As the end of the year comes to a close it leaves alot of us looking back over the past year & seeing what we may want to do differently in 2010. Is it go on a diet, quit smoking, getting out of an unhealthy relationship, learning to love yourself, appreciate what it is you have & not envy others that have more?! Whatever it is your thinking of changing or doing better just keep in mind it's not easy to change for the better. There will be trials along the way & people who will jump on your road to success trying to discourage you from moving forward in a positive manner. Keep moving! Learn to bob and weave around the road blocks. Duck and cover if you have to, but just keep moving!
Its when we push through the rough spots that we reap bigger rewards in the end. We will have a new found appreciation for different people, places and things. Not to mention a new appreciation of ourselves as well. That being the biggest reward of all. I once heard in a song "it is in our weakest moment when we find strength we never knew had..." in another verse it says "life has been patiently waiting for me..." How powerful is that? Life is sitting waiting on me to make up my mind what it is I want to do or be?!
No one is promised the next minute let alone the next day so we really should make the most of today, right now. Live as if this is your last moments on earth, around your loved ones. Ask yourself if right now was the end would you be ok with how things are? Would you look at how you treated people and say "yep I did good & showed love"? Would your loved ones know how much they mean to you? If right now you stood in front of God & he asked you "did you enjoy all that I gave you good & bad?" Would you be able to answer YES & mean it?! I know I could not & that is why I have to go back over some things and make some positive changes.
The bad times are as necessary as the good times or how else would we be able to appreciate the good. We have to dig deep down in our soul, spirit and our very being to find the courage and strength to rise above the bad; all the while knowing that the good is right over the crest.
As we think about the things that we are going to change this year, please remember the men and woman of all branches of the military as they fight for our healthy freedoms back here at home. So that they may one day soon have a safe return.
Good night & God Bless.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas
To all my family and friends;
My wish for you this holiday season it that you get all that you want and deserve.
May you have a safe, happy and joyous Christmas.
Please remember those men and woman that are serving in the armed forces and wont be home this holiday season, in your prayers for a safe return soon.
Good night and God bless
My wish for you this holiday season it that you get all that you want and deserve.
May you have a safe, happy and joyous Christmas.
Please remember those men and woman that are serving in the armed forces and wont be home this holiday season, in your prayers for a safe return soon.
Good night and God bless
Saturday, November 21, 2009
"Letting go of Hanging On"
It was a beautiful sunny mid August afternoon, when a group of us decided to go boating. Enjoying water sports & the good company of each other. Watching the others have so much fun skiing I decided to go ahead & give it a try. Now I've never been on skis before so needless to say I fell, but refused to let go of the handle allowing it to pull me under the water again & again & again. All I had to do was let go & let the life jacket hold me up until they could circle around to retrieve me. But I was to scared to do a simple thing as just letting go.
Isn't it funny how when something in life knocks us down we refuse to let go of the problem or situation much like the ski handle, causing us to get pulled down again & again & again. And all we have to do is let go of the situation & stay afloat as if we're wearing a life jacket. Trusting that our higher power will circle around & save us from any potential danger, just as our friends would on the boat. It is when we refuse to let go thinking we can do something to change the outcome if we just hang in there. That is when you put yourself in harm's way & that is when you will be pulled under repeatedly possibly drowning in the problem at hand.
Letting go & trusting in the unknown is a very scary thing, I know I've been there more time that I care to recollect. Let me share one of the big ones w/you. It was a Sunday & I had decided to go ahead w/my divorce & stay in the house we had bought. On Monday I had been let go from my job. Now I could of went home & acted out of fear & decided to stay in an unhealthy marriage, but I did not. I went thru w/the divorce trusting that something good was going to come out of all this. Scared? I was very scared of how I was going to make it. (All this being pre-Gabby) I had to ask myself "how bad do you want it?" , then made the decision to do what it took to get thru this challenging time. It was not easy & I was scared to death most of the journey but happy to report that all worked out & needs were met.
I choose to let go of the handle that was pulling me under, I choose to stay afloat & wait for my higher power to save me, I choose to enjoy the warm sunny days & cool breezes. And I hope you choose to do the same. I believe that when we are tested in life that is when we find our trues selves & what we are made of. It is in these times that we have to dig deep & look for solutions not hang onto the problem.
Going in to the holiday season let us remember the men & woman of all branches of the military in our prayers, that they may be kept safe & returned to their loved ones soon.
Good nite & God bless.
Isn't it funny how when something in life knocks us down we refuse to let go of the problem or situation much like the ski handle, causing us to get pulled down again & again & again. And all we have to do is let go of the situation & stay afloat as if we're wearing a life jacket. Trusting that our higher power will circle around & save us from any potential danger, just as our friends would on the boat. It is when we refuse to let go thinking we can do something to change the outcome if we just hang in there. That is when you put yourself in harm's way & that is when you will be pulled under repeatedly possibly drowning in the problem at hand.
Letting go & trusting in the unknown is a very scary thing, I know I've been there more time that I care to recollect. Let me share one of the big ones w/you. It was a Sunday & I had decided to go ahead w/my divorce & stay in the house we had bought. On Monday I had been let go from my job. Now I could of went home & acted out of fear & decided to stay in an unhealthy marriage, but I did not. I went thru w/the divorce trusting that something good was going to come out of all this. Scared? I was very scared of how I was going to make it. (All this being pre-Gabby) I had to ask myself "how bad do you want it?" , then made the decision to do what it took to get thru this challenging time. It was not easy & I was scared to death most of the journey but happy to report that all worked out & needs were met.
I choose to let go of the handle that was pulling me under, I choose to stay afloat & wait for my higher power to save me, I choose to enjoy the warm sunny days & cool breezes. And I hope you choose to do the same. I believe that when we are tested in life that is when we find our trues selves & what we are made of. It is in these times that we have to dig deep & look for solutions not hang onto the problem.
Going in to the holiday season let us remember the men & woman of all branches of the military in our prayers, that they may be kept safe & returned to their loved ones soon.
Good nite & God bless.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
"It Is What It Is"
Have you ever been through something in life & then sat back to ask the question "why is this happening to me again?" Well I have, to often. What it all comes down to is accepting the situation for what it really is. Just that. It's a situation and life is full of situations. Whether good, bad or indifferent they just are.
A couple of my friends and I were talking about different life situations when one of them said, "I was ok when I just accepted the fact that sometimes we have to be ok with not knowing why something happened." That was such a profound thought for me that I have not stop thinking about it for almost 3 weeks. Really think about that. If we can allow our self to be ok with "it is what it is" then life would flow much smoother for us and big things would be just as little as the little things. Worry and stress would be down and everything around us even relationships with others would be a whole lot sweeter. Not to mention your health will improve.
One of the biggest things I have learned so far in life is that we all play a part in things that happen both to us and sometimes around us. If we clear our minds of anger or sadness about the situation and with an open mind ask the question "what was my part in this?" I'm sure it will shock you to see that you did have a part to play whether it was a little part or the leading roll, it was a part played. From there you have a choice to make. Decide what can you do differently or just be more aware of it the next time a similar situation arises. Two things will come from this. One you will become a better more aware person & two you will start moving forward with a more positive outlook on things.
Now don't get me wrong there are those certain situations that come up and will test you to the core of your very being. Keep in mind that people are like pigeons and they will do what they do regardless of what you do. But stay strong and remember no matter what you've been through god loves you and is always there for you. It is us that chooses to move not him! In the end it is not going to matter what the situation was, it will however matter how you handled it.
As always please remember the men and woman of all branches of the military in your prayers that they may have a safe return home to their loved ones.
Good night and God Bless.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
"Stepping Out"
There is alot of truth to the theory of stepping outside of our comfort zone to either help another person or do something out of the norm for our self; it is then that we accomplish true achievement in personal satisfaction. Have you ever done something nice for someone just because you wanted to and then not told that person it was actually you? Have you ever pushed yourself to do something you really did not want to do, but knew that it was the right thing to do? And then stand back and said "that was not so bad." Now how did that feel?
Me personally I have found that some of the greatest rewards in life; have been when I push through even if its a painful but yet very necessary decision to be made about a situation. Or if I did not really feel like volunteering but went through with it anyhow and looked back and was glad that I did.
Some of the best things come out of our pain. God did not say anywhere, he would tell us everything we needed to know. However; he did say if we asked he would be there to guide us through all that life throws at us, all we have to do is ask. Now I'm not trying to sound all preachy because I promise you that as sure as I am sitting here typing this post I am in my head asking God to help me wake up tomorrow and look for his guidance and will for me, not Jen's will for Jen. LOL And I know this works from past experience's, I have seen it first hand.
Now get out of the way so that he can do his job and not how you see fit either. Step out of your comfort zone and do something uncomfortable but good today. You wont be sorry you did.
As always please remember the men and woman of all branches of service, so that they may return safely to their loved ones.
Good nite and God Bless
Me personally I have found that some of the greatest rewards in life; have been when I push through even if its a painful but yet very necessary decision to be made about a situation. Or if I did not really feel like volunteering but went through with it anyhow and looked back and was glad that I did.
Some of the best things come out of our pain. God did not say anywhere, he would tell us everything we needed to know. However; he did say if we asked he would be there to guide us through all that life throws at us, all we have to do is ask. Now I'm not trying to sound all preachy because I promise you that as sure as I am sitting here typing this post I am in my head asking God to help me wake up tomorrow and look for his guidance and will for me, not Jen's will for Jen. LOL And I know this works from past experience's, I have seen it first hand.
Now get out of the way so that he can do his job and not how you see fit either. Step out of your comfort zone and do something uncomfortable but good today. You wont be sorry you did.
As always please remember the men and woman of all branches of service, so that they may return safely to their loved ones.
Good nite and God Bless
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
"Sack lunch for a solidier"
This has a powerful "Pay it forward" message. ENJOY!!
I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight.. I'm glad I have a good book to read, perhaps I will get a short nap, I thought. Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation 'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan.
After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time. As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to base, his friend agreed. I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.' Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?' 'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. This is your thanks. After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.
Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, and said, 'I want to shake your hand..' Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers. Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm. When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!
Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You. Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little...
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to, The United States of America for an amount of and up to and including my life. That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.
I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight.. I'm glad I have a good book to read, perhaps I will get a short nap, I thought. Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation 'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan.
After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time. As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to base, his friend agreed. I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.' Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?' 'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. This is your thanks. After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.
Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, and said, 'I want to shake your hand..' Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers. Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm. When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!
Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You. Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little...
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to, The United States of America for an amount of and up to and including my life. That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
F.E.A.R.
FEAR= Frustration, Ego, Anger and Resentment.
I read that & had to blog about this subject, because to me this is something that so many of us deal with but yet are in denial about. Why is that? Well for me it is because all my life I have been put in or put myself in situations that cause me to be the strong one, the one that everyone can count on to be upbeat & positive. The one to always be able to hold it together no matter what is going on. When the truth of the matter is I was acting out of fear!!
Afraid that if I did not act on these situations, that people would not like me or that people would fall apart if they did not have a go to person in their life. And really what was I thinking? That I am all knowing & all powerful that if "I" did not help them their lives would fall apart. Come on now if that is not a EGO then I don't know what is. When in all reality I needed them to help me believe I was going to be ok!
It was once explained to me that there are healthy fears & unhealthy fears we need to pay attention to. For example a healthy fear is crossing a busy intersection & afraid you might get hit by an automobile. An unhealthy fear is thinking someone is going to screw you over & they have done nothing wrong. The latter of these WILL come to pass as long as we are looking for it to; its called self-sabotage. And that is just as unhealthy as living a fear driven life.
My problem was that I never thought I was as worthy of receiving the same love & support as I gave to others. I always held on to the idea that my life was not as bad as everyone else's. And to some extent that was true. What is not true, is that I did not deserve the same that I gave. We are all deserving children of God, we all deserve good things & to be treated with love & respect. But we must demand it from others. Now I'm not saying to go up to someone & start shaking them demanding respect & love. What I am saying is to dig deep in your self & find some self respect & self love. Because the bottom line is how can you demand something you don't believe to be of yourself to begin with?!
This will relieve a lot of the anxiety & resentment that can come from false expectations of another. And trust me it is alot less frustrating when we allow people to just be who they are. Remember that we are ALL works in progress & that it took us this many years to become the way we are & it will take you that amount of time or more to be the person you want to be. Talk to yourself in the mirror as you would a dear friend or family member that was going through the same thing. Be good to yourself, love yourself & most importantly respect yourself!!
As I close please remember the men & woman of all branches of military as they fight for our Healthy Freedoms here at home. That they may have a save return someday soon.
Good night & God bless!!
I read that & had to blog about this subject, because to me this is something that so many of us deal with but yet are in denial about. Why is that? Well for me it is because all my life I have been put in or put myself in situations that cause me to be the strong one, the one that everyone can count on to be upbeat & positive. The one to always be able to hold it together no matter what is going on. When the truth of the matter is I was acting out of fear!!
Afraid that if I did not act on these situations, that people would not like me or that people would fall apart if they did not have a go to person in their life. And really what was I thinking? That I am all knowing & all powerful that if "I" did not help them their lives would fall apart. Come on now if that is not a EGO then I don't know what is. When in all reality I needed them to help me believe I was going to be ok!
It was once explained to me that there are healthy fears & unhealthy fears we need to pay attention to. For example a healthy fear is crossing a busy intersection & afraid you might get hit by an automobile. An unhealthy fear is thinking someone is going to screw you over & they have done nothing wrong. The latter of these WILL come to pass as long as we are looking for it to; its called self-sabotage. And that is just as unhealthy as living a fear driven life.
My problem was that I never thought I was as worthy of receiving the same love & support as I gave to others. I always held on to the idea that my life was not as bad as everyone else's. And to some extent that was true. What is not true, is that I did not deserve the same that I gave. We are all deserving children of God, we all deserve good things & to be treated with love & respect. But we must demand it from others. Now I'm not saying to go up to someone & start shaking them demanding respect & love. What I am saying is to dig deep in your self & find some self respect & self love. Because the bottom line is how can you demand something you don't believe to be of yourself to begin with?!
This will relieve a lot of the anxiety & resentment that can come from false expectations of another. And trust me it is alot less frustrating when we allow people to just be who they are. Remember that we are ALL works in progress & that it took us this many years to become the way we are & it will take you that amount of time or more to be the person you want to be. Talk to yourself in the mirror as you would a dear friend or family member that was going through the same thing. Be good to yourself, love yourself & most importantly respect yourself!!
As I close please remember the men & woman of all branches of military as they fight for our Healthy Freedoms here at home. That they may have a save return someday soon.
Good night & God bless!!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
"DESIRE"
“Out of need springs desire, and out of desire springs the energy and the will to win." Denis Waitley
This quote struck me pretty strongly & got me to thinking. Does need spring desire or dose desire spring need? I know there are things that I desire to have in life that are just out of wanting to have nice things. Not so much that its a need but a want. It has been said that you cant expect good things from God if you don't ask for them. I always thought that God would just give us the desires of our heart and it was greedy for me to ask for more. Karma would take care of the rest. If you do good and show love then good & love would surely be given. Or so I thought! What I have learned is that as long as I only have expectations on how I need to treat people and not worry about all the drama around me, then my world "IS" filled with love and good. Not consumed by unnecessary worry, pity or "poor me" parties.
If you want or desire something you have to dig deep, find the drive to achieve such things and in turn God will give you the energy and the will to acquire such desires. You also have to believe with your whole being that you deserve it as well. Not just part of you but ALL of you. I write this and think of my own fears that block me from achieving my true desires of the heart. So this is not meant to sound like I have this down or read as if I think I'm all that. What this is meant to do is let other people know that its OK to be human & afraid of the unknown. Just don't let it cripple you!
Pick one small desire turn it into a need and watch the energy you will find to make it a win!!
Please remember to keep the men & woman of the armed forces in your prayers, so that they may be reunited with their loved ones soon.
Good nite and God bless.
This quote struck me pretty strongly & got me to thinking. Does need spring desire or dose desire spring need? I know there are things that I desire to have in life that are just out of wanting to have nice things. Not so much that its a need but a want. It has been said that you cant expect good things from God if you don't ask for them. I always thought that God would just give us the desires of our heart and it was greedy for me to ask for more. Karma would take care of the rest. If you do good and show love then good & love would surely be given. Or so I thought! What I have learned is that as long as I only have expectations on how I need to treat people and not worry about all the drama around me, then my world "IS" filled with love and good. Not consumed by unnecessary worry, pity or "poor me" parties.
If you want or desire something you have to dig deep, find the drive to achieve such things and in turn God will give you the energy and the will to acquire such desires. You also have to believe with your whole being that you deserve it as well. Not just part of you but ALL of you. I write this and think of my own fears that block me from achieving my true desires of the heart. So this is not meant to sound like I have this down or read as if I think I'm all that. What this is meant to do is let other people know that its OK to be human & afraid of the unknown. Just don't let it cripple you!
Pick one small desire turn it into a need and watch the energy you will find to make it a win!!
Please remember to keep the men & woman of the armed forces in your prayers, so that they may be reunited with their loved ones soon.
Good nite and God bless.
Monday, June 22, 2009
"Let go & Let God"
"I do not need to know exactly how to let go of my resentments or what will happen after I do. I simply must be ready to let them go."
We must trust in our higher power that he can & will take care of us. It is when I do this that things start to get better for me.
It was once explained to me like this. If you were water skiing & fell down but would not let go of the rope you would be pulled under the water again and again and again. Eventually you would let go. Wouldn't you? One would hope so. Now I don't know about you but I'm the type of person that has to be pulled under the water a few times before I realize that it's as simple as just "letting go"!
As you go about your day, please remember to keep the men and woman of all branches of the military in your prayers for a safe return to their loved ones.
Good night & God Bless.
We must trust in our higher power that he can & will take care of us. It is when I do this that things start to get better for me.
It was once explained to me like this. If you were water skiing & fell down but would not let go of the rope you would be pulled under the water again and again and again. Eventually you would let go. Wouldn't you? One would hope so. Now I don't know about you but I'm the type of person that has to be pulled under the water a few times before I realize that it's as simple as just "letting go"!
As you go about your day, please remember to keep the men and woman of all branches of the military in your prayers for a safe return to their loved ones.
Good night & God Bless.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Things that make you go HMMMM
Here is some more food for thought...
"God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people youNEED. To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be."
Think about all the good that came out of something bad. It's there we just have to dig deep to find it.
Good night & God bless!
"God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people youNEED. To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be."
Think about all the good that came out of something bad. It's there we just have to dig deep to find it.
Good night & God bless!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
I Hope You Dance
"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain."
This is so true & appropriate for my day today. In the midst of the storm is when we need to dig deep & look for all our blessings. Whether big or small we all have at least 5 things we are blessed with or by everyday. Dig deep and I promise you will find them.
Don't let the situation or person/s define your mood. Rise above it to find the song in your heart that makes you want to dance through adversity. I cant dance or sing so when I do this I cause the people around me to laugh. Which if you think about it serves 2 purposes; 1)you forget about what it is that is causing your storm & 2)you may have just helped someone else forget about theirs.
Just as the song goes, "I hope you dance". Try it sometime. I have & it was so much fun!!
Please remember to keep our men & woman of all branches of the military in your prayers for a safe return to their loved ones.
Good night & God bless.
This is so true & appropriate for my day today. In the midst of the storm is when we need to dig deep & look for all our blessings. Whether big or small we all have at least 5 things we are blessed with or by everyday. Dig deep and I promise you will find them.
Don't let the situation or person/s define your mood. Rise above it to find the song in your heart that makes you want to dance through adversity. I cant dance or sing so when I do this I cause the people around me to laugh. Which if you think about it serves 2 purposes; 1)you forget about what it is that is causing your storm & 2)you may have just helped someone else forget about theirs.
Just as the song goes, "I hope you dance". Try it sometime. I have & it was so much fun!!
Please remember to keep our men & woman of all branches of the military in your prayers for a safe return to their loved ones.
Good night & God bless.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
REMEBER OUR MILITARY
As we go about our day to our cookouts let us remember the men & woman of ALL branches of the armed forces. Remember that in one form or another they are laying down their lives for us; in efforts to keep all of us safe from the people that despise us and our freedoms! Whether it be their time away from family or the ultimate sacrifice of life.
Remember that it is the little things like a barbecue or friendly game of softball that we get to partake in that they may not. Remember that it is the little things like fresh cut grass that we get to smell as we enjoy the company of friends & family that they don't.
Remember that we get to hold our little ones & shower them with kisses & hugs that the men & woman of our military do not get to enjoy today. Remember that it is because of these men & woman that we get to enjoy the Healthy Freedoms of home that they miss out on.
Remember to say a prayer for all of them in that they may have a safe return and get a chance to enjoy all that they helped to protect!!
It is with GREAT pride that I post this today as some of you know my brother is one of those great soldiers that I write about.
Good night & God bless all of you.
Remember that it is the little things like a barbecue or friendly game of softball that we get to partake in that they may not. Remember that it is the little things like fresh cut grass that we get to smell as we enjoy the company of friends & family that they don't.
Remember that we get to hold our little ones & shower them with kisses & hugs that the men & woman of our military do not get to enjoy today. Remember that it is because of these men & woman that we get to enjoy the Healthy Freedoms of home that they miss out on.
Remember to say a prayer for all of them in that they may have a safe return and get a chance to enjoy all that they helped to protect!!
It is with GREAT pride that I post this today as some of you know my brother is one of those great soldiers that I write about.
Good night & God bless all of you.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY
To all my mothers out there & that includes you men as well!! I hope you ALL had a blessed day & remembered to focus on what is truly important & let go of the petty things that eat at our spirit. I for one had a 2yr old (Gabby) reminder all day today of what was important. Amazing how God sends us little reminders in all sizes of packages. It seemed like whenever I would let a situation annoy me today Gabby would look at me in that moment & give me a kiss & a hug & tell me "I love you mommy". I am a lucky girl to have such a beautiful little blessing like my girl!
Happy mothers day to you all.
Please keep our service men & woman in your thoughts & prayers for a safe return to their families someday soon.
God Bless.
Happy mothers day to you all.
Please keep our service men & woman in your thoughts & prayers for a safe return to their families someday soon.
God Bless.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
"CANT" part 2
Due to technical difficulties you may have been unable to access the link. So here it is from You Tube.
Sorry about that & again; Enjoy!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnLVRQCjh8c
This is amazing inspiration when you put your mind to overcoming defeat.
"A man only fails when he has stopped trying"
Sorry about that & again; Enjoy!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnLVRQCjh8c
This is amazing inspiration when you put your mind to overcoming defeat.
"A man only fails when he has stopped trying"
"CAN'T" is not an option!!
So many times we get on our pity pots & the wooooo is me syndrome kicks in after something in our lives happens that we don't like or agree with. Truth of the matter is this; we are all just here for a temporary moment in time. Now we can either sit on the pity pot & whine about how life is not fair & how someone or something did not go/do as you wanted. Or you can get up of your rumpus & let it motivate you into doing what is truly in your heart to do. After all who wants to sit on the pot to long anyhow it is known to cause serious rings on your bottom!!
Those of you that know me know that it is with my deepest passion to make the most of life while I am here & that is why I do what I do. I have made a "choice" to let my circumstances motivate me not paralyze me! Can't is not an option for this lady.
amazingdance.wmv (5346KB)
After watching this video I thought to myself; "there is no accomplishment out of reach if we will do just that; reach for one!!"
Please remember the men & woman from all branches of the military as they do what they do for us so that we may live with the Healthy Freedoms we have all come to love. Keep them in your prayers for a safe return to their loved ones soon.
Enjoy & God Bless.
Those of you that know me know that it is with my deepest passion to make the most of life while I am here & that is why I do what I do. I have made a "choice" to let my circumstances motivate me not paralyze me! Can't is not an option for this lady.
amazingdance.wmv (5346KB)
After watching this video I thought to myself; "there is no accomplishment out of reach if we will do just that; reach for one!!"
Please remember the men & woman from all branches of the military as they do what they do for us so that we may live with the Healthy Freedoms we have all come to love. Keep them in your prayers for a safe return to their loved ones soon.
Enjoy & God Bless.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
"ARE YOU TRUELY LIVING"
This was the question today in church. We all know that we are alive but are we truly living? Are we living life to our fullest potential? Are we 100% happy with where we are or do we secretly wish that we were some where else in life? I for one can tell you that I am just OK with where I'm at in life, but I'm more excited about where I'm going in life that drives me.
See right now at this point in time of my life there are all kinds of balls in the air that are all full of wonderful potential. And in just the blink of an eye they can all fall out of the sky & disappear without a trace. It is my job to grab them & make the most of them. Now granted some of them are out of my control as to what may come but then there is alot that I can take ownership of. Meaning that if I want something I need to go after it with everything I have. Those of you that know me & know me well enough; know that I always say God will help those who want to be helped he is not going to just show up at my door & go "look what I have for you". See I am one of those people that believe that God will help us get to where we want to be if & when we ask for his guidance & I'm not talking one of those half hearted attempts either. Believe me I know alittle something about half hearted attempts!! I have done them & been on the receiving end of them. You get no where fast people I'm here to tell you!!
Here is how I see it; with the help of alot of tools I allow myself to use. Who needs craftsman?! LOL Anyhow I see it like this. If we don't set our minds or purposely focus our thoughts & energy on being a person of purpose; then we will ultimately be tossed around & distracted by every situation in we encounter in life. Good and Bad! Think about this for a moment if you will. If you allow your circumstances to control you, then there will always be some reason to be discouraged or you can turn your thoughts around into thinking positive & undefeated thoughts. After all it is sooooo true that all negatives do have a positive.
Let me show you! I recently went through the break up of my family, the family that I did not think I was ever going to have. God answered my prayers & gave me a beautiful daughter. The same daughter that is my drive in life to keep going so that I can show her how to over come with grace & dignity. Some of you are probably going "alright Jen where are you going with this?". My point is this; God had me go through the break up of my family to show me that I have the strength to over come this & get on the other side of it stronger & better off then I was. I'm here to tell you all that the positive in this negative is that alot of really good things have come from this experience & alot of really good people are flying into my life. Sometimes quicker then I can keep up & for that I'm eternally grateful!
As we go about our days trying to live life on life's terms remember that it helps a GREAT deal to step outside of our boxes & help another person be their best! Trust me I've done it. Imagine if we all just did 1 or 2 things to help someone else each day what this world could & would become. WOW looks pretty promising from where I sit.
So I ask you all this. On a scale of 1-5 where are you at when it comes to living your life to its fullest potential? I know I have work to do. Do you?! Lets all try making some healthy choices to allow a life of Healthy Freedoms for one & all that come in contact with us.
As always please remember the men & woman of our military that put their lives on the line for us on a daily basis so that we may remain safe at home.
God Bless you all & keep you safe.
See right now at this point in time of my life there are all kinds of balls in the air that are all full of wonderful potential. And in just the blink of an eye they can all fall out of the sky & disappear without a trace. It is my job to grab them & make the most of them. Now granted some of them are out of my control as to what may come but then there is alot that I can take ownership of. Meaning that if I want something I need to go after it with everything I have. Those of you that know me & know me well enough; know that I always say God will help those who want to be helped he is not going to just show up at my door & go "look what I have for you". See I am one of those people that believe that God will help us get to where we want to be if & when we ask for his guidance & I'm not talking one of those half hearted attempts either. Believe me I know alittle something about half hearted attempts!! I have done them & been on the receiving end of them. You get no where fast people I'm here to tell you!!
Here is how I see it; with the help of alot of tools I allow myself to use. Who needs craftsman?! LOL Anyhow I see it like this. If we don't set our minds or purposely focus our thoughts & energy on being a person of purpose; then we will ultimately be tossed around & distracted by every situation in we encounter in life. Good and Bad! Think about this for a moment if you will. If you allow your circumstances to control you, then there will always be some reason to be discouraged or you can turn your thoughts around into thinking positive & undefeated thoughts. After all it is sooooo true that all negatives do have a positive.
Let me show you! I recently went through the break up of my family, the family that I did not think I was ever going to have. God answered my prayers & gave me a beautiful daughter. The same daughter that is my drive in life to keep going so that I can show her how to over come with grace & dignity. Some of you are probably going "alright Jen where are you going with this?". My point is this; God had me go through the break up of my family to show me that I have the strength to over come this & get on the other side of it stronger & better off then I was. I'm here to tell you all that the positive in this negative is that alot of really good things have come from this experience & alot of really good people are flying into my life. Sometimes quicker then I can keep up & for that I'm eternally grateful!
As we go about our days trying to live life on life's terms remember that it helps a GREAT deal to step outside of our boxes & help another person be their best! Trust me I've done it. Imagine if we all just did 1 or 2 things to help someone else each day what this world could & would become. WOW looks pretty promising from where I sit.
So I ask you all this. On a scale of 1-5 where are you at when it comes to living your life to its fullest potential? I know I have work to do. Do you?! Lets all try making some healthy choices to allow a life of Healthy Freedoms for one & all that come in contact with us.
As always please remember the men & woman of our military that put their lives on the line for us on a daily basis so that we may remain safe at home.
God Bless you all & keep you safe.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
WOUNDS & REVELATIONS
There are all kinds of things I want to post but not a lot of time these days. I promise to those of you that look forward to this I will do my best to post at least every other week.
Now down to business. Who would of thought that lyrics from a metal song would be the inspiration for today's post. Well it is & the lyrics were as such; "wounds can reveal to us..." that is all that had to be said & a light bulb went off in my head. See we allow our self to become very angry in situations that do not go as we had hoped or planned. When instead what we should be doing is looking for the blessing that comes from such events. The song goes on to say "hate me if it makes you feel better..." And when I felt that towards the people that had done me wrong it never made me feel any better. In fact it made me that much madder at the situation because now I was allowing it to control & consume me. This is not how I want to live my life nor is it how I want to teach my daughter to live her life either.
I had went through alot of pretty sticky & quite honestly sucky things in life, but when I allowed myself to stop feeling the pain of the situation & starting looking for the positives that come from such an experience I was actually grateful for the opportunity. Its like sitting in an AA/Alanon combined meeting & people say I'm grateful for my alcoholic. Meaning they are grateful for the experience because now they have a positive, hopeful out look to pass on to someone else.
I am a firm believer that we all go through things in life to share with others. Am I the only one it bothers when people say to you "I understand..." when they have no clue what you are going through?! I am a show me don't tell me kind of girl, so you better really know what your talking about or your no better then the other liars in the world. I would rather someone tell me the truth even if its not what I want to hear versus being lied to no matter how big or small the lie is.
Like they say the only thing that is constant is change & whether the change is welcome or not, we must respond to it. Our main choice is not what will change but how we respond to the change. I promise if you make peace with the change that takes place you will grow, you will come out a bigger better person. One of Paul Harvey's (rest in peace) favorite authors wrote this: " hope you learn humility by being humiliated and that you learn honesty by being cheated. I wish for you tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life." written by Lee Pitts.
I was given the privilege to attend a 7 habits seminar & the main thing that stuck out is that we should live as though we have a camera taped to our shoulder & the world is always watching what we do & how we act. Is how your living life something you would be proud of letting the world see?
That my friends is what I got out of those 5 little words "wounds can reveal to us..." and it is my wish for you that you got something out of this blog to help you go on in trying times.
Please remember to keep our men & woman of the armed forces in your thoughts & prayers for a safe return to their loved ones.
Good night & God Bless. Or as Paul Harvey would of ended; and that is the rest of the story.
Now down to business. Who would of thought that lyrics from a metal song would be the inspiration for today's post. Well it is & the lyrics were as such; "wounds can reveal to us..." that is all that had to be said & a light bulb went off in my head. See we allow our self to become very angry in situations that do not go as we had hoped or planned. When instead what we should be doing is looking for the blessing that comes from such events. The song goes on to say "hate me if it makes you feel better..." And when I felt that towards the people that had done me wrong it never made me feel any better. In fact it made me that much madder at the situation because now I was allowing it to control & consume me. This is not how I want to live my life nor is it how I want to teach my daughter to live her life either.
I had went through alot of pretty sticky & quite honestly sucky things in life, but when I allowed myself to stop feeling the pain of the situation & starting looking for the positives that come from such an experience I was actually grateful for the opportunity. Its like sitting in an AA/Alanon combined meeting & people say I'm grateful for my alcoholic. Meaning they are grateful for the experience because now they have a positive, hopeful out look to pass on to someone else.
I am a firm believer that we all go through things in life to share with others. Am I the only one it bothers when people say to you "I understand..." when they have no clue what you are going through?! I am a show me don't tell me kind of girl, so you better really know what your talking about or your no better then the other liars in the world. I would rather someone tell me the truth even if its not what I want to hear versus being lied to no matter how big or small the lie is.
Like they say the only thing that is constant is change & whether the change is welcome or not, we must respond to it. Our main choice is not what will change but how we respond to the change. I promise if you make peace with the change that takes place you will grow, you will come out a bigger better person. One of Paul Harvey's (rest in peace) favorite authors wrote this: " hope you learn humility by being humiliated and that you learn honesty by being cheated. I wish for you tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life." written by Lee Pitts.
I was given the privilege to attend a 7 habits seminar & the main thing that stuck out is that we should live as though we have a camera taped to our shoulder & the world is always watching what we do & how we act. Is how your living life something you would be proud of letting the world see?
That my friends is what I got out of those 5 little words "wounds can reveal to us..." and it is my wish for you that you got something out of this blog to help you go on in trying times.
Please remember to keep our men & woman of the armed forces in your thoughts & prayers for a safe return to their loved ones.
Good night & God Bless. Or as Paul Harvey would of ended; and that is the rest of the story.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
CELEBRATE BEING DIFFERENT...
A dear friend of mine asked me to part take in celebrating black history month with her & some of our closest friends. OK it was a whole church full of friends. I have to say this was a first for me, I've never been given that opportunity let alone asked to be a part of any black history celebration. I was asked to write & deliver a speech on "United we stand; Divided we fall"
On my way home tonight it dawned on me as it does so many times that I am one very lucky & blessed woman. I have so many people that love me & want to help me succeed & all I have to do was just be me.
So family I would like to share with you a little part of what I read today in my small part of the black history celebration.
First off a quote by the late great Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?"
I believe that the best is when we share our heritage with others whether they are like us or different. When I get back to South Bend every other weekend I attend a wonderful church called "Faith Temple" & they have always made me feel very welcome. This is where I was able to be a part of the celebration. The church not only tries to do good for the sake of the community but they invest alot of time & energy on the youth who attend. They show the youth there is more to life then the streets & that not all people judge them. This is what they do for others. As the great Rev. once asked.
In the bible Ecc. 4:10 states this; "If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls & has no one to help him up." Notice it does not say anything about the color of ones skin, rather just being ones friend. The one thing that people compliment me on is the ability to be who I am & be it with a big heart. I don't look at people for what they have or don't have. Because we all have a story & one thing I have learned over the years is that things are not always what they appear; not necessarily in a bad way either.
Another quote by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. "I have a dream that my children will one day not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
My dear friend Pat that asked me to be a part of her celebration walks the talk! She does not get sucked into the every day gossip or chaos of the world; she stays focused on what it takes to live right. She does this with grace, dignity, leaning on God & her friends to get through bumps in life. Bumps that we all experience from time to time. This is a great display of character!
President Obama was quoted as saying; that we must push pass the racial division that has been simmering for centuries in this country. I agree!! There are some pretty wonderful people of all walks of life, nationality & of different races. God sees all of us as equal, he does not love one more because they are lighter or darker but because we are all his children & he loves all of us the same.
When we are pointing the finger & passing judgement on others we have to remember that there are 3 more pointing back at our self. So who are we really judging then?
So here is what I get out of all this. When we clasp hands & stand as one this is when barriers get broken, mountains get moved & 2 become 1. That my family is when harmonious solidarity happens!! It is when the chain of unity is broken that we then fall divided. Not a Healthy Freedom I'm willing to sacrifice are you?!
Please remember to keep our men & woman of the military in your prayers for a safe return to their loved ones.
God bless you & keep you safe.
On my way home tonight it dawned on me as it does so many times that I am one very lucky & blessed woman. I have so many people that love me & want to help me succeed & all I have to do was just be me.
So family I would like to share with you a little part of what I read today in my small part of the black history celebration.
First off a quote by the late great Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?"
I believe that the best is when we share our heritage with others whether they are like us or different. When I get back to South Bend every other weekend I attend a wonderful church called "Faith Temple" & they have always made me feel very welcome. This is where I was able to be a part of the celebration. The church not only tries to do good for the sake of the community but they invest alot of time & energy on the youth who attend. They show the youth there is more to life then the streets & that not all people judge them. This is what they do for others. As the great Rev. once asked.
In the bible Ecc. 4:10 states this; "If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls & has no one to help him up." Notice it does not say anything about the color of ones skin, rather just being ones friend. The one thing that people compliment me on is the ability to be who I am & be it with a big heart. I don't look at people for what they have or don't have. Because we all have a story & one thing I have learned over the years is that things are not always what they appear; not necessarily in a bad way either.
Another quote by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. "I have a dream that my children will one day not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
My dear friend Pat that asked me to be a part of her celebration walks the talk! She does not get sucked into the every day gossip or chaos of the world; she stays focused on what it takes to live right. She does this with grace, dignity, leaning on God & her friends to get through bumps in life. Bumps that we all experience from time to time. This is a great display of character!
President Obama was quoted as saying; that we must push pass the racial division that has been simmering for centuries in this country. I agree!! There are some pretty wonderful people of all walks of life, nationality & of different races. God sees all of us as equal, he does not love one more because they are lighter or darker but because we are all his children & he loves all of us the same.
When we are pointing the finger & passing judgement on others we have to remember that there are 3 more pointing back at our self. So who are we really judging then?
So here is what I get out of all this. When we clasp hands & stand as one this is when barriers get broken, mountains get moved & 2 become 1. That my family is when harmonious solidarity happens!! It is when the chain of unity is broken that we then fall divided. Not a Healthy Freedom I'm willing to sacrifice are you?!
Please remember to keep our men & woman of the military in your prayers for a safe return to their loved ones.
God bless you & keep you safe.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Gods Little Angel
It is with great sadness that I post this today family. On Friday Feb. 6,2009 we lost a dear friend, Mrs. Judy Mitchell. She went home to be with God & her family that has already passed including a dear friend of mine, her son Brian S. after a 13yr battle with ovarian cancer.
Let me tell you about my little angel.
She was so loved by so many people. Anyone that met Judy loved her. She was the face of hope. She was the face of determination. She was one of my inspirations. She was ALWAYS there for anyone that needed her. She helped alot of people over come a lot of hard times. My little Judy taught me a lot about being kind to another in need & how to get out of self to help another. We use to joke about the school of Judy when it came to putting on a function. She always gave 110% of herself and never anything less than that.
Someone recently sent me this read and it made me think of Judy right away. This is so very simple and wraps up Judy for many of us. You see I call her "my little angel" but truth of the matter is she is alot of peoples little angel.
Hope you enjoy this read called "When you thought I wasn't looking"
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in him.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take meal to a friend who was sick and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you give your time to help people who had nothings and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care of everyone in your life and I learned that we have to take care of what we are given.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you handled your responsibilities even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt but its all right to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and wanted to say, "Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking."
You fought a very courageous fight. May you rest in eternal peace now.
Thank you "our" little angel.
Good night and God bless.
Let me tell you about my little angel.
She was so loved by so many people. Anyone that met Judy loved her. She was the face of hope. She was the face of determination. She was one of my inspirations. She was ALWAYS there for anyone that needed her. She helped alot of people over come a lot of hard times. My little Judy taught me a lot about being kind to another in need & how to get out of self to help another. We use to joke about the school of Judy when it came to putting on a function. She always gave 110% of herself and never anything less than that.
Someone recently sent me this read and it made me think of Judy right away. This is so very simple and wraps up Judy for many of us. You see I call her "my little angel" but truth of the matter is she is alot of peoples little angel.
Hope you enjoy this read called "When you thought I wasn't looking"
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in him.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take meal to a friend who was sick and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you give your time to help people who had nothings and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care of everyone in your life and I learned that we have to take care of what we are given.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you handled your responsibilities even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt but its all right to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and wanted to say, "Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking."
You fought a very courageous fight. May you rest in eternal peace now.
Thank you "our" little angel.
Good night and God bless.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
"Be'fe Noir"
It has been brought to my attention just how much work I have ahead of me to repair something broken.
My spirit! Ok maybe just bruised for a moment and bruises heal just as I will. Lets face it there are people in the world that claim they stand for something different then what their actions display. We then are left holding the bag of; I should of or I could of maybe if... You see where I'm going with this?! Why is it that we allow people to steal our joy or rent space in our head, when the only one it ultimately hurts is our self and the ones directly around us.
That is my Be'fe Noir or Black Beast (meaning in French).
I'm not looking for any kind of pity out of this piece. What I'm trying to demonstrate is that we are ALL just human beings with a funny thing called feelings. And from time to time we all can relate to getting them stepped on or hurt. For me its hurts the worst when I know that I have done almost everything I could, yet still get accused of not doing enough. When in my heart, gut and conscious I know the truth. Life is full of things that will try to hold us down, but it is our responsibility to hold one another up when needed! To remind each other that what people say or do DOES NOT have to define who we are! To be reminded these trials will show our faith as being real. I know that God always rescues me, pulls me along and calms me down. When I let him! He is always by my side, I am never alone.
See folks I'm just a human being and just because I have a blog that I try to keep up beat, positive and inspiring does not mean that makes me exclusive to having bad days. While I try to inspire all of you it also keeps me grounded and better able to stay focused on what my passion is. Helping people with their Healthy Freedoms to be inspired to take the steps in getting what they desire. I am a person that is more inspired by some one who lets me see the real side of them; good or bad. Therefore; I'm not afraid to show you who I am and be open to receiving constructive criticism to become a person of my full potential.
Isn't it funny how we are more loving with our friends and family when they need us then we are with ourselves. Psychologists Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey say that we beat ourselves up over lack of willpower, laziness and weakness amongst other things for a good reason. It is a protection of something with an underlying problem caused by anxiety. One of the most important, least understood & very private emotions that some people suffer with. Lahey says "we all have anxiety, just by virtue of being human." Well that makes me feel better already. :) They both continue to add that this is a condition specific but not isolated to people who were traumatized as children or survived some harrowing event. Now don't read that and justify having a reason to be the way you are, instead look at it like this. We have 2 choices. You can greet each day afraid of all things we have no control over nor can control, or we can greet each day being open to whatever might be around the bend for us. I don't know about you but I want to be open to whatever it is that our higher power (I call God) has in store for me.
A change in perspective is often the most powerful and positive way to make a healthy change. Funny that when in times of difficulty, it is then we find our strengths and hidden talents. So open up to whatever undiscovered joys may be out there waiting to cross paths with you on your journey in life. I dare you!
Our best life's are waiting to unfold. If a dream dies, dream another dream and remember that God has a purpose for all of us--stay strong, keep hoping and keep believing in whatever keeps you going.
Please keep our service men and woman in your prayers so that they may be returned to us safely.
Good night family & God Bless.
My spirit! Ok maybe just bruised for a moment and bruises heal just as I will. Lets face it there are people in the world that claim they stand for something different then what their actions display. We then are left holding the bag of; I should of or I could of maybe if... You see where I'm going with this?! Why is it that we allow people to steal our joy or rent space in our head, when the only one it ultimately hurts is our self and the ones directly around us.
That is my Be'fe Noir or Black Beast (meaning in French).
I'm not looking for any kind of pity out of this piece. What I'm trying to demonstrate is that we are ALL just human beings with a funny thing called feelings. And from time to time we all can relate to getting them stepped on or hurt. For me its hurts the worst when I know that I have done almost everything I could, yet still get accused of not doing enough. When in my heart, gut and conscious I know the truth. Life is full of things that will try to hold us down, but it is our responsibility to hold one another up when needed! To remind each other that what people say or do DOES NOT have to define who we are! To be reminded these trials will show our faith as being real. I know that God always rescues me, pulls me along and calms me down. When I let him! He is always by my side, I am never alone.
See folks I'm just a human being and just because I have a blog that I try to keep up beat, positive and inspiring does not mean that makes me exclusive to having bad days. While I try to inspire all of you it also keeps me grounded and better able to stay focused on what my passion is. Helping people with their Healthy Freedoms to be inspired to take the steps in getting what they desire. I am a person that is more inspired by some one who lets me see the real side of them; good or bad. Therefore; I'm not afraid to show you who I am and be open to receiving constructive criticism to become a person of my full potential.
Isn't it funny how we are more loving with our friends and family when they need us then we are with ourselves. Psychologists Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey say that we beat ourselves up over lack of willpower, laziness and weakness amongst other things for a good reason. It is a protection of something with an underlying problem caused by anxiety. One of the most important, least understood & very private emotions that some people suffer with. Lahey says "we all have anxiety, just by virtue of being human." Well that makes me feel better already. :) They both continue to add that this is a condition specific but not isolated to people who were traumatized as children or survived some harrowing event. Now don't read that and justify having a reason to be the way you are, instead look at it like this. We have 2 choices. You can greet each day afraid of all things we have no control over nor can control, or we can greet each day being open to whatever might be around the bend for us. I don't know about you but I want to be open to whatever it is that our higher power (I call God) has in store for me.
A change in perspective is often the most powerful and positive way to make a healthy change. Funny that when in times of difficulty, it is then we find our strengths and hidden talents. So open up to whatever undiscovered joys may be out there waiting to cross paths with you on your journey in life. I dare you!
Our best life's are waiting to unfold. If a dream dies, dream another dream and remember that God has a purpose for all of us--stay strong, keep hoping and keep believing in whatever keeps you going.
Please keep our service men and woman in your prayers so that they may be returned to us safely.
Good night family & God Bless.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
"GET UP"
After you watch this short & powerfull clip ask yourself what exactly it is that has you feeling sorry for yourself. If this does not make you stop and think then I dont know what will.
http://www.maniacworld.com/are-you-going-to-finish-strong.html
Keep on Keeping on family!!
Need I say more after this video?
Please keep the men,woman and families of the military in your prayers for safe returns.
God Bless you and keep you safe.
http://www.maniacworld.com/are-you-going-to-finish-strong.html
Keep on Keeping on family!!
Need I say more after this video?
Please keep the men,woman and families of the military in your prayers for safe returns.
God Bless you and keep you safe.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
"LETS MAKE HISTORY TOGETHER"
I was watching television last night while trying to wind down from the craziness of the day & it hit me. WOW history is being made & good things are on the rise. Those of you that know me know that I'm a not a political person I don't take sides. It is my believe that it should be "For the people by the people" & not all this fighting & blaming that goes on. With that being said let me remind you this blog is of opinion and we all have our opinions. After all that is what makes us different. As I watch all the hoopla on TV about our new president & how history is being made I listen to all the hope that people are expressing in this changing of the guard if you will. I cant help but to be inspired with everyone else. We must push past our differences and all the negativity that is in this world. I for one believe that this world can be restored if everyone would just do their part.
Ponder this for a moment. If each of us just helped 5 people to find some thing to be positive about or took those 5 people and looked to see where you could be a blessing in their life's; then those 5 people will in turn help someone & then look what happens. The world starts to be reborn!! Change starts within ones being, negativity starts to dissipate and hope is recharged. You start to see things with freshness and a sense of newness to them. We heal ourselves while offering attention to another who is put on our path. Trust me I have been given that wonderful opportunity in life & there is no drug that can compare!
Remember that there are alot of people going through some extremely rough times right now. And at 1st people may not be receptive to the gesture so don't give up. Our emotions are controlled by our circumstances most of the time. So if we can control our emotions and how we react then God will be by our side to help us help others. After all; he is trying to help us fight our battles. When we let him. I also believe that God wants us to have an abundance of good. So why not help others the same way he wants to help us. Sounds like a win win to me!
We don't have to be an American president to make the world a better place or to make history or cause a wave of good change to happen. All we need is help to jump start the inspiration that is already in each of us. Don't be afraid to move forward with what feels good about doing for others rather let yourself be moved forward. Lets make history together and help one another to find the HEALTHY FREEDOMS that lay in each of us, so that they may come to the surface and be allowed to make a difference in someones life.
Now I could be way off on this one or maybe I am just so filled with hope for the future that maybe just maybe if we all try this theory of mine we may get to experience history from our doings not our watching from the sideline. I dare you to try it!!
As I close please remember to say a special prayer so that our men & woman of the military are kept safe so they can be reunited with their families one day soon.
God Bless and keep you all safe.
Ponder this for a moment. If each of us just helped 5 people to find some thing to be positive about or took those 5 people and looked to see where you could be a blessing in their life's; then those 5 people will in turn help someone & then look what happens. The world starts to be reborn!! Change starts within ones being, negativity starts to dissipate and hope is recharged. You start to see things with freshness and a sense of newness to them. We heal ourselves while offering attention to another who is put on our path. Trust me I have been given that wonderful opportunity in life & there is no drug that can compare!
Remember that there are alot of people going through some extremely rough times right now. And at 1st people may not be receptive to the gesture so don't give up. Our emotions are controlled by our circumstances most of the time. So if we can control our emotions and how we react then God will be by our side to help us help others. After all; he is trying to help us fight our battles. When we let him. I also believe that God wants us to have an abundance of good. So why not help others the same way he wants to help us. Sounds like a win win to me!
We don't have to be an American president to make the world a better place or to make history or cause a wave of good change to happen. All we need is help to jump start the inspiration that is already in each of us. Don't be afraid to move forward with what feels good about doing for others rather let yourself be moved forward. Lets make history together and help one another to find the HEALTHY FREEDOMS that lay in each of us, so that they may come to the surface and be allowed to make a difference in someones life.
Now I could be way off on this one or maybe I am just so filled with hope for the future that maybe just maybe if we all try this theory of mine we may get to experience history from our doings not our watching from the sideline. I dare you to try it!!
As I close please remember to say a special prayer so that our men & woman of the military are kept safe so they can be reunited with their families one day soon.
God Bless and keep you all safe.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
"WARMER/COLDER"
As we head into the new year with new ideas, new situations or just new circumstances in general no matter how big or small; and hopefully we are all going into it with a renewed spirit for nothing but good things ahead of us! Lets head into it with a positive attitude & throw away the set up for disappointment called a "resolution". Not to many of us stick to them anyhow. I believe if you go into the year with positive ideas and a goal list of things you would like to accomplish instead of a have to resolution list you are more likely to succeed. Let me explain. We are our own worst critics I know this from experience. We get so caught up in things that we forget to forgive ourselves for a mistake we may have made along the way. If you make a "Would like to accomplish list" instead of a "Have to list" then you wont be as upset if you can only scratch 7 out of 10 items off the list. Life happens & sometimes we cant help what happens around us or to us. Now I'm not saying that to allow you an excuse for not doing anything. I'm just giving you permission to not be so hard on yourself! God has lots of promises and opportunities in store for us. He wants to give you enough to bless other people that may come in your life.
A person can not expect to stay focused on the defeat and think they will be able to move forward. After all we are masters of our own fate! And isn't it funny how many times we have talked ourselves out of a good thing, because we are so afraid? Or how many times we have overwhelmed our self with things to do, so that we wont be forced to look at our fears. I read this profound statement in a magazine and I cant help but to share it because it is sooooooo true, it reads: "All the commotion that goes with reinventing myself might just be a distraction from my greatest fear: failure!" WOW That really stuck out to me because I am so afraid of failure that I never even thought about the possibility of success. I'm sure that comes from old behavior & old situations in the past that have knocked me down. But I can not and will not focus on that I must focus on moving forward in a positive mind frame.
Do you remember when you were little playing the game; "your getting warmer/colder"? I seen an article that spoke about using this game to guide ones intuition otherwise known as your gut instinct. We have all been through a situation I'm sure (if your being honest) where we have ignored that little voice that comes from our gut telling us not to do something. If you are a person that struggles with listening to your gut instinct try this instead. Make a list and break it down into components as to which feels warm or cold, good and bad will work as well. And remember to be 100% honest with your feelings on the matter while doing this. The paper wont justify if you wont either!!
Make a choice for your life based on what makes you feel freer and happier, rather than on how you think an ideal life should look. Try to live a life based on Healthy Freedoms for your life and only your life not someone elses. Things are not always what they appear and one may be very unhappy on the inside. Life is a process as well as a journey lets have fun along the way no regrets!!
As I close please keep our soldiers everywhere in your thoughts and your prayers for safe returns to their loved ones.
Good night and God Bless.
A person can not expect to stay focused on the defeat and think they will be able to move forward. After all we are masters of our own fate! And isn't it funny how many times we have talked ourselves out of a good thing, because we are so afraid? Or how many times we have overwhelmed our self with things to do, so that we wont be forced to look at our fears. I read this profound statement in a magazine and I cant help but to share it because it is sooooooo true, it reads: "All the commotion that goes with reinventing myself might just be a distraction from my greatest fear: failure!" WOW That really stuck out to me because I am so afraid of failure that I never even thought about the possibility of success. I'm sure that comes from old behavior & old situations in the past that have knocked me down. But I can not and will not focus on that I must focus on moving forward in a positive mind frame.
Do you remember when you were little playing the game; "your getting warmer/colder"? I seen an article that spoke about using this game to guide ones intuition otherwise known as your gut instinct. We have all been through a situation I'm sure (if your being honest) where we have ignored that little voice that comes from our gut telling us not to do something. If you are a person that struggles with listening to your gut instinct try this instead. Make a list and break it down into components as to which feels warm or cold, good and bad will work as well. And remember to be 100% honest with your feelings on the matter while doing this. The paper wont justify if you wont either!!
Make a choice for your life based on what makes you feel freer and happier, rather than on how you think an ideal life should look. Try to live a life based on Healthy Freedoms for your life and only your life not someone elses. Things are not always what they appear and one may be very unhappy on the inside. Life is a process as well as a journey lets have fun along the way no regrets!!
As I close please keep our soldiers everywhere in your thoughts and your prayers for safe returns to their loved ones.
Good night and God Bless.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
"The Come Back"
Well the new year has come whether we wanted it to or not. I personally am glad that 2008 is behind me. My belly is full of excitement with all that is about to come for me & my beautiful daughter in 2009. I just have to stay focused and not allow disappointment in or about people or situations to discourage me. I'm sure that for many of us that is easier said then done!
Life is full of things that are set in our way to try and hold us down. Disappointments and setbacks. It's so easy to get discouraged, lose your enthusiasm or even be tempted to just settle for where you are in life when this happens. It is especially hard in this day and age when people are losing their jobs, houses and even their relationships. We just can not allow ourselves to get sucked in to settling for any less then we deserve. I have an opinion about what some people deserve! However this is to be an upbeat post & lets face it I'm not God. :)
Know that every time adversity comes against us, its a setup for a comeback!!
Think back to a time when something hurt or scared you so badly that you did not feel you had it in you to keep going. But you found something drudged up in your inner being that said "you can and you will go through this and you will be better for it". I've personally gone through more than I care to but lets hope that is behind me. I'm tired of settling because I think I see potential in someone or a situation just to be the one holding onto a resentment. I want to and can be a better person. Today is another day to learn how to be more serene how to nurture our body and our spirit. After all folks we have the tools in our tool belt we just have to make a choice to take them out and use them for rebuilding.
Bottom line is that if it does not set well with your gut instinct then don't proceed. And that goes for anything in life! This should be a time to reflect back on the year and see our growth, an old habit we were able to break or maybe we are in the process of overcoming something that has happened to us. No matter what it is look and find something about last year that you can use for a positive direction in to the new year. Remember that as long as we are alive we will ALWAYS wrestle with questions, seek answers and try to solve problems. We CAN do this with grace and we MUST do this with gentleness towards ourselves and others around us.
Hold on to your higher power no matter what that may be. My higher power happens to be God. I understand that some people may call their higher power something else so please don't let my view offend you.
If you stay in faith, your higher power will turn what was meant to be a stumbling block into a stepping stone and you will move forward as a better person. And the reward will be so much better then you could ever expect. I know from my own personal experience that when I completely not partially but completely get out of Gods way to do his plan in my life I'm so much happier & more fulfilled then I could of ever imagined. So then why should I be so afraid of what is to come?!
Time is a circle just as the months in our calendar. As it is said in a Chinese Proverb: "Be not afraid of changing slowly; be afraid only of standing still". Let this year be your year for a Healthy Freedom COMEBACK. Don't beat yourself up for making baby steps, only be mad for making no steps.
As I close please remember to keep our men and woman of the service, in your prayers for a safe return to their loved ones soon.
Good night & God bless!
Life is full of things that are set in our way to try and hold us down. Disappointments and setbacks. It's so easy to get discouraged, lose your enthusiasm or even be tempted to just settle for where you are in life when this happens. It is especially hard in this day and age when people are losing their jobs, houses and even their relationships. We just can not allow ourselves to get sucked in to settling for any less then we deserve. I have an opinion about what some people deserve! However this is to be an upbeat post & lets face it I'm not God. :)
Know that every time adversity comes against us, its a setup for a comeback!!
Think back to a time when something hurt or scared you so badly that you did not feel you had it in you to keep going. But you found something drudged up in your inner being that said "you can and you will go through this and you will be better for it". I've personally gone through more than I care to but lets hope that is behind me. I'm tired of settling because I think I see potential in someone or a situation just to be the one holding onto a resentment. I want to and can be a better person. Today is another day to learn how to be more serene how to nurture our body and our spirit. After all folks we have the tools in our tool belt we just have to make a choice to take them out and use them for rebuilding.
Bottom line is that if it does not set well with your gut instinct then don't proceed. And that goes for anything in life! This should be a time to reflect back on the year and see our growth, an old habit we were able to break or maybe we are in the process of overcoming something that has happened to us. No matter what it is look and find something about last year that you can use for a positive direction in to the new year. Remember that as long as we are alive we will ALWAYS wrestle with questions, seek answers and try to solve problems. We CAN do this with grace and we MUST do this with gentleness towards ourselves and others around us.
Hold on to your higher power no matter what that may be. My higher power happens to be God. I understand that some people may call their higher power something else so please don't let my view offend you.
If you stay in faith, your higher power will turn what was meant to be a stumbling block into a stepping stone and you will move forward as a better person. And the reward will be so much better then you could ever expect. I know from my own personal experience that when I completely not partially but completely get out of Gods way to do his plan in my life I'm so much happier & more fulfilled then I could of ever imagined. So then why should I be so afraid of what is to come?!
Time is a circle just as the months in our calendar. As it is said in a Chinese Proverb: "Be not afraid of changing slowly; be afraid only of standing still". Let this year be your year for a Healthy Freedom COMEBACK. Don't beat yourself up for making baby steps, only be mad for making no steps.
As I close please remember to keep our men and woman of the service, in your prayers for a safe return to their loved ones soon.
Good night & God bless!
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