmates with his boy scout troop. He told me that they wanted to plant a tree in front of their school and if they raised enough money they would put a plaque there also. Both would be in memory of their friend C. T.

They handed me a bag of homemade cookies with my receipt and we drove away. I asked Jan to read to me what the tag that was tied to the bag said. It said simply, " Thanks for helping us plant a tree for C. T."

Yeah! I don't know what is with teenagers today! (Kimberly Kirberger  Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II)

 

So may we look at our teenagers, and remember what incredible people they are and remind them of their limitless potential. I believe that is our job as their friends,teachers, leaders and family!

" FAMILY...A GROUP EXPERIENCE OF LOVE AND SUPPORT."  ~ Marianne Williamson

 

"Your children need your presence more than your presents."  ~Jesse Jackson

"It's not only children who grow.  Parents do too.  As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours.  I can't tell my children to reach for the sun.  All I can do is reach for it, myself."  ~Joyce Maynard

Rising above your circumstances

I would imagine that many of us grew up in circumstances that were not always positive or the best for us. I always wondered why certain things were a certain way in our home and I also remember what my mom said to me when I would question why certain things were done certain ways in our home ... " that's just the way things are Lynn", then I would proceed with the all too famous line of " but why?" No matter how well my mom explained it, it didn't make sense to me and as a little girl, I wish that I had a voice ....so that I could explain how I thought things should be. But at last, I was just a girl and so I didn't have much leverage. I remember distinctly as a teenager thinking to myself often... that someday when I get married, things were going to be different in my home. I was going to try and change the things that upset me so much and ...that became a driving force for me throughout my dating years.

When I read this story it made me think of how grateful I was that I never believed it always had to be this way and that I couldn't change things. I truly expected my home would be different and it is. I am so grateful for that little "POT STIRRER" attitude that I had (even though I know it worried my mom). I am grateful for a knowledge that I am a child of God and that I didn't have to settle for anything less (although I did come very close to doing that a few times). I am grateful to be able to have kids who believe that they can be anything they want to be. I am so proud of them and their goals, determination and attitudes, it was definitely more positive than I had. Don't get me wrong, we had a lot of good things in our home and my parents are the ones that gave me that knowledge of who I was, but like any home not everything was perfect.

So hopefully you will read this story and remember to take time out to see your potential and not go your whole life... not living up to that potential! It is vital to remember who we are!  Thanks to so many of you, who have reminded me of my value and importance during the  many times throughout my life when I couldn't remember it for myself!

 

Song of the Bird

A man found an eagle's egg and put it in a nest of a barnyard hen. The eagle hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life, the eagle did what the barnyard chicks did, thinking he was a barnyard chicken. He scratched the earth for worms and insects. He clucked and cackled. And he would thrash his wings and fly a few feet in the air.

Years passed and the eagle grew very old. One day he saw a magnificent bird above him in the cloudless sky. it glided in graceful majesty among powerful wind currents, with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings. The old eagle looked up in awe. "Who's that?" he asked. "That's the eagle, the king of the birds," said his neighbor. "He belongs to the sky. We belong to the earth-we're chickens." So the eagle lived and died a chicken, for that's what he thought he was.  ~ Anthony DeMello

"To find out what one is fitted to do, and to secure an opportunity to do it, is the key to happiness."   ~ John Dewey

"Men only take their needs into consideration, never their abilities." ~ Napoleon Bonaparte

"Work while you have light. You are responsible for the talent that has been entrusted to you."                    ~ Henri Frederick Amiel

School and friends

When I was young school wasn't my favorite place to be but....my friends were there so I decided to stick it out. With my abuse came the feelings of no self worth and that I wasn't smart as all the other kids were. Maybe because my mind was somewhere else, maybe because I was just in SURVIVAL mode during most of those important educational years. So I would get excited every Sept to get new clothes and new school supplies (those were my favorites) and then I knew for sure that I would be in a safe place and able to be with my friends so...I guess I really did like school. (Just for the wrong reasons though)

Today was the last day of school for the High School, I have to say I am pretty excited. By the end of the school year I am so tired of schedules, finals and early mornings. I am looking forward to the summer and just kicking back a bit. Of course by the end of the summer I am ready for school and some structure in our lives soooo I guess it all works out quite nicely.

I got to visit with an friend that I haven't seen for awhile and her sweet kids, that was a treat. Friendships really do make my day, I realize that there are many struggles that I go through but life is much sweeter because of my dear friends. I feel like the past few months that I have been struggling with cancer that I have neglected many friends, not on purpose, but just because I don't have any more energy. I know a lot of people don't read blogs but that is my one attempt to let people know what is going on and that I still love and think of them.

"The only service a friend can really render is to keep up your courage by holding up to you a mirror in which you can see a noble image of yourself."
- George Bernard Shaw

Tonight is DATE NIGHT and so before I go I thought I would leave you with this great inspirational story that I found about a teacher, great insights in there for all of us. Have a good night!

The Parable of the Child
by Steve Goodier

"There is a difference between education and experience. Education is what you get from reading the small print. Experience is what you get from not reading it!"
But isn't it true that great learning comes from both education and experience? Let me tell you a parable:
A young school teacher had a dream that an angel appeared to him and said, "You will be given a child who will grow up to become a world leader. How will you prepare her so that she will realize her intelligence, grow in confidence, develop both her assertiveness and sensitivity, be open-minded, yet strong in character? In short, what kind of education will you provide that she can become one of the world's truly GREAT leaders?"
The young teacher awoke in a cold sweat. It had never occurred to him before -- any ONE of his present or future students could be the person described in his dream. Was he preparing them to rise to ANY POSITION to which they may aspire? He thought, 'How might my teaching change if I KNEW that one of my students were this person?' He gradually began to formulate a plan in his mind.
This student would need experience as well as instruction. She would need to know how to solve problems of various kinds. She would need to grow in character as well as knowledge. She would need self-assurance as well as the ability to listen well and work with others. She would need to understand and appreciate the past, yet feel optimistic about the future. She would need to know the value of lifelong learning in order to keep a curious and active mind. She would need to grow in understanding of others and become a student of the spirit. She would need to set high standards for herself and learn self discipline, yet she would also need love and encouragement, that she might be filled with love and goodness.
His teaching changed. Every young person who walked through his classroom became, for him, a future world leader. He saw each one, not as they were, but as they could be. He expected the best from his students, yet tempered it with compassion. He taught each one as if the future of the world depended on his instruction.
After many years, a woman he knew rose to a position of world prominence. He realized that she must surely have been the girl described in his dream. Only she was not one of his students, but rather his daughter. For of all the various teachers in her life, her father was the best.
I've heard it said that "Children are living messages we send to a time and place we will never see." But this isn't simply a parable about an unnamed school teacher. It is a parable about you and me -- whether or not we are parents or even teachers. And the story, OUR story, actually begins like this:
"You will be given a child who will grow up to become...." You finish the sentence. If not a world leader, then a superb father? An excellent teacher? A gifted healer? An innovative problem solver? An inspiring artist? A generous philanthropist?
Where and how you will encounter this child is a mystery. But believe that his or her future may depend upon influence only you can provide, and something remarkable will happen. For no child will ever be ordinary to you again. And you will never be the same.