It's How You See It

Author Unknown

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet.  He had a sign which read: "I am blind. Please Help."  There were only a few coins in the hat.

When a man came walking by, he took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat.  Then he took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words on the back.  He put the sign where it was, so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up.  A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. 

That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were going.  The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning?  What did you write?"

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way.  I wrote: 'Today is a beautiful day, but I cannot see it.

'"Both signs told people the same thing... that the boy was blind.  But the first sign simply said the boy was blind.  The second sign told people they were extremely fortunate that they were not blind.  Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story: 

Be thankful for what you have.
Be creative.  Be innovative.  Think differently and positively.

When life gives you a reason to cry, show life that you have 100 reasons to smile.  Face your past without regret.  Handle your present with confidence.  Prepare for the future without fear.

Keep the faith and drop the fear... just remember God is Near!

If you liked this story, please share it.  Others will like it, too.

Found here: http://www.inspire21.com/stories/faithstories/HowYouSeeIt 

Are You A Woman on The Edge?

If you asked me that question this week the answer would have to be a resounding YES! It seems I’ve allowed life take me on an emotional roller coaster ride this week. A lot of little things all mixed together have on the proverbial edge. After reading the article below, I realize I need to jump right off of that ledge and straight into the arms of our loving Savior, Jesus Christ, who is always there to catch me when I’m ready to jump, and who would help me from ever even getting to that point if I could just remember to continually turn to Him in the midst of my humanity!

This article was a very timely reminder of just how much God loves me and wants the best for me! How I can live more peacefully when I choose to rest in Him! It was just too good not to share. I hope you will be as blessed by it as I was!


Five Areas of a Woman’s Life That Need God’s Touch

by Cindi McMenamin Author, Women on the Edge
Article Found at: http://www.crosswalk.com/11635806/

My heart was convicted as I read in Scripture of a woman who was so desperate for God's healing in her life, she was willing to do anything to just touch Him (Mark 5:24-34).

I had to ask myself, how desperate am I for God's touch on my life? There are times I might be desperate to feel and look younger, to be thinner, to have more in the way of peace and happiness. But how desperate am I to be whole and complete in every way?

After surveying nearly 100 women, I found several common areas in which women, myself included, need the touch of God to be whole and complete. I also found that Scripture addresses these areas of a woman's life so that we can receive His healing touch. See if you can relate to needing God's touch in these areas of your life, as well:

1. Our Hearts - So They Can Be "Set On Things Above"
Women often stress over the temporal - bills that must be paid, whether or not a man will come into our lives, if we'll be able to have a child, what someone is saying about us, how our body looks, and so on. At times we are more concerned about what the scales say than what God says. Our heart is closely attuned to our bank balance, rather than our life's balance. Yet God instructs us in Colossians 3:1-2: "set your hearts on things above." If our priorities were in heaven, not on this earth, we would not only be happier and healthier, but less financially drained and emotionally spent. Matthew 6:19-21 tells us not to "store up treasures here on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven ….For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." It takes God's touch to clear our hearts of what this world says is important and focus it on the things above.

2. Our Minds - So They Are Transformed and Renewed
It's amazing how many women profess to know God and follow Him, yet their thinking patterns are just like those of anyone else in the world. Scripture commands us: "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is" (Romans 12:2, NLT). Furthermore, God's Word instructs: "fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise…and the God of peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:8-9, NLT). What mental anguish we would spare ourselves from if we would let God transform our mind and renew our thoughts to think as He would.

3. Our Mouths - To Be Wholesome and Pleasing to God
Because women tend to be communicators, we can cause much damage with our mouths if we do not bring them under God's control. Whether it is gossip, criticism or unkind remarks, our mouths can be instruments of righteousness or unrighteousness. In Ephesians 4:29 we are told to "not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." God's touch on our lives can make us women whose words heal and encourage, rather than distract and destroy.

4. Our Bodies - To Be Pure and Holy for Him
Are you one to worry and stress about what the scale says, how many calories you took in, and whether or not you can still fit into a certain size? God's command to us is "Give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?" (Romans 12:1, NLT). It is important that we keep our bodies healthy and in good shape (as we are His temple), but God says our most prevalent concern should be that we keep our bodies holy. In fact, God calls keeping our bodies holy our "spiritual act of worship" (Romans 12:1, NIV). One of the ways we can keep our bodies holy is by how we choose to dress. People can tell much about us, and whom we love, by how we dress. Do we call attention to ourselves or the God who made us? If the way we dress says "Look at me!" we may want to rethink how we dress so that others can see Christ through us. Can others see Christ in you or are you getting in the way?

5. Our Emotions - To Be Calmed with the Peace of God
There are days when, hormonally or just circumstantially, we need God's touch to calm our frazzled emotions and level out our lives. Philippians 4:6-7 says "Don't' worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and request to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel" (CEV). A woman who is controlled by God's peace is not on the edge, but in the spacious place of His embrace.

I believe if we seek God's touch in those five areas of our lives we would rarely have reason to feel we are going over the edge. For instance, when you get frustrated in a relationship, go back to the principle of letting God transform and renew your mind to only think on whatever is pure, right, lovely, good, and so on. And when you are about to lose it over finances or something that takes you by surprise, remember to not be anxious about anything, but to pray about everything…keeping a heart of thanksgiving for what you've been given. And when your heart begins to desire something that you cannot attain, remember to set your heart on things above.


Cindi McMenamin, a national speaker and the author of several books, will lead you to a spacious place through her newest book Women on the Edge. For more on her books and ministry, see http://www.strengthforthesoul.com/

Grandma's Hands

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands.

When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK

Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. 

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said in a clear voice
strong.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to her.

"Have you ever looked at your hands," she asked.. "I mean really looked at your hands?"

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned
them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never
really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was
making.

Grandma smiled and related this story:

"Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.

"They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed

upon the floor.

They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.

"They have been dirty, scraped and raw , swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.

They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.

"They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled
neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.

They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and
cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent
and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and
again continue to fold in prayer.

"These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life.

But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ."

I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember
God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home.

When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of
my children and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been
stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.

I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

When you read this, say a prayer for another person watch God's answer to prayer work in your life. 

Prayer, Let's continue praying for one another.

Sharing this with anyone you consider a friend, it will bless you both! 

 

 

 

Learning to Dance in the Rain: The Power of Gratitude

The following is the introduction from the book Learning to Dance in the Rain: The Power of Gratitude by Mac Anderson and B.J. Gallagher.  I received this in an email from a friend today.  The message is so beautifully simple yet vitally important I wanted to share it with you all...

The date was July 16, 2008.  It was  late in the afternoon and I was sitting in my hotel room in Louisville, Kentucky.  I was scheduled to speak that evening for the Kentucky Association of School Administrators  (KASA). I was a little "down in the dumps." I hadn't gotten to exercise lately because of my traveling schedule and recently I'd experienced some mild bouts of  vertigo (that inner ear condition that can cause the room to start spinning.)  You got it...speaking and "spinning" are not good partners!

My keynote presentation was scheduled for 7:00 PM, but I had  been invited to show up at 6:00 to see a performance they said I'd enjoy.  Little did I know that I was about to see something I would never forget.

They introduced the young musician. Welcome...Mr. Patrick  Henry Hughes.  He was rolled onto the stage in his wheelchair, and began to play  the piano.  His fingers danced across the keys as he made beautiful music.

He then began to sing as he played, and it was even more  beautiful.  For some reason, however, I knew that I was seeing something  special.  There was this aura about him that I really can't explain and the  smile...his smile was magic!

About ten minutes into Patrick's performance, someone came on  the stage and said..."I'd like to share a 7-minute video titled, The Patrick Henry Hughes story." And the lights went dim.

Patrick Henry Hughes was born with no eyes, and a tightening of the joints which left him crippled for life.  However, as a child, he was fitted with artificial eyes and placed in a wheelchair.  Before his first birthday, he discovered the piano.  His mom said, "I could hit any note on the piano, and within one or two tries, he'd get it."  By his second  birthday, he was playing requests (You Are My Sunshine, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star).  His father was ecstatic. "We might not play baseball, but we can play  music together."

Today, Patrick is a junior at the University of Louisville.  His father attends classes with him and he's made nearly all A's, with the exception of 3 B's.  He's also a part of the 214 member marching band.  You read it right..the marching band!  He's a blind, wheelchair-bound trumpet player; and he and his father do it together.  They attend all the band practices and the half-time performance in front of thousands.  His father rolls and rotates his son around the field to the cheers of Patrick's fans.  In order to attend Patrick's classes and every band practice, his father works the graveyard shift at UPS.  Patrick said..."My dad's my hero."

But even more than his unbelievable musical talent, it was  Patrick's "attitude of gratitude" that touched my soul.  On stage, between songs, he would talk to the audience about his life and about how blessed he was.  He said, "God made me blind and unable to walk.  BIG DEAL!  He gave me the  ability.. the musical gifts I have... the great opportunity to meet new people."

When his performance was over, Patrick and his father were on the stage together.  The crowd rose to their feet and cheered for over five minutes.  It gave me giant goose bumps!

My life was ready to meet Patrick Henry Hughes.  I needed a hero, and I found one for the ages.  If I live to be a hundred, I'll never forget that night, that smile, that music, but most importantly, that wonderful "attitude of gratitude."

I returned to Chicago and shared Patrick's story with my wife, my friends, and our team at Simple Truths. About two weeks later, I received a letter from a friend. He said, "Mac, I think you'll love this quote."

"Life is not about waiting for the  storms to pass...
        it's about learning  to dance in  the rain!"
                                                         -Vivian Greene

I thought...that's it!  We all face adversity in our life.  However, it's not the adversity, but how we  react to it that will determine the joy and happiness in our life.  During tough  times, do we spend too much time feeling sorry for ourselves, or, can we, with  gratitude...learn how to dance in the rain?

It almost sounds too simple to feel important, but one word... gratitude, can change your attitude, thus, your life, forever.  

(Above Photograph "Dance In The Rain" by Marinshe )

   

Things We Can Learn from a Dog

This is a photo of my beautiful German Shepperd, Bullet.  I think there's a lot we can learn from our pets.  The following list is from Chicken Soup for the Soul: Loving Our Dogs:

1. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.


2. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.


3. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.


4. When it's in your best interest, always practice obedience.


5. Let others know when they've invaded your territory.


6. Take naps and always stretch before rising.


7. Run, romp and play daily.


8. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.


9. Be loyal.


10. Never pretend to be something you're not.


11. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.


12. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.


13. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.


14. Thrive on attention and let people touch you.


15. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.


16. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.


17. When you are happy, dance around and wag your entire body.


18. No matter how often you are criticized, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout.
      Run right back and make friends.


 Now, I would love to hear about YOUR pets and how they have enriched your life! 


 












Your POSITIVE thoughts and comments are always welcome.
Please keep comment 'language' family-friendly.
Thank you in advance for your feedback! 

Morning Motivation

When I woke up this morning lying in bed,  

I was asking myself;
What are some of the secrets of success in life?
I found the answer right there,
in my very room.

The fan said - Be cool!

The ceiling said - Aim high!

The window said - See the world!

The clock said - Every moment is precious!

The mirror said - Reflect before you act!

The calendar said - Be up-to-date!

The door said - Push hard for your goals!

And the carpet said - Kneel down and pray!

Your POSITIVE thoughts and comments are always welcome.
Please keep comment 'language' family-friendly.
Thank you in advance for your feedback!

The Carrot, The Egg and The Coffee Bean

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling.

It seemed that, as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans.

She let them sit and boil, without saying a word. In about twenty minutes, she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me, what do you see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," the young woman replied. The mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity - boiling water - but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened! The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" the mother asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?" Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong but, with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit but, after a death, a breakup, or a financial hardship, does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor.

If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate to another level? How do you handle adversity? 

Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?

 

Your positive thoughts and comments are always welcome.
Please keep comment 'language' family-friendly.
Thank you in advance for your feedback!

Are You a Bucket Filler or A Bucket Dipper?

You have heard of the cup that overflowed. This is a story of a bucket that is like the cup, only larger, it is an invisible bucket. Everyone has one. It determines how we feel about ourselves, about others, and how we get along with people. Have you ever experienced a series of very favorable things which made you want to be good to people for a week? At that time, your bucket was full.

A bucket can be filled by a lot of things that happen. When a person speaks to you, recognizing you as a human being, your bucket is filled a little. Even more if he calls you by name, especially if it is the name you like to be called. If he compliments you on your dress or on a job well done, the level in your bucket goes up still higher. There must be a million ways to raise the level in another's bucket. Writing a friendly letter, remembering something that is special to him, knowing the names of his children, expressing sympathy for his loss, giving him a hand when his work is heavy, taking time for conversation, or, perhaps more important, listing to him.

When one's bucket is full of this emotional support, one can express warmth and friendliness to people. But, remember, this is a theory about a bucket and a dipper. Other people have dippers and they can get their dippers in your bucket. This, too, can be done in a million ways.

Lets say I am at a dinner and inadvertently upset a glass of thick, sticky chocolate milk that spills over the table cloth, on a lady's skirt, down onto the carpet. I am embarrassed. "Bright Eyes" across the table says, "You upset that glass of chocolate milk." I made a mistake, I know I did, and then he told me about it! He got his dipper in my bucket! Think of the times a person makes a mistake, feels terrible about it, only to have someone tell him about the known mistake ("Red pencil" mentality!)

Buckets are filled and buckets are emptied, emptied many times because people don't really think about what are doing. When a person's bucket is emptied, he is very different than when it is full. You say to a person whose bucket is empty, "That is a pretty tie you have," and he may reply in a very irritated, defensive manner.

Although there is a limit to such an analogy, there are people who seem to have holes in their buckets. When a person has a hole in his bucket, he irritates lots of people by trying to get his dipper in their buckets. This is when he really needs somebody to pour it in his bucket because he keeps losing.

The story of our lives is the interplay of the bucket and the dipper. Everyone has both. The unyielding secret of the bucket and the dipper is that when you fill another's bucket it does not take anything out of your own bucket. The level in our own bucket gets higher when we fill another's, and, on the other hand, when we dip into another's bucket we do not fill our own ... we lose a little.

For a variety of reasons, people hesitate filling the bucket of another and consequently do not experience the fun, joy, happiness, fulfillment, and satisfaction connected with making another person happy. Some reasons for this hesitancy are that people think it sounds "fakey," or the other person will be suspicious of the motive, or it is "brown-nosing."

Therefore, let us put aside our dipper and resolve to touch someone's life in order to fill their bucket.

Your Attitude is TRULY a Choice!

Attitude, it can make us or break us! What's yours doing to you??

Attitude, it's contaigous! Is yours worth catching??

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength ~ Proverbs 17:22 NLT



Today's post is dedicated to my friend Karyn D. who reminded us all this morning how important it is to have a GOOD attitude! Thank you Karyn!

It's All a Matter of Choice

Recently, my dear friend, Lisa, emailed me the following story. I've seen it before and perhaps you have too, but it's such a great reminder of the choice that is ours everyday, it's worth reading again!


John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, 'If I were any better, I would be twins!'

He was a natural motivator.

If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, 'I don't get it!'

'You can't be a positive person all of the time.

How do you do it?'

He replied, 'Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or...you can choose to be in a bad mood

I choose to be in a good mood.'

Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.

Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or...I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.

'Yeah, right, it's not that easy,' I protested.

'Yes, it is,' he said. 'Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood.

You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life.'

I reflected on what he said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.

I saw him about six months after the accident.

When I asked him how he was, he replied, 'If I were any better, I'd be twins...Wanna see my scars?'

I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.

'The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter,' he replied. 'Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or...I could choose to die. I chose to live.'

'Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?' I asked.

He continued, '...the paramedics were great.

They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action.'

'What did you do?' I asked.

'Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,' said John. 'She asked if I was allergic to anything 'Yes, I replied.' The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity''

Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.'

He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude...
I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything.


Maintaining a positive attitude no matter what life throws your way is something I've struggled with at times myself. However, I've seen first hand the difference a positive attitude can make in a person's life. I've seen what happens and how your life is affected when you choose to be a positive person.

A few years back I knew two women who were both dealing with a very progressive and debilitating disease. The first woman was already confined to a wheel chair. She was frequently in and out of the hospital and rehab center due to her condition. She was legally blind. She had been a nurse, but her disease made it impossible for her to practice her beloved profession any longer. She was dependent on other people for most of the daily activities, the things most of us take for granted. Though she longed for children and would have made a wonderful mother, her disease had progressed so rapidly that it was not possible.

The second woman was still able to walk with the assistance of a walker. While her sight was starting to fail, she was still able to see fairly well and had not yet been classified as legally blind. While she did have to rely on others for transportation, she was still fairly self-sufficient with her daily activities. She had a great husband who tried hard to give her everything she wanted. Despite her condition, she was blessed with a child, who she delivered without any serious complications.

After hearing a little bit about the limitations each of these two women were dealing with, you might think that the first woman would be the more bitter of the two. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

The first woman was never without a smile on her face. She took the setbacks and limitations of her condition in stride. While she could no longer work as a nurse, she did volunteer with an organization and was an advocate for people with disabilities. While she could no longer see well enough to read, she still thoroughly enjoyed the books on tape she ordered through the mail. She had a beautiful voice and sang in her church choir. She participated in activities at her church and in her community. She always had time to offer a kind word and to encourage others. She had the sweetest, kindest spirit and was truly a blessing to all who knew her. I don't believe I ever heard her complain, not even once, about the hand life had dealt to her. She accepted and embraced the life she was blessed with and lived every day of it to the fullest.

The second woman was the polar opposite of the first. She was bitter and rarely smiled. She didn't seem to enjoy her life very much, if at all. Her words were harsh and cutting. She never let an opportunity pass to criticize or mock other people. She didn't appreciate those people in her life who loved her and were always there to help her. One by one she managed to push them all away with her constant, pervasive and utterly destructive negative demeanor. All she ever did was complain about the hand life had dealt her. Sadly, no one was blessed by this woman's life.

What a difference our attitude makes on the lives that we live! I've seen many examples of this difference in other people in my life. Those with the negative attitudes who choose to worry about everything are always those who derive the least amount of joy from the lives they've been blessed with. On the other hand, those who choose to look for the positive in every situation and realize that worry serves no positive purpose, live fuller and much happier lives. Those are the people I strive to be like. It isn't always easy, but it's always worth it!



'Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.' Matthew 6:34.

Be Happy Now

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
Dance as though no one is watching you.
Love as though you have never been hurt before.
Sing as though no one can hear you.
Live as though heaven is on earth.

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we're frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We'll certainly be happy when they're out of that stage.

We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire. The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when?

Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. Father Alfred D'Souza once said, "For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."

This perspective helps us to see that there is no external way to happiness.  Happiness is a choice! So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with... and remember that time waits for no one.

So, stop waiting ... until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you're off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up, until you die, until (insert whatever you think is holding you back from being happy here) to decide that...

There is no better time than right now to be happy than today!

Today's Mission: To Live and To Love

Earlier this morning, while I was listening to my favorite radio station, KLOVE, I heard the song We Live by Superchick from their album Beauty From Pain 1.1. (You can click on the album link to the left and listen to the song online if you scroll down that page a bit.)

This is the first verse of the song:

There’s a cross on the side of the road
Where a mother lost a son
How could she know that morning he left
Would be the last time she’d trade with him for a little more time
So she could say she loved him one more time
And hold him tight
But with life we never know
When we’re coming to the end of the road
So what do we do then
With tragedy around the bend?

Life is cerainly like that, isn't it? We don't know from one moment to the next whether there will even be a next moment for ourselves or those we love.

The following is an excerpt from an article by Deanna Mascle which speaks well about the importance of living and loving everyday to our fullest capacity:

If you knew today was your last day then what would you do? I'm not suggesting you quit your job, tell off the neighbors or stop paying your bills, but rather to look at the areas of your life that matter most to you. You know what they are and while there are certainly common areas they are also as individual as humans. Do more every day to appreciate and enjoy the people and activities that make your life worth living.

How often do you tell those closest to you how much they matter to you? Do you say "I love you" every day? When did you last embrace the person that is nearest to your heart? When did you last simply spend time together?

Treat yourself well at least once a day. I do not mean you need to splurge and buy yourself a present every day, but rather to give yourself some time every day to relax and enjoy life whether it is reading a book, watching the sunset, or snuggling with your dog.

What regrets would you have and what dreams would be unfulfilled? Remember, putting off your hopes and wishes for future years can well mean you never give them a chance. Find a way to follow your dreams and live the life you desire.

Finally, take a look at your life and root out the causes of your distress and unhappiness. No matter whether you live one day, one year, or one hundred years, life is simply too short to spend it with people you do not like and/or doing things that make you unhappy. Change your life now and may your next 100 years be filled with joy.

Live every day as if it were your last and make sure to tell and show your loved ones how much you care, treat yourself well, pursue your dreams, and jettison the life-wasting debris in your life. May we all live our lives to the fullest.

So that, my friends, is our mission for today: TO LIVE & TO LOVE. Remember, every day we have on this Earth is a gift. Hug your children, as they head out the door (yes, even your teenager's, they only pretend to hate it), tell someone who's had an impact on your life how much they've meant to you, be kinder than necessary never forgetting everyone is fighting their own battles and if you see a stranger without a smile, give him one of yours. Oh, and thank your Maker while you're at it... He never get's tired of hearing from you!

Each and every one of you is very special to me!
((((HUGS))) to you all!

~Garica

Leaving the City of Regret

by Larry Harp

I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet I found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was going to be unpleasant and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it. I'm talking about my annual "Guilt Trip."

I got tickets to fly there on Wish I Had airlines. It was an extremely short flight. I got my baggage, which I could not check. I chose to carry it myself all the way. It was weighted down with a thousand memories of what might have been. No one greeted me as I entered the terminal to the Regret City International Airport. I say international because people from all over the world come to this dismal town.

As I checked into the Last Resort Hotel, I noticed that they would be hosting the year's most important event, the Annual Pity Party. I wasn't going to miss that great social occasion. Many of the towns leading citizens would be there.

First, there would be the Done family, you know, Should Have, Would Have and Could Have. Then came the I Had family. You probably know ol' Wish and his clan. Of course, the Opportunities would be present, Missed and Lost. The biggest family would be the Yesterday's. There are far too many of them to count, but each one would have a very sad story to share.

Then Shattered Dreams would surely make and appearance. And It's Their Fault would regale us with stories (excuses) about how things had failed in his life, and each story would be loudly applauded by Don't Blame Me and I Couldn't Help It.

Well, to make a long story short, I went to this depressing party knowing that there would be no real benefit in doing so. And, as usual, I became very depressed. But as I thought about all of the stories of failures brought back from the past, it occurred to me that all of this trip and subsequent "pity party" could be cancelled by ME! I started to truly realize that I did not have to be there. I didn't have to be depressed. One thing kept going through my mind, I CAN'T CHANGE YESTERDAY, BUT I DO HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE TODAY A WONDERFUL DAY. I can be happy, joyous, fulfilled, encouraged, as well as encouraging. Knowing this, I left the City of Regret immediately and left no forwarding address. Am I sorry for mistakes I've made in the past? YES! But there is no physical way to undo them.

So, if you're planning a trip back to the City of Regret, please cancel all your reservations now. Instead, take a trip to a place called, Starting Again. I liked it so much that I have now taken up permanent residence there. My neighbors, the I Forgive Myselfs and the New Starts are so very helpful. By the way, you don't have to carry around heavy baggage, because the load is lifted from your shoulders upon arrival. God bless you in finding this great town. If you can find it -- it's in your own heart -- please look me up. I live on I Can Do It street.



One of the steps I have taken in this past year to leave "The City of Regret" was joining a website called Nutrimirror.

Using this incredible, FREE online food journal, I have lost over 36 lbs so far and now I control food instead of allowing it to control me!

I've "met" some wonderful, caring supportive people on this website and I'm eating healthier than I ever have in my life!



Important Note: Ask Garcia does not receive any endorsement compensation from Nutrimirror® for shamelessly promoting their website all over her blog... she just loves them so much because of all she has received from using their wonderful, free website she wants to return the favor and point others in their direction so they can begin their own journey to better health too!