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! 

 

 

 

When I Say That I am Christian

When I say that "I am a Christian" I am not shouting that I am clean living.  I'm whispering, "I was lost, but now I'm found and forgiven."


When I say "I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride.  I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.
 
When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.
 
When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect. My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say "I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say "I am a Christian" I'm not holier than thou, I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow!

A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first, to find her.
















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

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.
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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.
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The Buzzard, The Bat and The Bumblebee

My friend Cindy sent me the following in an email. I thought is was well worth sharing. It's just a simple reminder of something we can so easily forget in the midst of our troubles. Have a blessed day!

THE BUZZARD: If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

THE BAT: The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

THE BUMBLEBEE: A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom.. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

PEOPLE: In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! That's the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem!

Just look up!

Sorrow looks back,

Worry looks around,

But faith looks up!

Live simply,

love generously,

care deeply,

speak kindly and

trust in our Creator who loves us.

SHARE THIS WITH A FRIEND .... I just did!

I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2 NIV

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
Lamentations 3:22 NIV




















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Soaring Like An Eagle

But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength.

They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31 NLT

I found the prayer below and I loved the analogy of the eagle soaring in the face of storms.  My life is a little stormy at the moment.  They are not bad storms mind you. They are just the storms that accompany change, but they are storms nonetheless. 

It is so comforting to know that I worship a God who is greater than any storm!

Why me? Why not me? My answer -- it's not about me -- it's about You and it's about Your plans and Your purposes. I will be forever grateful for the freedom, hope, and joy this truth has brought to my life.

I look upwards into the Face of my Lord and as I do, I am reminded of the eagle. I often find myself praying the scripture “. . .those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." As I think on this truth my spirit begins to soar. I recognize the lack of fear that exists in an eagle as he faces storms of every type throughout most of his life, yet never falters. I recognize he just adjusts his flight to flow with the storm, knowing in the end he will be safely brought home.

I love watching birds fly, but especially an eagle that soars higher and faster -- never limited by the circumstances surrounding his flight. Like all of us, Jesus, we need the same ability to soar in the face of storms. We need to be sensitive to those around us, and we need to be able to adjust to the circumstances we are facing. Obstacles are always going to be with us, but I praise and thank you that over the years, I have come to understand the importance of embracing struggles, focusing on the purposes You have shown me, and laying down all of the other garbage that tries to confuse and derail me.

My prayer today is one of thanksgiving for the ability You give each one of us to overcome. You have given us all gifts and talents to sustain us. You teach us every day to trust You -- to recognize that life is a journey filled with gates to open and trails to be cleared.

I thank You also that You are teaching me about patience -- which I acknowledge is not my strength. Somehow I know that perseverance, patience, and thanksgiving are the winning combination for my day today. I thank You that I can now embrace with joy and thanksgiving the discipline and focus it takes to get me to a place of peace and joy. Help all who pray this prayer to soar on eagle's wings today. Bring them safely back to the haven of rest You have prepared for them, where they can recognize as they end their day, that their life counted for something -- counted for Jesus and for His cry for His people.

Preceding is from: Trusting God




























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Whack! Take that Garcia!

Every now and then, I have a bad habit of allowing silly things in life to get the better of me instead of resting in the knowledge that no matter what happens in this life, God's got my back.  So, every now and again I think the good Lord takes the opportunity to say, "Whack! Take that Garcia!." 

Yesterday was one of those days...

We are in the process of preparing our house to sell.  There is much to be accomplished and it was starting to get to the point where I wondered if we'd be able to get it all done in time.  We had decided to hire a landscaper because our yard had really got away from us this Spring and the weeds had taken over the mulched areas in a BIG way.

We had been waiting for a few days for a landscaper to call us back, but I (the impatient one) was getting a little antsy Sunday afternoon and instead of just trusting, I started to STRESS! Fortunately, I am blessed with a wonderful husband (the patient one) who was in the midst of talking me off the ledge and telling me, "Everything is going to be ok and it will all work out, you'll see, we'll get everything done." when his cell phone rang...

Yep, you guessed it.  It was the landscaper.  Not only was he calling us back, he wanted to know if he could come out right then to look at our weed infested yard.  He did and we agreed on a price.  He'll start working on beautifying our yard today.

While I was in the midst of my stressing out, our good friend Claire was with us and she was just amazed at the timing of the landscaper's phone call.  My husband wasn't.  He told Claire, "Every now and then God likes to whack her (meaning me) upside her head to remind her that He's in control."

Thanks Lord... I needed that!


Corrie Ten Boom once said, "Let God's promises shine on your problems."


You have trusted Him in a few things, and He has not failed you. Trust Him now for everything, and see if He does not do for you exceeding abundantly above all that you could ever have asked or thought, not according to your power or capacity, but according to His own mighty power, that will work in you all the good pleasure of His most blessed will. You find no difficulty in trusting the Lord with the management of the universe and all the outward creation, and can your case be any more complex or difficult than these, that you need to be anxious or troubled about His management of it?  Hannah Whitall Smith






















Your POSITIVE thoughts and comments are always welcome.
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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!

10 Things You Might Not Know

My friend, Queen Gwennie, had a really neat post the other day on her blog My Dewdrops. She got the idea from The LPM Blog where Beth Moore asked her readers to tell ten things about themselves that others may not know. I thought it was such a neat idea I am using it as today's post.

Following Are 10 Things You May Not Know About Garcia:

1. I am a very big chicken and can't watch scary movies of any kind! My favorite TV show is Criminal Minds and I can't even watch that immediately before I go to sleep or I have nightmares!

2. I used to work for AT&T as a telephone operator (back in the day when you dialed zero and got a live person!)

3. I've had over 14 surgeries. (I've lost track of the actual number!)

4. I'm ridiculously insecure (but I'm working on it with the help of God!)

5. Despite my fairly poor vision, I am a pretty good shot at the shooting range.

6. I worked for 10 or 11 years as a manicurist before I went back to college and got a teaching degree in Special Education.

7. I have been married three times. Yup. Three. But I know this time I finally got it RIGHT!

8. I spent the first 40 years of my life living in New Jersey. (No, not Joisey, Jersey! We don't ALL sound like we are from the Sopranos, people!)

9. I'm afraid of being alone in my house at night.

10. My dream car is a candy apple red Corvette!

So now it's your turn to play! 

 Click on the comment button below and tell us 10 things about yourself! Just pick 10 thing right off the top of your head. Pick things that we would only know about you if we knew you really well. 10 random things that make you a tad distinctive? Or just plain weird? Think quickly. Don't go for deep. Go for quirky. Don't try to put them in any kind of order and don't make them long. Just start typing! And have fun with it!

If you don't have a Google or Blogger ID (you need one in order to leave a comment) you can easily set-up one here: Click Here to Set Up a Google ID

Procrastination Exasperation

Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task.  ~William James

I will admit it, I am a first class procrastinator of the worst kind!

Mark Twain once said, "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow."

Now that's a motto I can get behind!  

My husband finally bribed me with the promise of a facial and a massage if I would just please make the appointment to get our taxes done.  Well, I have to say, he found a good motivator for me! It's worked! Taxes done! Whew! And did that feel like a load off of my shoulders as we walked out of the tax preparation office today.

Why do we procrastinate?  Especially those tasks that are inevitable?

I think I need to examine why I procrastinate: Am I afraid of failing at the task? Am I a perfectionist and only willing to begin working after every little element is in place? Am I easily distracted? 

Hmmmm.... well honestly I'm a little of each of those.

Do you procrastinate?  Or, have you overcome this bad habit? 

I'd love to hear back from you!  Stories of procrastination, tips to help overcome procrastination.... it's your turn to talk now!

Click on the comment link below this post and let me hear back from you!

Ok.. I have to go now, I've been procrastinating and need to get things done!

 

A Matter of Perception

The following story illustrates that life is clearly a matter of perception:

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.  They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

"It was great, Dad!"

"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.

"Oh yes!" replied the son.

"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered,  "I saw that we have one dog and they had four.  We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.  We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.  Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.  We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.  We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."

The boy’s father was speechless. 

Then his son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are."


This wise young man saw clearly what his father apparently did not that his own family was in fact the truly "poor" people.

Life is really a matter of perception. It is what we choose to see and what choose to make of it.

Yesterday, while I was on a popular social networking website, I saw a "status" posted by a young man recounting some of the events which have occured his life so far this year:

-His grandmother died.
-He had his heart severely broken by a woman.
-One of his cars was wrecked.
-He had to re-live the murders of his friends during a recent trial.
-One of his cars was stolen.
-He received orders back to the war-torn Middle East for the 9th time.
-And finally, as if all that wasn't enough, he was held up at gunpoint yesterday for $40 while waiting at the drive-in of a local fastfood restaurant.

No one could argue, he sure has had more than his fair share of adversities so far this year, but I couldn't help to wonder if he realizes how incredily blessed he's been as well.

-He was blessed with a grandmother who he obviously loved dearly. How many are out there in this world alone, without anyone here on Earth to care for them?

-While his latest love relationship didn't work out for him as he would have liked it to, he was blessed with knowing what it is like to love someone deeply. In the wake of the end of the relationship, he was also blessed with the support of many caring people.

-He was blessed with the means to own a car, something many of us take for granted each day in a world where there are still people who must walk miles each day for the most basic of human necessities - water.

-He is blessed by his very life. He is alive. He may have lost $40 yesterday, but he walked away with his life. He has survived numerous deployments to war-torn areas of this world and has returned alive each time. Wow! What a blessing! I know of one young Marine who didn't make it through the first day of his very first deployment.

When life throws fast and furious curveballs our way, it is so easy to lose sight of the many blessing which have also been bestowed on us.

We must never forget, our life is all a matter of how we choose to perceive it .

James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

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!