Name sake

When I was a little girl I asked my parents how they came up with my name? They told me that I was named after my dad's nephew BOYD LYNN ( also my cousin ). I don't think I ever knew why they chose him to name me after? He was older than me and didn't live near us, therefore I didn't get to know him very well. I liked the name Lynn though and so I was satisfied. Now when Jeff and I were expecting our children, we tried to come up with names we loved and ones also that was named after someone that we thought the world of. That's hard to do when you have so many good friends and family.

Before I was married but had moved away from home, my sister-in-law Shirley had her first baby.  They named her Cristina Lynn after me. I was so humbled by that to know that I had a name sake and for some reason it has always made me want to live the type of life that she would be proud of. Now this week Cristina Lynn just had her first baby and it is a girl too. She named her Hannah Marian after her grandmother ( my mom) who had already passed on. I can't tell  you what a neat feeling that was when I heard that. Now that Hannah Marian is here, I feel like a part of my mom has come back. I know my mom would have been tickled, actually I am sure she is!

I actually have one more niece who is named after me Erica Lynn, she is another reason that I try to live up to my name. Really it is an honor to share my name with such wonderful people. I talked to a dear friend a while ago that I lost touch with many years ago. As we talked and tried to catch up on all that had transpired throughout those years that we missed, she surprised me and told me that they named their youngest daughter after me Meagan Lynn.

Now I am not telling you this to brag, but to remind all of us that we share names and lives with many of our loved ones and I think it is a great reminder to us to live the best life that we can. To live up to those names that mean so much. I love my nieces and nephews. I have tried hard throughout the years to keep in touch with them and at least let them know that their Aunt Lynn loves them. As there gets to be more and more of them, it is getting harder and harder, but I am crazy about them.

So tonight I will leave you with a few quotes that remind us of this very subject. Thanks dear friends for the great lives that you live and for your examples to me.

"FROM OUR ANCESTORS COME OUR NAMES, BUT FROM OUR VIRTUES OUR HONORS" 

"Our names are labels, plainly printed on the bottled essence of our past behavior."  ~Logan Pearsall Smith

"OUR GREATES RESPONSIBILITY IS TO BE GOOD ANCESTORS"   ~Jonas Salk

Autumn is officially here and so are we!

Yesterday was the first day of Autumn and for us in Seattle, it was HOT! But still the nights and mornings there is a snap of cool air. I really love Autumn, maybe because of all the Seasons that come with it and also because of the brilliant colors that seems to be everywhere! I read this quote and thought it went perfect with today's post...

"EVEN IF SOMETHING IS LEFT UNDONE, EVERYONE MUST TAKE TIME TO SIT STILL ANS WATCH THE LEAVES TURN" ~Elizabeth Lawrence

I looked on my calendar this morning to see what all I needed to do today and saw that it is the 23rd. I then remembered that it was exactly 21 years ago today that we moved here from West Virginia. We just had 2 kids then, but we knew that we needed to raise them some where, other than West Virginia so that is what we did. We took everything we owned and moved here without a job or anything. Jeff came first and after 2 LONG months secured us a place to live and a job. I can still remember the kids and I that morning, Amy was 5 and Brad was 2. They had their little back packs ready to go the night before. My mom bought them new little sweat suits to travel in and after tearful good byes to my mom and dad, we were on our way. They were excited about the new adventure and plane ride but the real excitement was seeing their dad again. I was never so glad to have my family reunited, 2 months apart was too long! We also had my brother, sister-in-law and 3 nieces and nephews waiting for us too, so to say the least we were ready to go and excited.

That was a huge decision that Jeff and I made, quite a daring one too! Now that I am a little older and a grandmother ( nana) I realize why my parents were so concerned about us. The problem is we were young, full of hope and didn't realize how many chances we were taking. We just knew that we needed a change and a big one at that and it felt right. I love living here, I wake up every day thankful for the opportunity to live here and raise my family here. I love the rain, the clouds, the mountains and the water here. We are truly blessed. So today I will remember to count my blessings more and especially the day 21 years ago, when we moved out little family clear across the United States to Seattle!

"DREAMS ARE LIKE STARS...YOU MAY NEVER TOUCH THEM, BUT IF YOU FOLLOW THEM THEY WILL LEAD YOU TO YOUR DESTINY."

"IT IS YOUR MOMENTS OF DECISION THAT YOUR DESTINY IS SHAPED" ~Anthony Robbins

"ACTIONS ARE THE SEED OF FATE, DEEDS GROW INTO DESTINY"  ~ Harry S. Truman

 

RIsing to the occasion!

"We become more adept at rising to the occasion each time we see ourselves doing it. Every time we cope well with whatever real life throws our way, it's another deposit of confidence, creativity, and courage in our self-esteem account... When you need to rise to the occasion, do it with style. Do it with a knowing smile. Confound them. Astound yourself. Make it look easy, and it will become so." ~Sarah Breathnach

I found this quote and thought about how true it is. Every time we make a deposit of the 3 C's ( CONFIDENCE, CREATIVITY AND COURAGE ) it really does build up our self esteem and that has to be a good thing.

It is late and I think that I am just going to leave this quote with you, it's a bit deep but...I love it, it makes me want to take that challenge, to face whatever life throws at me. Thanks for supporting me, when I was too weak and scared to support myself. That's what friends are for right?    Night!

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

A little child shall lead thee...

At church I am called to work in with the children. I love how honest, sincere and yet curious they are. I always felt very blessed to be among them. They don't have the many hang ups that we adults have obtained throughout  the years. They are innocent and happy. For years I worked at a preschool, both just a regular one and then one that was for handicapped children. I loved my job, I loved being with those kids every day. I felt like they taught me more on a daily basis, than I taught them. Today once again at church I watched the children. They are too cute. So tonight I am going to share with you a couple of cute stories about kids that will hopefully bring a smile to your face. I also hope that it will make you want to take time out to spend the day with a child, then... you will really see the world for what it truly is. Good night dear friends.

Little John the Baptist

Matt. 18:4-5
"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. "

Johnny's Mother looked out the window and noticed Him "playing church" with their cat.

He had the cat sitting quietly and he was preaching to it.
She smiled and went about her work.
A while later she heard loud meowing and hissing
and ran back to the open window to see Johnny baptizing the cat in a tub of water.
She called out, "Johnny, stop that! The cat is afraid of water!"
Johnny looked up at her and said,
"He should have thought about that before he joined my church."

 

At a church dinner, there was a pile of apples on one end of the table with a sign that read, TAKE ONLY ONE APPLE, PLEASE. GOD IS WATCHING.

On the other end of the table was a pile of cookies where a youth had placed a sing saying , TAKE ALL THE COOKIES YOU WANT. GOD IS WATCHING THE APPLES! 

"Children are our most valuable natural resource." ~ Herbert Hoover

Finding your Happy Place

I have so much to be happy about. The season is changing into fall (which just so happens to be my favorite one),some of my dear friends are moving here from back East (and are staying with us right now). I have a wonderful family, good friends, a job, a nice home... and yet today I struggled to find my Happy Place. Why?

Well, a few days ago I put a couple of ribs out, just because I used the roller and tried to help my daughter paint her room. ( I know that doesn't sound like much but welcome to my fragile body!)  After struggling with the pain for a few days, I finally got to the chiropractor and he adjusted it for me. How nice it was to be able to turn my neck without pain and also being able to take a deep  breath without pain ...is a good thing. For 2 days I was getting better until I lifted something that I shouldn't have yesterday and now I am back in a lot of pain again. Once again I went back to the Chiropractor this morning and got adjusted and tried all day to rest so that the ribs don't come out again. It has been a tough day and the pain has worn me down. I have tried to put up a good front and have a happy day but I am really hurting. So I will leave you with a couple of good quotes and one of my daughter's inspirational photo cards.  I will  just check this day off, as one of those BIGGER THAN ME DAYS! I sure hope tonight I can sleep and tomorrow is a better day. Good night dear friends!

"YOU HAVE TO HAVE FAITH THAT THERE IS A REASON YOU GO THROUHG CERTAIN THINGS.  I CAN'T SAY I'M GLAD TO GO THROUGH PAIN, BUT IN A WAY ONE MUST, IN ORDER TO GAIN COURAGE AND REALLY FEEL JOY."       ~ Carol Burnett

"THE HUMAN SPIRIT CANNOT BE PARALYZED. IF YOU ARE BREATHING, YOU CAN DREAM."  ~ Mike Brown

"IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERY DIFFICULTY LIES OPPORTUNITY"  ~ Albert Einstein

"GREAT OCCASIONS DO NOT MAKE HEROS OR COWARDS; THEY SIMPLY UNVEIL THEM TO THE EYES OF MEN. SILENTLY AND IMPERCEPTIBLY, AS WE WAKE OR SLEEP, WE GROW STRONG OR WEAK; AND AT LAST SOME CRISIS SHOWS WHAT WE HAVE BECOME."  ~ Brooke Foss Westcott

Compliments go a long way

Maybe some of you have heard this story before but it touches me every time I read it so if you have a minute, take the time to read it. And remember to give more compliments and praise, it goes a lot further than criticism, trust me!  Good night dear friends, how grateful I am to have you in my life!

Excerpt from: The Heart of a Teacher,
by Paula Fox
He was in the first third grade class I taught at Saint Mary's School in Morris, Minnesota. All 34 of my students were dear to me, but Mark Eklund was one in a million. Very neat in appearance, he had that happy-to-be-alive attitude that made even his occasional mischievousness delightful.
Mark talked incessantly. I had to remind him again and again that talking without permission was not acceptable. What impressed me so much, though, was his sincere response every time I had to correct him for misbehaving. "Thank you for correcting me, Sister!" I didn't know what to make of it at first, but before long I became accustomed to hearing it many times a day.
One morning my patience was growing thin when Mark talked once too often, and then I made a novice teacher's mistake. I looked at Mark and said, "If you say one more word, I am going to tape your mouth shut!" It wasn't ten seconds later when Chuck blurted out, "Mark is talking again." I hadn't asked any of the students to help me watch Mark, but since I had stated the punishment in front of the class, I had to act on it. I remember the scene as if it had occurred this morning. I walked to my desk, very deliberately opened my drawer and took out a roll of masking tape. Without saying a word, I proceeded to Mark's desk, tore off two pieces of tape and made a big X with them over his mouth. I then returned to the front of the room. As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing, he winked at me. That did it! I started laughing. The class cheered as I walked back to Mark's desk, removed the tape, and shrugged my shoulders. His first words were, "Thank you for correcting me, Sister."
At the end of the year, I was asked to teach junior-high math. The years flew by, and before I knew it Mark was in my classroom again. He was more handsome than ever and just as polite. Since he had to listen carefully to my instruction in the "new math," he did not talk as much in ninth grade as he had in third. One Friday, things just didn't feel right. We had worked hard on a new concept all week, and I sensed that the students were frowning, frustrated with themselves and edgy with one another. I had to stop this crankiness before it got out of hand. So I asked them to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then I told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed me the papers. Charlie smiled. Mark said, "Thank you for teaching me, Sister. Have a good weekend." That Saturday, I wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and I listed what everyone else had said about that individual.
On Monday I gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. "Really?" I heard whispered. "I never knew that meant anything to anyone! I didn't know others liked me so much." No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. I never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another again.
That group of students moved on. Several years later, after I returned from vacation, my parents met me at the airport. As we were driving home, Mother asked me the usual questions about the trip, the weather, my experiences in general. There was a lull in the conversation. Mother gave Dad a sideways glance and simply said, "Dad?" My father cleared his throat as he usually did before something important. "The Eklunds called last night," he began. "Really?" I said. "I haven't heard from them in years. I wonder how Mark is." Dad responded quietly. "Mark was killed in Vietnam," he said. "The funeral is tomorrow, and his parents would like it if you could attend." To this day I can still point to the exact spot on I-494 where Dad told me about Mark.
I had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. Mark looked so handsome, so mature. All I could think at that moment was, "Mark, I would give all the masking tape in the world if only you would talk to me." The church was packed with Mark's friends. Chuck's sister sang "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Why did it have to rain on the day of the funeral? It was difficult enough at the graveside. The pastor said the usual prayers, and the bugler played taps. One by one those who loved Mark took a last walk by the coffin and sprinkled it with holy water. I was the last one to bless the coffin. As I stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to me. "Were you Mark's math teacher?" he asked. I nodded as I continued to stare at the coffin. "Mark talked about you a lot," he said.
After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates headed to Chuck's farmhouse for lunch. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting for me. "We want to show you something," his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. "They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it." Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. I knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which I had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him. "Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said. "As you can see, Mark treasured it." Mark's classmates started to gather around us. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list. I keep it in the top drawer of my desk at home." Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album." "I have mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary." Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. "I carry this with me at all times," Vicki said without batting an eyelash. "I think we all saved our lists." That's when I finally sat down and cried. I cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.
The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be. So please, tell the people you love and care for that they are special and important. Tell them, before it is too late.

"Love isn't blind, it just only sees what matters"

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." ~ Leo F. Buscaglia

Don't forget to read the fine print

Last year, I had a ticket to go back east to visit a few dear friends. Just a few weeks before my visit, I had to do a recheck on a previous mammogram that I had prior. Those type of things always worry any woman, but are especially worrisome to a cancer survivor. I was had almost made it to my 7 year mark as a survivor. Then on October 31st 2008 I was diagnosed again with Breast Cancer, in the same breast as before. I had to immediately cancel my flight plans and began the long road of fighting cancer once again. When I called the airlines to ask what to do, they told me that my money would be on credit for one year and that I could use it toward another ticket. At that time, I didn't even know how bad my cancer was and if I would even make it for another year. I have to admit when I talked to the Airlines I was still in shock.

Fast forward almost a 11 months later and I am trying to plan once again a trip back East. As I was trying to purchase my ticket yesterday, I found out that my ticket or credit, would expire at the end of September instead of the first of November like I was told. I called and talked to a representative and they explained that the credit is only from the day that you made the reservations, not from the day that your flight was booked. My question was... but how was I suppose to know that and then the famous response came..."did you read the fine print?" I had to go back on my ticket receipt and low and behold there it was in fine print ( I would actually say that it was smaller than fine print, maybe a font size of  - 12 ! Anyway, I asked what I could do they then gave me another number to call today and plead my case. I did this morning and after I faxed over medical proof that I had cancer around that time last year, then they said that they would refund me the money. Of course it would cost me but at least I was able to purchase another ticket and have something wonderful to look forward to.

I really think that life is a lot like those important papers that we get with everything, even on every sale that we see, any special offer ....there is always a FINE PRINT that you need to be careful to look for and read before you get more than you bargained for. I think it is the little things that can make you or break  you in life. I have always told my kids to remember NOTHING IS FREE IN LIFE! When we get something in the mail or a phone call saying that we have won something and we didn't do anything to get it... then there has got to be a catch!  Some fine print that we  haven't read yet. So let's try to remember to do that, pay attention to the little things, both good and bad in our lives, because I think that is where all the difference is!  Good night dear friends!

 

"Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden..."

 

"Small events and choices determine the direction of our lives just as small helms determine the directions of great ships."
-- M. Russell Ballard

Too Busy?

My whole life I have struggled to find that balance between being too busy and feeling like I am not doing enough. Then as I got older, with more kids and more responsibilities the struggle got even worse. When I got into my late 30's my body started rebelling on me, I guess it got tired of all the time I miss treated it...all in the name of being TOO BUSY. I didn't have time to stop and rest, there was always so much to do and so many others who needed something. I didn't help being a pleaser either, all those years. I hate to let people down, for some reason I felt like I personally should have been some type of superwoman so that I could help and serve all. When my body gave up, I really didn't have any choice other than to slow down and re-evaluate my life and changes that I needed to make. The sad part was that some of those things with my body did not restore themselves after such neglect. Now mind you I didn't neglect in every way... just certain ways. Everyone seems to have certain things that they feel passionate about, the struggle though is balance and there in lies the problem.  You are probably wondering if I have ever had any counseling for this struggle? Yes, I have and believe it or not, I have even counseled others on how to take care of themselves. The trick is...like anything else in this world, you have to keep working at it, some times daily reminding yourself to do a BALANCE CHECK.

Some areas in my life I was better at than others like I was very aware of my food and I tried hard to remember to eat only what was good for me and I planned meals out that were good for my family too.I was always very concern about the moral decisions and principles that we were teaching our kids and making ourselves. But sleep wasn't one of those things that I actually believed in, it seemed like such a waste of time. So I only sleep 4-5 hours a night, that way I COULD DO MORE!  (Balance ...yeah, I wasn't very good at that ). Isn't it funny how it is always easier to see the mistakes and wrong decisions of others, easier than recognizing them in yourself? Or how it is easy to take care of yourself in some ways and neglect others.

Tonight I just got up from a nap, I was sooo tired and hurting that I felt sick. All day, I probably should have laid low but I didn't. I was out of balance yet again! I sorta feel like a slow learner, I know that in order to serve and help others, that you need to pace yourself and listen carefully what your body is saying to you. Today I must have had a relapse because I could feel the wall that I was hitting with my fatigue and pain and yet I didn't stop, I just kept going. I think I even said to myself "Lynn, you don't have time to be this tired or feeling sick, you just don't have the time." When the truth was.... I have as much time as everyone else in the world, I just need to prioritize and stop when I need to stop. Why is that such a tough thing to understand and learn?

Anyway, I am going to head to bed again, maybe I can start feeling a bit better if I do. Please take notes from a lady that truly knows... but has a hard time following through. Don't push through that wall, it is not worth it. ( I am not talking about all your runners and the wall, I am talking about the wall that signals to  your body when you need to stop and relax.)  You will have a lot more to offer others if you take care of yourself first and you will be a lot happier; the feeling that you are always letting someone down or not meeting their need is a negative one and will not serve you in the end. Thanks for listening and for caring for me, even if I am a slow learner!  :)

Painting by Jeremy Wilson

Busy

Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter ask for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The paid was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work. The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees "Congratulations," the boss said. "Go on that way!" Very motivated for the boss words, the woodcutter try harder the next day, but he only could bring 15 trees. The third day he try even harder, but he only could bring 10 trees.Day after day he was bringing less and less trees. "I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on. "When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked. "Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees..."  Stephen Covey

"The feeling of being hurried is not usually the result of living a full life and having no time. It is on the contrary born of a vague fear that we are wasting our life.
When we do not do the one thing we ought to do, we have no time for anything
else - we are the busiest people in the world." - Eric Hoffer

Learning to celebrate yourself!

I did sports most of my life and this quote "your best defense is a good offense" was repeated to me by many of my coaches. Now that I am out of school and on my own in life it is still a wonderful reminder to me of how to make the best of myself and my life. I read this article and thought it actually went along with my post last night. They were great suggestions, I am going to go and try some of them right now, how about you?

How to Celebrate yourself  ~Patricia Spadaro

The biggest roadblock to success in life is self-doubt. Doubt makes you susceptible to the critical voices--inside and out--that whisper negative affirmations such as, “I am not worthy, good enough, or capable enough to achieve my dreams.”

Don't let doubt stop you in your tracks. To keep doubts and doubters at bay, learn to celebrate the magnificent, shining part of you--even when life's storms momentarily eclipse its brilliance. Here are eight simple, but powerful, strategies to help you honor your inner radiance and keep voting for yourself--no matter what is happening around you.

Write Yourself a note...

Pretend for a moment that you are your own greatest advocate and cheerleader. Now write a supportive and encouraging note to yourself as if you were cheering yourself on. Then pop it in an envelope and mail it to yourself. When you are traveling, send a postcard with an inspiring message to your home address. Right before shutting down your e-mail for the night, send yourself a note of appreciation so that you will see it first thing when you download your e-mail the next day. Develop the habit of applauding your own greatness in tangible ways.

Personalize Your Screen Saver

Set the screen saver on your computer monitor to show images or affirmations that counteract the negative or doubting voices within and without. Be specific. Address what you are currently focusing on in your life. For example, you can set your screen saver to display a sentence or phrase that reminds you of your most important intention, such as “I take great care of myself because I deserve to be happy and healthy,” “I choose to spend my time in ways that energize and uplift me,” or “I listen to my own feelings when making decisions.” You might want to just use the simple phrase, “I honor myself every day."

Keep a Childhood Photo Nearby

Choose a photo of yourself as a child that reminds you of your innate joy, sweetness, curiosity, or love of life—a photo that reflects who you really are at heart. Buy a beautiful frame for it and place the photo somewhere where you can view it often. Every time you see it, let that heart-opening image put you back in touch with the precious part of yourself that reflects back to you your real nature.

Hang Out with Supporters

If you allow yourself to be pressured or pummeled by someone who doesn’t appreciate your gifts, you will only be in a constant battle that will eat away at your energy and enthusiasm. You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone or justify your dreams and plans. Your job is to be you. Steer clear of critics and worrywarts. Surround yourself with friends who will champion your self-worth, cheer you on with both hands high in the air, and make you feel good about yourself—people you, in turn, can wholeheartedly support.

Turn On Your Windshield Wipers

You may not be able to stop the rain that falls into your life, but you can turn on your windshield wiper to clear away the frustrations, criticisms, and self-doubts that, like a drenching downpour, can obscure your vision and make it hard to see where you’re going. When you’re feeling upset or when others aren’t valuing you, what helps you see clearly again? Taking some time alone? Meditation or prayer? Journaling? Exercise? Walking in nature? Watching an inspiring movie? Talking to a supportive friend? Scheduling a massage or a session with a life coach? Make a list of the tools that work for you so you don’t forget to put them into action when the storm clouds let loose.

Pull Out Your Feel-Good File

To help you celebrate who you really are (not what others say you are) save all the cards, e-mails, and letters people have sent to thank you or express what they value or love about you. Save other mementos that bring to mind your strong points, your accomplishments, and the joy you have given others. Put them in a special box or file folder. When you’re beset, upset, or have lost sight of your smile for a while, pull out that collection. Read what’s inside to remind yourself that the drama or trauma that happens around you is not who you are.

Develop and Give Your Gifts

Every one of us is wonderful in some way. Yet it’s so easy to concentrate on our shortcomings rather than applaud our positive qualities. Remember that you energize whatever you focus on. So why not focus on the part of you that shines? If you were to act on your greatness—the part of you that is meant to light the way for others—how would you give your gifts? What would you do to increase your capacity to give? Write down the answers to those questions and then ask yourself each week: What one step can I take, even if it’s a small one, to celebrate my greatness, develop my gifts, and give more of myself to others?

Create an Arsenal of Affirmations

The best defense is a good offense. Doubts and detractors may try to unseat you, but you can be prepared ahead of time with the truth. Write down two or more affirmations to say aloud or to yourself to counter doubts and criticisms that may well up inside of you or come from others. Maybe you need to affirm “I am a magnificent being in the process of becoming ever more magnificent,” or “I have something important to say and I say it with confidence and ease,” or “My job is not to be perfect but to be the best I can be right now.” Keep these affirmations handy and, when the barrage comes, turn to your list and fire away with conviction in your heart.

"To the question of your life you are the answer, and to the problems of your life you are the solution."          ~Joe Cordare

"Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through.  Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it.  This is a kind of death."  ~Anaïs Nin

Search and Rescue

In a book that I am reading about self worth, I was impressed with how the author describes trying to find the real you, the person of great value and worth. In one of her chapters she compares it to the type of work that people who are on a Search and Rescue Team. Here is what she writes..."They have been out many times to help find someone who is lost; often in the mountains. And they have learned through experience that they are more likely to succeed if they follow a certain  protocol. Here are some of their search and rescue guidelines:

~ First, be prepared. Take necessary supplies, such as radio contact, a GPS device, beacons, and know night signs.

~ Watch our for your own well-being. Then, watch out for and always stay with  your team members.

~And, finally, do all you can to find and help the victim--the object of the mission.

This order of priorities is often difficult for the family of the victim to understand; but, as it was explained to me, the team takes great care to assure there will not be more victims as a result of the search.

Follow this basic strategy on most calls: Determine the nature of the problem by gathering available information then decide on the plan of action and possible alternative. Carry out the plan. Continue to reevaluate.

These rescue guidelines were prepared for a physical search and rescue."

She goes on to compare this search and rescue to a spiritual rescue of ourselves and truly understand our divine worth. She says that the one real difference in our search is that we are often both the victim and the rescuer. And the better we get at the rescuing, the less of a need we will have to be rescued. 

FINDING THE ANGEL WITHIN  BY PAMELA H. HANSEN

Finding our real selves can be pretty hard, especially when the world is so loud on reminding us of who they think we should be. We are part of a team, with family, friends and your Heavenly Father, we need to remember we are never alone. But much of our rescue depends on us and how bad we want to find our true self and our true worth. How much we are willing to change. I know it is worth the effort and the more you do it, like she said...the less often you will need rescuing.

So hopefully we will follow this basic strategy and determine what struggles or problems we are having with ourselves and our lives. Then make a plan of action and carry out the plan. We must also remember not to forget to reevaluate our situation and progress from time to time...because life is a Journey.

Thanks for helping me in my search and rescue efforts of myself. Thanks for being part of my team.

"You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition.  What you'll discover will be wonderful.  What you'll discover is yourself."  ~Alan Alda

"Never mind searching for who you are.  Search for the person you aspire to be."  ~Robert Brault,

"He who knows others is learned;
He who knows himself is wise."  ~ Lao-tzu Tao te Ching

A Hug and a Smile

 

Our newest granddaughter is one month old tomorrow and just a few days ago she began smiling at her mom and dad. I still can't believe the miracle of these little ones, what a blessing they are. This is a photo of her when she was 3 days old and we caught her smiling in her sleep (don't you wish you could know what they were dreaming of?). But now she is more alert and looking around and can respond to us, it is something else. No matter how bad my day has been going, those hugs and smiles can keep you going.

Today was a tough day for me physically. I am sure that I move so much in my chair at church, that people wonder if I have two spirits in this one body. :)  It's just that I can hardly get comfortable in any position. After church I am pretty wiped out for the remainder of the day. Today was another BIGGER THAN ME day. I have had a couple of them close together lately, probably because I am in a lot of pain. I had a pity party for myself and no one was invited except ME, MYSELF and I. Even that was too many, I laid down and cried for an hour, just feeling sorry that I can't do what I would like to do. Upset because I hurt so often and that seems to wear on me and my outlook. Tired of having to hurt for hours after doing something, such as going to church. I am so thankful that I can go to church but, I hate paying the price later. Oh yes, I was a sad case indeed. Then I got a phone call and a dear friend of mine told me that she just had her baby.

So tonight, I decided to go see her and the baby. Her husband went home early with their 2 little girls and so I got to stay and visit with her and hold the baby for 2 hours, what a treat! It made me feel better to hold and hug this new little one. I watched her smile in her sleep and thought, my life is good...not exactly what I would choose, but it is good. I am so grateful that I left my pity party and got to share a neat evening with a dear friend. It certainly helped me a lot.

The Hug

There's something in a simple hug
That always warms the heart;
It welcomes us back home
Makes it easier to part.

A hug's a way to share the joy,
And sad times we go through,
Or just a way for friends to say
They like you 'cause you're you.

Hugs are meant for anyone
For whom we really care,
From grandma to your neighbor,
Or a cuddly teddy bear.

A hug is an amazing thing-
It's just the perfect way
To show the love we're feeling
But can't find the words to say.

It's funny how a little hug
Makes everyone feel good;
In every place and language,
It's always understood.

Thanks for sharing my blog with me, your support and encouragement help so much. Good night!

 

"A smile can brighten the darkest day."  ~Author Unknown

"Hugs are the universal medicine"  ~Author Unknown

 

"Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." 

~Mother Teresa

Knowing the Shepherd

A young friend of mine just got his first Bible last year, and I think I mentioned before that for his 12th birthday we sent him 12 of our family's favorite stories from the Bible. It was a great thing for us too, because we were able to go back and reread and talk about them and why they meant so much to us. I don't know why this shocks me every time that it happens, but it does. When I re-read my scriptures I am always surprised to learn something new, not that I have them memorized or anything like that, but that I keep learning something new from them... that I never knew before. I am sure that is why it is important for us to study them so often. I shared my experience with this young friend of the importance of reading and learning about the Savior Jesus Christ. Understanding who He is and what He did can make a profound difference in our lives, especially if we try to emulate Him more.

When I read this story, I thought I need to send this to my friend also. It is a great way to remind us that it is important to truly know the Shepherd. I hope you enjoy it, good night dear friends and thanks for all your love and support.

I know the Shepherd

There was once a Shakespearean actor who was known everywhere for his one-man shows of readings and recitations from the classics. He would always end his performance with a dramatic reading of Psalm 23. Each night, without exception, as the actor began his recitation - "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want"..the crowd would listen attentively. And then, at the conclusion of the Psalm, they would rise in thunderous applause in appreciation of the actor's incredible ability to bring the verse to life. But one night, just before the actor was to offer his customary recital of Psalm 23, a young man from the audience spoke up. "Sir, do you mind if tonight I recite Psalm 23?" The actor was quite taken back by this unusual request, but he allowed the young man to come forward and stand front and center on the stage to recite the Psalm, knowing that the ability of this unskilled youth would be no match for his own talent. With a soft voice, the young man began to recite the words of the Psalm. When he was finished, there was no applause. There was no standing ovation as on other nights. All that could be heard was the sound of weeping. The audience had been so moved by the young man's recitation that every eye was full of tears. Amazed by what he had heard, the actor said to the youth, "I don't understand. I have been performing Psalm 23 for years. I have a lifetime of experience and training - but I have never been able to move an audience as you have tonight. Tell me, what is your secret?" The young man quietly replied, "Well sir, you know the Psalm... I know the Shepherd." 
- Author Unknown 

 

“There is a great difference between knowing and understanding: you can know a lot about something and not really understand it” ~ Charles F. Kettering

" Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand" ~ Chinese proverb

" To understand the heart and mind of a person, look not at what he has already achieved, but at what he aspires to."  ~ Kahlil Gibran

Happy birthday

Today is my daughter in law's birthday, which made me think of this quote it is one that we should put in every birthday card for every woman in the world. It goes like this...

"There are two important days in a woman's life-the day she is born and the day she finds out why."

~ Elaine Cannon

I have said this on more than one occasion, that it is important we find out what our mission and purpose in life is and also, to recognize how Satan works on us. I learned a long time ago that Satan can not tempt me with smoking, drinking, gambling,stealing etc. but where he seems to hurt me the most is... my self esteem. I daily have to work at that and remember no matter what I see in the mirror, that I am a daughter of God and I have great potential. Everyone has there weaknesses in life, it is suppose to be like that so  we can learn and grow. But it is vital to be aware of exactly what your weaknesses and temptations are, so that you can stay far away from them. Keeping your eyes open and watching for those, I think is a great way to help protect and nurture  yourself.

So today my birthday advice for my sweet daughter-in-law would be this...

~know what your mission is in life

~learn to love the person you see in the mirror and love others

~forgive yourself and others (remember know one is perfect)

~enjoy each day to the fullest

~ learn to listen to your body and take care of it

~ and remember your are a Daughter of God with great potential!

I guess this is great advice for all of us to remember. Hope you have a wonderful day!

"It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes."  ~ Sally Field

"The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others." ~Dr.Sonya Friedman

"It's surprising how many persons go through life without ever recognizing that their feelings toward other people are largely determined by their feelings toward themselves, and if you're not comfortable within yourself, you can't be comfortable with others." ~ Sidney J. Harris

We are one!

Well, today was not the best day for me, so I am going to go ahead and write my post about tomorrow. Some days (which I call my Bigger Than Me Days) come along and it seems like no matter what I do, it is still a tough day, this just happened to be one of them ...for several reasons.

I found this poem written about  September 11th, it will forever be in our memories and hearts. I think everyone can remember where they were that day when they first heard the news, I certainly do. I will never forget the  feeling of terror and sadness for all the people who were involved and witnessed it first hand. One good thing I remember is, how quickly the nation pulled together, how easy it was for everyone to believe in God and ask Him for help. For weeks every day there was some heroic or compassionate story on the TV of how people were helping each other. It was hopeful and inspiring. We certainly don't get that on a normal basis through the TV or radio, what a difference it made. It made us believe in each other, made us appreciate what we have, it made many people change their lives around for the good. So I hope tomorrow we can all remember to appreciate life, be grateful to be Americans and be there for each other...without a tragedy. And I also hope that we will never forget all those people who lives were forever changed because of September 11th.

ONE

As the soot and dirt and ash rained down,
We became one color.
As we carried each other down the stairs of the burning building,
We became one class.
As we lit candles of waiting and hope,
We became one generation.
As the firefighters and police officers fought their way into the inferno,
We became one gender.
As we fell to our knees in prayer for strength,
We became one faith.
As we whispered or shouted words of encouragement,
We spoke one language.
As we gave our blood in lines a mile long,
We became one body.
As we mourned together the great loss,
We became one family.
As we cried tears of grief and loss,
We became one soul.
As we retell with pride of the sacrifice of heroes,
We become one people.

We are ...
One color
One class
One generation
One gender
One faith
One language
One body
One family
One soul
One people

We are The Power of One.
We are United.
We are America.

When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."
~Author Unknown

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."  ~Dale Carnegie

The glad game

One of my favorite movies is Pollyanna, my kids just tease me because they think it is so corny but I think deep down they really like it. I love it because Pollyanna even though her circumstances weren't the best ...she seemed to find the good in everything. Life is tough and there is truly a lot of things that can make you discouraged and depressed but once again, it is our choice on how we want to handle each day and each circumstance.

I receive through my e-mail  inspirational thoughts and offers for books and movies from Mac Anderson the founder of Simple Truths. Here is summary of a book they are now promoting, it went along with my theme tonight so I thought I would share it with you. I hope it makes you want to start playing The Glad Game...right away!

Play the Glad Game...

In her wonderful book, The Wealthy Spirit, Chellie Campbell describes how, when she was a girl, her mother taught her to play "The Glad Game." On days when Chellie came home from school complaining about something - a bully on the playground, a harsh teacher, a skinned knee, or difficult homework - Chellie's mom would hug her, kiss away her tears, and then suggest, "OK, enough complaining. Let's play 'The Glad Game.'"
"The Glad Game" is another name for a Gratitude List. The Glad Game helps you focus on what's right in your world today, instead of what's wrong. Chellie's mom was a very wise woman, teaching her that no matter what your troubles, there are still plenty of things to be grateful for: a sunny day, good food to eat, a loving family, a house to live in, a family pet to love, a handful of friends to enjoy, and much, much more.
Chellie would follow her mother's suggestion:
"I'm glad I have you as my mom."
"I'm glad the weekend is almost here."
"I'm glad I have some nice clothes to wear to school."
"I'm glad I don't have to share my room with my sister anymore."
"I'm glad I get to watch TV when I finish my homework."
"I'm glad we have pie for dessert."
Playing "The Glad Game" is a terrific way to change your attitude in a hurry. We all slip into self-pity once in a while - after all, we're only human. The important thing is to cut the pity-party short and shift into gratitude. An attitude of gratitude will get you much farther in life than complaining and self-pity. Try it and see.
This is one of many short chapters in Learning to Dance in the Rain...The Power of Gratitude.
Dancing in the rain isn't something that most of us are born knowing how to do. We learn it. We learn it from others; we learn it from Life. The more we dance, the better we get at it. With practice, dancing in the rain becomes almost automatic. We no longer seek to run from storms...instead, we toss back our heads, throw out our arms, pick up our feet, and DANCE!

"Maybe you are here on earth to learn that life is what you make it, and it's to be enjoyed."
Dick Sutphen

"The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things."
- Henry Ward Beecher (1813-87)

lessons from a rainy day

I found this story and loved it because I am a firm believer that just a note, a letter, a phone call or email can make all the difference in someone's day. This story is proof of that. So after reading this I pray that we will put forth more effort in doing the Little things that truly are the BIg thing!

August 26, 1999 is a day that many New Yorkers would probably like to forget. However, this New Yorker will always remember that day because that is the day that I learned what a powerful gift appreciation can truly be. On August 26, 1999, New York City experienced a torrential downpour. The relentless rain caused the streets to flood. New York City's subway system came to a screeching halt as the subway stations were inundated with water. Unfortunately, this happened during the morning rush hour. Many people who were going to work were stranded and forced to go home. Some battled with fellow New Yorkers to hail a cab or to get on a bus. Still others braved the storm, walking miles to get to work. I happened to be one of people on her way to work that morning. I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most service had stopped. After running around like crazy and making my way through crowds of people, I finally found a subway line that was operating. Unfortunately, there were so many people waiting to board the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the platform. Undaunted and determined to get to work, I decided to take the train uptown several stops and then switch back to the downtown train. It was a hassle, but it paid off. However, the train got more packed at each stop. People pushed and shoved. I was constantly hit with elbows and bags. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the train reached my stop. But the journey was not over yet. I would still have to walk several blocks to get to my office. The rain had intensified, and no umbrella was enough to withstand the forces of Mother Nature. When I finally got to work, I was completely soaked and left a puddle of water everywhere I sat. I was also exhausted and discouraged from my commute. My coworkers and I spent most of the day drying off. When 5:00 rolled around, I was ready to go home. I was about to log off my computer when I received an email from Garth, my Deputy Director. I opened the email and found the following message: I would like to thank all those associates who made the effort and eventually reported to work. It is always reassuring, at times like these, when employees so clearly demonstrate their dedication to their jobs. Thank you. As you can see, Garth's email was short, but I learned more from that brief message than I ever did from a textbook. The email taught me that a few words of appreciation can make a big difference. The rainstorm and the transit troubles had made me miserable and weary. But Garth's words immediately invigorated me and put a smile back on my face. Garth's actions also made me realize that words of appreciation not only make you feel good but it also motivates and inspires you. After reading his email, I felt that coming to work that day was an accomplishment that I should be proud of. Suddenly getting drenched and the extremely long commute did not seem so bad. As a matter of fact, his email made the whole subway ordeal all worthwhile. Sometimes we are so wrapped up in our lives that we forget the magical power of appreciation. Garth had been caught in the rain like the rest of us. He had to tend to his responsibilities. He also had to cope with the numerous absences in the five areas that he manages. And he had to take on his boss' responsibilities, as she was unable to get to work. Yet, he still found time to send an email thanking his employees for their dedication and the extra effort they had made to get to work. Garth taught me that I should never be too busy to show people my appreciation and to acknowledge the positive things they do. This was the most valuable lesson that anyone could ever give me. And for that, I will always be grateful to Garth. August 26, 1999 may have been one of the darkest days in New York City history, but it was one of the brightest days in my life thanks to Garth.

"No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves."  ~ Amelia Earhart

 

"The truest greatness lies in being kind, the truest wisdom in a happy mind."  ~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox

"When you carry out acts of kindness you get a wonderful feeling inside. It is as though something inside your body responds and says, yes, this is how I ought to feel."  ~ Harold Kushner

Laughter

My brother and Sister-in-law left today. It was so fun having them come and visit, over the Labor Day Weekend. I have to say ...it must be good for my health to have Shirley ( my sister-in-law ) around, because we always are laughing. I mean really laughing, where you can hardly catch your breath and tears fill your eyes. I know that I have read many things about the importance of laughter and how healing it is. So I think I probably healed a lot  this past weekend being around her, what a dear friend she has been for all these years and the sister that I never had. We started out as friends and then became roommates. Then I began to think "wouldn't it be great if she could be in my family?"  So I introduced her to my brother and the rest is history, and we have been together ever since. It was hard to say good-bye to them today. It is always a treat to have more family around.  I have never been very good at good-byes. But I need to be grateful for the time we did have and all the laughter that filled my home. Yes, laughter is good medicine.

In church I heard one of the speakers talk about something that happened to his daughter that they all still laugh about to this day, I thought I would share the his story with you. Good night dear friends and remember to spend time with people who make you laugh...really laugh!

Learn to Laugh

I remember when one of our daughters went on a blind date. She was all dressed up and waiting for her date to arrive when the doorbell rang. In walked a man who seemed a little old, but she tried to be polite. She introduced him to me and my wife and the other children; then she put on her coat and went out the door. We watched as she got into the car, but the car didn’t move. Eventually our daughter got out of the car and, red faced, ran back into the house. The man that she thought was her blind date had actually come to pick up another of our daughters who had agreed to be a babysitter for him and his wife.

We all had a good laugh over that. In fact, we couldn’t stop laughing. Later, when our daughter’s real blind date showed up, I couldn’t come out to meet him because I was still in the kitchen laughing. Now, I realize that our daughter could have felt humiliated and embarrassed. But she laughed with us, and as a result, we still laugh about it today.

The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable.

"Laughter is the shock absorber that eases the blows of life"

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."  ~e.e. cummings

Prepared or Afraid

Ever since I was a little girl I was deathly afraid of storms. I used to watch the news at night to see how high the winds would going to get and if a storm was coming in. Now with my background of abuse, I had way more fears than a normal child should have had, but nevertheless...storms were a big deal to me. Our family lived with my Aunt in her home for my first 10 years, she too was scared of storms and if ever a big storm came up when I was upstairs in  her apartment with her, we would have to stop whatever we were doing and go sit in the middle of her bed. Then she would take out all of her hair pins because she was afraid lighting would hit her, and there I would sit with her shaking like a leaf and holding me until the storm stopped. That probably didn't help my fears either.

It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized that my faith was pretty darn weak to be that afraid of anything. I really hadn't relied on God like I should have. That was something I began to learn and truly had to put to the test when I became a mother, because I didn't want my kids to be scared of everything like me. It was probably one of the greatest lessons that I learned. I finally after reading scripture after scripture about not being afraid, realized that I just needed to always try and to the best I can and leave the rest up to God. If I was to be protected and taken care of...I would be. What a comfort that has been as a mom, because there are sooooo many things out of your control when it comes to your children. So many times, I have had to ask the Lord to take care of them, when I knew there was no way I could be with them or protect them.

So today in church I got this sweet story and I thought as I watch out the window tonight at the storm coming in with the wind blowing hard, that I should share it with you. It is simple but direct, we can either have faith and be prepared or we can be constantly afraid.  I hope we can choose faith rather than fear! Good night!

 

(Painting called Stormy night by Don Cook)

A farmer was looking for some hired help and he interviewed a dozen or so men until he found the last one with the qualifications. He asked him one final question, "why should I hire you?" and the man said, "because I can sleep when the wind blows." The farmer thought that was a curious answer, but hired the man.

One night a terrible storm blew in and the farmer was worried about his live stock and crops. In the middle of the night he bundled up and went to make sure everything was alright. As he walked around the farm, everything was already taken care of. The animals were safe and secure as well as the crops. The farmer was astonished and went to look for his worker. He arrived at the barn to find his worker peacefully asleep. The farmer finally realized what he meant when he said " I can sleep when the wind blows".

      2 Timothy 1:7  "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear..."

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."  ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

"Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live."  ~Dorothy Thompson

A Dream come true....

I think that all of us would love the opportunity to be famous for even a moment. There is an old saying that goes "Everyone deserves their 30 seconds of fame", or something like that. Well, yesterday our was our son's Bradley's birthday. He got his 30 seconds of fame and more, this past year at Brad's college they have a band festival or battle of the bands so to speak. It is called Guitars Unplugged. Brad and a few of his friends put together a band and decided to try out and they made it to the semi finals and got to perform on stage in front of 5000. They sang and played the song...Johnny Be Good. So here is a photo of our FAMOUS boy on stage ( he is the one on the far left, playing the guitar.

This story seemed fit for the theme of today...

Grandma Moses and Me

I'M TOO OLD AND IT'S TOO LATE, PLAYED OVER AND OVER IN MY MIND. I WAS DISCOURAGED AND EXHAUSTED AFTER ENDING MY MARRIAGE AND MY LAW CAREER AT THE SAME TIME. DESPITE MY INTENSE DESIRE TO BECOME A WRITER, I DOUBTED MY ABILITY TO SUCCEED AS ONE. HAD I WASTED YEARS PURSUING THE WRONG GOALS?

I WAS AT A LOW  POINT WHEN  THE VOICE ON THE RADIO BEGAN TELLING THE STORY OF GRADMA MOSES. ANN MARY MOSES LEFT HOME AT 13, BORE 10 CHILDREN AND WORKED HARD TO RAISE THE 5 WHO SURVIVED. STRUGGLING TO MAKE A LIVING ON POOR FARMS, SHE MANAGED TO PROVIDE A BIT OF BEAUTY ON HERSELF BY EMBROIDERING ON CANVAS.

AT 78, HER FINGERS BECAME TOO STIFF TO HOLD A NEEDLE. RATHER THAN GIVE IN DEBILITY, SHE WENT OUT TO THE BARN AND BEGAN TO PAINT. ON MASONITE PANELS SHE CREATED BRILLIANTLY COLORED, PRECISELY DETAILED SCENES OF COUNTRY LIFE. FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS, THESE WERE EITHER GIVEN AWAY OR SOLD FOR A PITTANCE. BUT AT THE AGE OF 79, SHE WAS "DISCOVERED" BY THE ART WORLD-AND THE REST IS HISTORY. SHE WENT ON TO PRODUCE MORE THAN 2,000 PAINTINGS, AND HER BOOK ILLUSTRATIONS FOR  "TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS WERE COMPLETED IN HER 100TH YEAR!

AS I LISTENED TO THE RADIO, MY MOOD CHANGED. IF GRANDMA MOSES COULD BEGIN A NEW CAREER AND SUCCEED AFTER 80, MY LIFE STILL HAD HOPE AFTER 30. BEFORE THE PROGRAM ENDED, I CHARGED TO MY COMPUTER TO WORK ON THE NOVEL I'D NEARLY ABANDONED.

IT WAS PUBLISHED EIGHT MONTHS LATER.   ~ Liah Kraft-Kristaine

 

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe." ~ Anatole France

"If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream." ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

The Trumpet of Conscience

Attitude!

Well, today has been both good and bad. We have our family here visiting for Labor Day so that is good and bad because my pain is still pretty tough. I went to the Chiropractor today and so that helped quite a bit, but I am afraid that I have gone backwards a bit more than normal and so my attitude about my body hasn't been very good today. I know that I don't have to look very far to see many people who have it way worse than I do but...  some days the focus is on everyone else that can do so much more. I know that it is more apparent when we have company because I am usually the one that is slowing everyone down, or I can't participate.

I was talking to my chiropractor and ask him if he ever gets discouraged with my progress or lack of it? His response was just a good reminder for me today. He said " Lynn, you have had more things happen to you in the past year and a half than most, and I am just amazed that you are still walking and talking". I know that is true, when I look back and realize that in just that period of time, I have had my gallbladder out, had pneumonia twice, mono for a year and a half, my dad passed away,  breast cancer return, radiation treatments, Jeff had 3 stints put in his heart, lymphodemia and still neck and back pain. Maybe when you look at it that way, I don't feel I am doing quite as bad as I thought? It is just that when the pain reaches a certain point, that my attitude and  hope seem to go with it. So tonight I will head to bed and remember these 2 quotes about attitude and try harder to work on mine.

Thanks for your continued support and encouragement to keep going and keep a positive attitude.

"The only difference between a good day and a bad day is your ATTITUDE!"
Dennis S. Brown

"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude."
Thomas Jefferson

Lucky

I received this sweet story the other day and although I don't know who wrote it, it still was one of those stories that touches your heart. I thought of this story too today, because I have 2 dear friends that are dying of cancer. I thought how lucky I am that I have been able to some how beat it twice. I thought how they must feel every morning wondering if this is their last day. I truly believe that God is in charge of our life. If it is our time to go then nothing will stop us, but at the same time...if it isn't our time to go then some miraculous thing will happen and we will be able to finish our journey. A girlfriend of mine (that was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer) once asked me..."how do I prepare myself for dying Lynn?" I wasn't sure how to answer that except that I asked her how her faith was? Did she truly believe that God is in control and who does she want to see when she gets to the other side? We had many laughs talking about all the people we hope to see there. We also talked about all the things that she still wanted to do while she has a little time left.  Life is tough, there is no way around it, but I am feeling lucky to have the opportunity to be here today. No one knows what tomorrow will bring, we just need to do the best with each day we are given. I hope this story reminds you to look around and see how lucky you are too. Good night dear friends!

                     Mary & her husband Jim had a dog named 'Lucky.' Lucky
was a real character. Whenever Mary & Jim had company come for a weekend
visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because
Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably, someone
would forget and something would come up missing.

                     Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the
basement & there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's other favorite
toys Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box & he was very particular
that his toys stay in the box.

                     It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer.
Something told her she was going to die of this disease....in fact; she was
just sure it was fatal.

                     She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her
shoulders.  The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with
Lucky. A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the
three-year-old dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog through & through. If I die,
Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't
want to leave him!  The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own
death.

                     The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her
doctors had anticipated & Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took
Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped,
whining and miserable.

                     Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital.
When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up
the steps to her bedroom.  Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch & left
her to nap.

                     Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her
when she called. It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her & she dozed.

                     When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand
what was wrong.  She couldn't move her head & her body felt heavy & hot. But
panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was
covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned!  While she
had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement
bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life.  He had
covered her with his love.

                     Mary forgot about dying.  Instead she & Lucky began
living again, walking further & further together every day. It's been 12
years now & Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky He still steals treasures &
stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.

                     Remember....live every day to the fullest. Each minute
is a blessing from God. And never forget.....the people who make a
difference in our lives are not the ones with the most Credentials, the most
money, or the most awards.  They are the ones that care for us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.”

"Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever  you want to do, do it now. There are only so many tomorrows."  ~ Pope Paul VI

Joy and Sadness

School officially started for us today like I mentioned, and I also realized that it is the beginning of the Fall sports...especially Football. I read this article from a man who played football and went on to say that many of the lessons that he learned from those days and from his mother. I thought it was a good reminder for me because I am struggling with my pain tonight. I actually had Joy at first, because it was beautiful weather and my granddaughter was over for a visit and I worked on the yard. I don't do that very often and it shows, but I really wanted to do it tonight. We had a wonderful time, she played in the dirt and the Pumpkin patch and I raked leaves and rearranged the flowers on my porch. The sadness didn't take long to replace the joy, because my body started hurting so bad. Now it is an hour or so later and I can hardly stand the pain in my back and neck and the arthritis in my hands are killing me so.......... I really needed to read an uplifting article like this. This isn't the whole article, it was too long. But I just need to keep telling myself ....Come what may and love it!  I am trying hard to not concentrate on all the things I can not do and remember to be grateful for the ones that I can. Good night dear friends, thanks for your continued love and support.

Joy and Sadness for All  by Joseph B. Wirthlin

When I was young I loved playing sports, and I have many fond memories of those days. But not all of them are pleasant. I remember one day after my football team lost a tough game, I came home feeling discouraged. My mother was there. She listened to my sad story. She taught her children to trust in themselves and each other, not blame others for their misfortunes, and give their best effort in everything they attempted.

When we fell down, she expected us to pick ourselves up and get going again. So the advice my mother gave to me then wasn’t altogether unexpected. It has stayed with me all my life.

“Joseph,” she said, “come what may, and love it.”

I have often reflected on that counsel

"Every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don't sing and bells don't ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result."

For me, the Lord has opened the windows of heaven and showered blessings upon my family beyond my ability to express. Yet like everyone else, I have had times in my life when it seemed that the heaviness of my heart might be greater than I could bear. During those times I think back to those tender days of my youth when great sorrows came at the losing end of a football game.

How little I knew then of what awaited me in later years. But whenever my steps led through seasons of sadness and sorrow, my mother’s words often came back to me: “Come what may, and love it.”

How can we love days that are filled with sorrow? We can’t—at least not in the moment. I don’t think my mother was suggesting that we suppress discouragement or deny the reality of pain. I don’t think she was suggesting that we smother unpleasant truths beneath a cloak of pretended happiness. But I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.

If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness.

Remember..."Come what may, and love it!"

School Days!

Well every May I am so ready for school to be over, for things to slow down and for life not to have so many things scheduled in just one day. Then by the end of August I am feeling like we need some structure in our lives. I guess it is perfect timing, because school starts tomorrow. It is a weird feeling to only have one kid in school now. Well, I actually have 2 in college and one heading to college in January... but Lee is our only child left to go to High School. It seemed like yesterday that when people would ask me what grades my kids were in that I said, "we have one in Elementary, one in Junior High, one in High School and one in College" I thought those were our busiest days. So it feels quite anticlimactic to only be having one getting prepared and ready for school this year. He is excited and so even though my house is going to be LONELY, I am happy that he is excited to start back to school.

Being that school is starting, means we all need to head to bed earlier so I will make this a short entry tonight. I too need to head to bed. I am trying so hard to get 8 hours of sleep. I actually never get 8 solid hours of sleep but I do try to stay in bed even if I am awake so that I can get the needed rest. The first time I was diagnosed with cancer, I remember studying on ways to help your body heal and try to fight off diseases. I was so surprised to find out that sleeping does that. It is the only time that  your body can truly heal. That is because it is the only time that it doesn't have to do any other things except heal. I never really respected sleep, I just thought I was one of those people that didn't need a lot of it. But now I no longer believe that and truly try to do much better in that areas.

This time last year I remember starting out the new school year with MONO and I was really dragging. I am doing better with my energy now. My mono is finally gone ( after a year or more of it ) but I still struggle with fatigue from the radiation, I hear that can be normal. I personally don't think there is anything NORMAL about cancer or the effects it has on your body. But I am at least grateful to feel better, than I did this time last year.

I am grateful for this new school year and for the reminder to all of us to continue to learn. "Knowledge is Power" remember! Thanks for all of your love and support, good night dear friends!

"A schoolteacher had injured his back and had to wear a plaster cast around his upper part of his body. It was not noticeable at all under his shirt. On the first day of school, he discovered that many of his students were unruly  and disrespectful. He confidently walked to the window and opened it. He then sat at his desk and began looking at his notes. When a strong breeze made his tie flap, he took the stapler and stapled the tie to his chest. He had no trouble with discipline that year"

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever." - Mohandas Gandhi

"The important thing is never to stop questioning." - Albert Einstein