Accept Your Flaws

How many times have you talked to yourself about a 'flaw' that you do not like about yourself or maybe even about another person? Does your 'flaw' make you feel less beautiful? Have you wished you can change this flaw and if you could, you just know it would make you feel better?

Accept your flaws. Turn your negative thoughts into positive ones. You'd be surprised how your attitude will change. Love yourself always.

Below is an inspirational story I wanted to share. Hope you like it.

************

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water..

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do ha lf of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.'

The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?'

That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.

Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 CUPS OF COFFEE

Some of you may have already read this inspirational story, but it is one of my favorites. Someone had emailed it to me again and I took that as I 'reminder'.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 Hours in a day is not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

and the story goes....

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large
and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.
He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full.. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it in to the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.

The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table
And poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively
filling the Empty space between the sand.. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that
this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things - God, family, children, health,
friends, and favorite passions -- things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued,
"there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

So...

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18.

There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.

"Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked".

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

The People of Mexico

I have arrived back home from Mexico, safe and sound. First let me say that the media had installed some fear into us regarding the violence going on there, but we had found nothing but friendly, happy people. Yes, the policia were visible, but that only made me feel safer.

I now have a new appreciation for the people of Mexico. They are extremely hard working. They are always smiling and seem happy as they work long hours, which is usually consisting of hard labor. They work everyday…no days off. As I look around me here in New Jersey, I don’t see many people who are happy going to work. How about where you live?

Along one of the highways we traveled on, if you look past the concrete yards, you will see poverty. At first, you think you are looking at abandoned shacks…no windows or doors, surrounded by garbage. We were told people live there. That gave me a heavy feeling. But, these people who live like this, are also “happy”. Is it because they do not know any other way?

In the short time we were there, we spoke to many residents and we were told that the people appreciate what they do have and are grateful. Their families and friends mean the world to them. Man, does that say a lot about the people here. It immediately made us think how greedy we can be…how people here want more and more and we are hardly ever satisfied. Trying to outdo their friends and neighbors. We just don’t seem to appreciate and know how to be grateful. Things in your life can be much worse and I saw first hand how living situations can be hard for some.

When we went into town, we saw much of the same thing. Some of these shacks looked like they were going to fall over any second. Made of scraps of wood, garbage and anything else they can find to put together. And yet, as I said…these people were still happy and enjoying life. Some of the lucky ones had jobs where the tourists were. At the resorts, the restaurants, the stores etc…One spot we visited, showcased the talents of the many who are excellent crafters. Throughout the time we were there, we observed the landscapers and masons. We were so impressed with their knowledge and quality of work. It made me think about the Mexicans who are here working with landscapers and are being paid peanuts for their long hours and hard work. I can not help but feel that we are terrible people to take advantage like that. Is it our greed? Our need to pay out a small amount, so we have more money in our pockets?

I had such a great time on this trip and I also feel blessed to have learned a few lessons. Seeing things from a different perspective. Happiness is not brought about by how much you have or how much you want…it is about being happy, appreciative and grateful with what you DO have. We make our own happiness. I have always felt money does not bring you happiness and this trip confirmed it as I saw it through the residents of Mexico.

More about our trip in my next post...

Something To Ponder

The below three sentences were sent to me by my cousin. They certainly gave me something to ponder and think about for awhile.

1. To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did. Do you agree with this sentence?
I found that sometimes when your actions are not accomplishing what you want, you need to do something you have not done before or change your actions. If you have a goal in mind, you also have to do something you never did to accomplish that goal.

2. When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.
What came to mind after reading this sentence were two other sayings I hold close. One is: when one door closes, another opens. I find this to be very true. The other one is: In the Journey of life, what may appear to be the end is actually a new beginning.
If you ever blamed 'God' for something that didn't go as you planned, think about this sentence and keep the faith. Have you ever felt punished?

3. Think about this sentence...The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.I have found this to be true. I have experienced many, many speed bumps of life and somehow, things always work out.
I always look for the lesson and keep positive, even in bad times. This truly enables me to deal with a negative situation, plus I realize someone is watching over me.

So....after reading these three sentences, what came to mind? Share your thoughts

A Must Read Inspirational Story

Every once in awhile I receive an email containing an inspirational story with a lesson within or a reminder about life. I am sure you must receive emails simular to the one I am about to share. Do you delete them or do you take the time to read them? Do you open your mind and heart to the message?

Why is it that we 'remember' while reading something or watching a movie that touches us that we should not take things for granted? To realize things are not really greener on the other side...To remember to love, be kind, live an honest life, treat others respectively and with a kind heart. We may remember for a short time, but then we forget...until the next time something crosses our path in which we remember again. I am sure we all do this. Why? Why can't we remember ALL the time...?

Unfortunately, for some, it takes a sad moment or an illness or losing a loved one to remember. I truly wish no one must go through a sad experience to remember how important life is...that life is a gift and we should not take it for granted or our loved ones.

In case you have forgotten...here's a

Story to live by...

There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I will marry you.'

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages
came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.

He asked her,'Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?' The
girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The
sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected
that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to
refuse to marry him.

Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her
saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before
they were yours, they were mine.'

This is how the human brain often works when our status changes.
Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who
was always by their side in the most painful situations.

Life Is a Gift

Today before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't
speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone
who has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone
who's crying out to GOD for a companion.

Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who died
too early on this earth.

Before you complain about your children - Think of someone who
desires children but they're barren.

Before you argue about your dirty house someone didn't clean or
sweep - Think of the people who are living in the streets.

Before whining about the distance you drive Think of someone who
walks the same distance with their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the
unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your
job.

But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning
another - Remember that not one of us is without sin.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on
your face and think: you're alive and still
around.

The Meaning of Water Dreams

Rebecca from Mine To Remember posted an interesting comment in response to my prior post about my dreaming of water and having two incidents which involved water the next day.

If anyone is curious as to what dreaming of water could mean, Rebecca suggested the following:

"... I looked to my mother - who has read up on this type of thing quite a bit. She immediately said that water dreams reflect emotion and fertility - reflecting the feminine side of wife or mother. Murkey waters, perhaps deep sea types where you're sloshing around, or in this case, perhaps a dirty fish tank where water is "gushing" and you are being covered with...can speak about anxiety, turmoil in our lives...emotions that you are struggling with, or are uncertain about - mothers often have these dreams. Clear water that is reflective, is more of a peaceful message".

Both Rebecca and myself have had dreams where the dreams have played out in future days. It has only happened on a few occasions with me, but I do pay attention to the dreams I remember in the morning.

Has anyone else dreamt of something only to find that it came true in later days?

This subject is so interesting to me.

Improve Your Self Image With Affirmations

I believe in Affirmations.You can turn negative self-talk into something more positive when repeating positive affirmations to yourself on a daily basis. Ok, so you might not see an instant change within yourself, but if you stay committed, you will.

You have the power to achieve what you want in life. Using affirmations is one of life's powerful strategies.

Here are some Affirmations I wanted to share with you. These were posted by Positive Affirmations. Visit her site for you will read other enlightening posts to help improve the quality of your life and promote positive self image.

I owe no explanations for my behavior, that is legally, morally, and ethically right.

I am different and I embrace it.

I dare to be different.

I accept my differences with pleasure.

I am trustworthy.

I can be trusted.

I am fit, healthy and attractive.

I am confident and unaffected by negative attitudes around me

My possibilities are endless.

I radiate love and happiness.

AFFIRMATIONS FOR HAPPINESS
I am happiest when I accept people for who they are.

I am happiest when I forgive others.

My happiness is found in life’s little surprises.

I find happiness in forgiveness.

I choose to live happy.

I find happiness in never quitting.

I find happiness in the little things in life.

I find happiness in being myself.

I am happiest when I am in a positive place.

I find happiness with positive affirmations.

I find eternal happiness with my family.

I am happy when I spend quality time with good friends.

Do you have a favorite affirmation that has helped within your life?

9 Things God Won't Ask On "That" Day

I came across this and thought it was something worth sharing. It does give you a few things to think about, doesn't it?

Considering the poll I have on this blog right now, it was the perfect time to post this. Maybe you don't realize that your religion or spirituality does play a role in your daily life.

The Last Day

1. God won't ask what kind of car you drove. He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.

2. God won't ask the square footage of your house. He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home

3. God won't ask about the clothes you hold in your closet. He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.

4. God won't ask what your highest salary was. He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

5. God wont' ask what your job title was. He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.

6. God won't ask how many friends you have. He'll ask to whom you were a friend.

7. God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived. He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.

8. God won't ask about the color of your skin. He'll ask about the content of your character.

9. God won't ask why it took so long to seek Salvation. He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven and not to the gates of hell.

The Three Mysteries

I received the following message in an email from Mary Jo McCabe. She shares her intuitive gifts with thousands of people through group and individual sessions. Mary Jo reads symbols and messages that are passed to her through a group of souls that she refers to as The Guides.

I know this is a rather long post, but this message may speak to you...

THE THREE MYSTERIES

When man lives in darkness it is because he has shadowed himself by his past which brings back the memories of his yesteryear. By not letting go of it, he creates for himself struggles that he does not need to experience again.

It is of truth that in your world there are many locks to the door to your past emotions. The lock that keeps you most tied to your past is the emotions that you fear confronting. When you hold yourself back to the emotions of the past, you recreate them in your future. Even though you may not understand why you do this, it creates for you a sense of safety, for you believe that by holding on to these difficult memories it will keep them from happening once again.

All of you have experienced parts of your life that you would not want to re-experience, and yet each of you holds on to these difficult memories as though they are a tomb in your heart that you can never forget. But in truth you must confront the seeds, the events, from which they grew. And, that my dear one is the only part that must remain in your memory.

When you hold on to your past, you are blinding yourself to the gains of your future. It is difficult for you to understand this because your future is a mystery, but that is the purpose of life.
It is truth that in life there are many mysteries, but to us there are only three major mysteries in your Earth. The first one is silence. Silence comes from vision. From knowing a part of you that is old and wise, having no need to change you but just accept you. That is silence. When you begin to truly hear life you hear the silence of which that is. You can then hear the voice of each other because you are not distracted by the puzzlement of yourself.

Perhaps you do not understand the power of silence. You believe that in order to find silence in your world you have to live quietly in life, but that is not silence. Silence is a knowing of you without feeling the need to change you. When you are silent within you, you are at peace with yourself. You are in comfort of your own knowing and you are able to look at yourself completely without fault, without honor, without fear, but just as you are. When silence falls upon you it brings to you humility because you truly begin to see that in you there is a world beyond you. However, you cannot find the silence within you without removing the mask of knowing you.

The second mystery in life is abundance. How to conquer it, how to achieve it, how to explore it -
What is abundance? Abundance in knowing your own rightfulness - what is yours and what is not yours. You believe that in order to have something you must work toward it to acquire it.
In order to have, all you must do is ask for it with pure intentions in your heart. For if you believe you do not earn it, you will not have it and that is why you create such war zones in your life. If you believe you are not worthy of good health, you will not have it. If you believe you are not worthy of food, you will not have food. You must learn to feel abundant in order to be abundant.
You will have an abundant life if you create a positive flow in life. So, you must look at yourself and wonder: What is in you that has not been given freedom?

For instance, if you feel guilty for not exercising your mind, you will never seek to hold your concentration. If you feel guilty about not exercising your body, you will create for yourself bad health. If you create for yourself guilt in the food of which you eat, you will create for yourself abundance in fat. If you do not allow yourself to feel your sorrow, you will have more grief. Any part of your life that is denied will come through another vessel to show you who you are and what is missing in your heart. Abundance comes from the heart, dear one, not from the head. The need to create is simply abundant. It is for that reason that you seek to have in this life.
You must feel abundant in life; you must feel rich in heart. You must look at that part of you that is constantly scolded by you and then you will know what takes from you the abundance of you. It is that, dear ones, that you must see and understand.

The third mystery is the story. You create for yourself the story line of which you seek to follow. You must act responsible in order to develop the story that you want and need.

It is of truth that there are many story lines that you can follow to get to the point of death that you seek because death creates completion. It means on some level that you have acquired the knowledge, the experience, in living that will give to you the next billfold of your own journey - the value, the worth.

You must have the need to create the story for you. You are your own book. If you were to write a book about you, what would you say concerning you? What would you tell to others about you? Even if you wrote your own history and you buried it deep in the walls in life that no one else could see until the day in which you left the Earth, what would you say? Would you talk about your fears? Would you express your needs? Would you look upon your life as one that was accomplished? Or would you think of yourself as being denied? You have a responsibility to live your story. You came here with a story. It is your importance of self that must be found in that story. If you do not think well of you no one else will. If you do not love you no one else can. If you do not know you no one sees you. It is important that you begin to understand those truths.
You have a story, a story to tell, a story to live out, a story to pass on. Your impact in life will be shown to many beyond your life, by the roots that you provided, the anchor that you offered, for those who you loved and adored in your heart and through your heart. And, so it is of importance that all of you learn about your story.

What do you believe your purpose is on this Earth? You already know. Do not ask us. You know your purpose. It does not take you long to look at the falls that you have experienced. It does not take you long to find the greatest joys in your heart. It does not take you long to find the feet on your legs, but you must know the direction your feet are pointing. If your feet are pointed in the past, you will experience life over and over and over and never move forward.

If you want to know if that is the way in which you are standing, look at your life today, what is the message of it? Are you bored with the lessons in life that are given to you? What do you like about your life? What don't you like about your life? What do want to repair in life? These are necessary steps in order to understand the value of letting go of the past. Remember the past is important only if you can see the seed that was sown for you from it. What did it start you out in? What did it create for you? What is it offering you today? Only you can identify that.
So you see, dear ones, everyone has a part of them that is not yet pure in spirit. But you must know that in coming into the physical life there are many things that you must learn in order to find life. The first one is silence, the second is that of abundance, and the third is your story.

What is your story? What is the story line in which you are following?

Let us tell you a story. When man came to the Earth, he looked upon the different waters of the Earth. He saw the waters that had salt in them he saw the waters that were clear and you could not find the difference. And so he comes back into the spirit world and he asked that of his teachers, why are there 2 different types of water on the Earth? And the great teachers of time said, "So that one can remind you of the wounds in which you still hold and the other can remind you of the clarity, the sparkling of life when the wounds are no longer there."

And so it is your choice today. Do you want to live where things are not clear? The water is of purpose but you cannot drink it nor can you see the salt that is in it. But here you have water that flows gently that has a beautiful flow about it, its clarity its taste a wonder. You see water is the substance of man. It is what provides for him the cloak that he needs to wear. Without water, man cannot survive in his Earth. And without the need for water, man cannot find himself in life.

There are many things that man questions before coming into his world. The first thing he questions is justice. What is the purpose of it? No one in our world will give to him that answer, because he has to first find the answer within himself in order to endure the life path.

Do you know the purpose of your life? Why do you think you are here? Everyone is given a tree to decorate, but everyone chooses to decorate it his or her own way. The tree has no life to it when it is taken from its root. Then why do we decorate something that is dead? Because many souls on your Earth live dead, they are living in memory of the past. And yes, you can decorate it any way you want, but it is still dead there is no life in it.

So, why do you continually pursue that of the past when there is no life in it? You decorate the past by holding on to it, by clinging to it. You have to determine how you're going to decorate it. If you light it up it will let you see the gain of it. If you decorate it with heavy ornaments it will only pull you down. Light it up. See the sparkle of life that awakened you to you, the seed of which it gave to you. By lighting your past, you begin to light your future.

Wisdom From Maya Angelou

In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older.
And, there on television, she said it was 'exciting.' Regardin g body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day...like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first.

The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou said this:
'I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.'

'I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.'

'I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.'

'I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life.'

'I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.'

'I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back.'

'I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.'

'I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.'

'I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.'

'I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.'

'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'

FEAR IS OVERCOME WITH ACTION

One of the greatest surprises you'll experience,
is when you discover that you can do
what you were afraid you couldn't do.

Your obstacles will melt away,
if instead of cowering before them,
you make up your mind to walk boldly through them.

Do the thing you fear and fear disappears.
Confront your fears, list them, get to know them
and only then will you be able to put them aside
and move ahead.

When you face the things that scare you,
you open the door to freedom.

The only thing you have to fear, is fear itself..


Copyright 2008 www.yourdailymotivation.com
Reproduce freely but maintain Copyright notice

For All The Beautiful Women

...and that means you and me.

DID YOU KNOW?

There are 3 billion women who don't look like super models ?

And only eight who do.


Did you know Marilyn Monroe wore a size 14?

If Barbie was a real woman, she'd have to walk on all FOURS due to her proportions!

The average woman weighs 144 pounds, and wears between a size 12-14.

One out of every 4 college-aged women has an eating disorder.

The Models in the magazines are AIRBRUSHED!!! - NOT Perfect!!

A psychological study in 1995 found that 3 minutes spent looking at a Fashion Magazine caused 70% of women to feel depressed , guilty and SHAMEFUL!

Models 20 years ago weighed 8% Less than the average Woman.
Today they weigh 23% less...

~*~ Beauty of a Woman ~*~
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,
The figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from her eyes,
Because that is the doorway to her heart,
The place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,
But true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives,
The passion that she shows.
The beauty of a woman
With time, only grows...


Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over it became a butterfly

Inspiration From Children

Every once in awhile I receive emails that are touching and have special meaning. To me they're worth sharing.The following email is one. Children bring to us so much if we only listen.

What Love means to a 4-8 year old ....
Slow down to read this. It is so worth it. Touching words from the mouth of children.
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?'

The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.
See what you think:

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'

Rebecca- age 8
***
'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'

Billy - age 4
***
'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'

Karl - age 5
***
'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'

Chrissy - age 6
***
'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'

Terri - age 4
***
'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'

Danny - age 7
***
'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.
My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'

Emily - age 8
***
'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'

Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)
***
'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'

Nikka - age 6 (we need a million more Nikka's)
***
'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'

Noelle - age 7
***
'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'

Tommy - age 6
***
'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.

He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'

Cindy - age 8
***
'My mommy loves me more than anybody
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'

Clare - age 6
***
'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'

Elaine-age 5
***
'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'

Chris - age 7
***
'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'

Mary Ann - age 4
***
'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'

Lauren - age 4
***
'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image)

Karen - age 7
***
'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'

Mark - age 6
***
'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'

Jessica - age 8
***
And the final one

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,

'Nothing, I just helped him cry'


Just wanted to Bless all my friends in whatever it is that you may be needing this day. May your life be full of peace, prosperity and love.

The Interview With God.....

I realize everyone is of a different religion and their beliefs may differ, but this email I received contains some life lessons I thought worth sharing...

I dreamed I had an INTERVIEW WITH GOD.

"So you would like to interview me?" GOD asked.

"If you have the time," I said.

GOD Smiled.

"My time is eternity...what questions do you have in mind for me?"

"What surprises you most about humankind?"

GOD answered....

"That they get bored with childhood, they rush to grow up, and then long to be children again."

"That they lose their health to make money, and lose their money to restore their health."

"That thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that the live in neither the present, nor the future."

"That they live as if they will never die, and die as though they have never lived."

God's hand took mine and we were silent for a while.

And then I asked, "As a parent, what are some of life's lessons you want your children to learn?"

"To learn that they cannot make anyone love them. All they can do is let themselves to be loved."

"To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others."

"To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness."

"To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in those they love, and it can take many years to heal them."

"To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most, but is one who needs the least."

"To learn that there are people who love them dearly, but simply do not yet know how to express or show their feelings."

"To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it differently."

"To learn that it is not enough that they forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves."

"Thank you for your time," I said humbly. "Is there anything else you'd like your children to know?"

GOD smiled and said......

"Just know I am here."

"Always."

Taking a Chance...

As I mentioned the other day, I hadn’t been feeling up to par. It seems a lot of people are complaining of not feeling well. Global in fact… It seems more people get sick around the change of season. Thanks for all the well wishes.

I believe my stomach bug was accompanied by being worn down by stress. Work drama that I was dealing with on a day to day basis, plus other life situations thrown my way just made me feel tired. I felt like a rock at the edge of the beach. Wave after wave pounding upon me. My choices were to keep taking it or do something about it. Complaining about it or feeling the stress of the situations was not helping, nor would that change anything, so I had to do something different. My brain was yelling....STOP…ENOUGH already…

We truly are in control of our life and what is happening around us. I took the bull by the horns and decided to do something. I was beginning to feel I was not centered….everything around me was off balance. I needed to regroup, get back in control.

I Got a plan together, made the to –do list and started picking away at those things that needed to be changed….one by one. My work related problem was the toughest actually for it included other people causing the issue, but reflected on me. I took a deep breath, swallowed some pride, threw out the notion of who was right and who was wrong, realized what was best for the situation and I made phone calls to the parties involved.

I wasn't sure how this would work, it could have back fired, but at this point I hadn't anything to lose but more to gain, so I took a chance.

I Suggested my plan and I was successful in having them see a new point of view. Only after 2 days back into work, you can feel the difference. The air is lighter, the stress lifted…ahhhhh…much better

I knew something had to be done. Management wasn't ‘managing’ so someone had to grow some gonads and do something. I’m glad I did

My other issues are currently being worked on and I am positive they will work out for the best. Sometimes it takes some thought and looking at a different point of view to see a solution. If what you are doing is not working, realize a change in the way you are handling a situation can bring about a positive result. Sometimes the solution rests with YOU even if someone else is causing a problem.

Taking a chance, asking a higher spiritual guide for help or digging deep within yourself will provide the answers you need.

Actions Do Speak Louder Than Words

It's funny how things can change in an instant.
I was forced to open my eyes to a situation and accept it, even though it hurts like hell.

Acceptance...sometimes can be a hard thing for someone to do. I believe I did not want to accept what someone was telling me because at the same time, I was being told something else. I was also refusing to accept because I wanted something different. I suddenly realized that the old saying...Actions speak louder than words, came into play.

Sometimes acceptance is looked upon as weak or passive. Accepting a situation may make you feel like you condone a situation, but it is quite the opposite. Accepting a situation can allow you to have a lighter heart, allow you to move forward. Acceptance can allow you to see the truth.

Even if your aceptance involves someone that may have hurt you. In reality, they are hurting themselves. With acceptance comes forgiveness. When you forgive someone that may have hurt you, you free up your awareness. You become free of others. You take back your power from them. If you do not forgive, you hold on to the memory and carry the baggage.

Why can't you forgive? Ego comes into play. Our ego doesn't like to be hurt or humiliated, so you may hold onto the memory. Forgiveness shifts the memory from the past to the present and makes it easier to deal with.

I guess all our experiences helps our growth because we have to find the lessons. If we can find the lesson, we can let go of the experience or hurt.

If we can see those you may have caused hurt through the eyes of truth, we can understand how much of the hurt came from our own misconception about who they really are or what they would or could do for you.

I'm still hurting, so I guess I haven't found my lesson in this situation yet. But, I am working on it....

Women's Intuition

Do you believe in women's intuition ? I know I have experienced these gut feelings for as long as I can remember. I have also experienced dreams which later came true, knew when the phone is about to ring, talk about someone or think about someone and later they appear at some point during that same day, experienced spiritual angel visits...among other happenings.

At the same time Women's intuition is believed and admired, it is also laughed at and discredited. Some say this intuition is not soley a women's, but even men have and can develop intuition. Take Edgar Cayce...one of the most famed intuitives. He believed in insights, guidance and wisdom. Spoke about our spiritual awareness, karmic patterns, heath connections, and intuition. He encouraged everyone to believe in and develop their connection to their own source of intuition.

Do you trust your intuition enough to make decisions? Most times I have listened and proved to be correct in my decision. Other times I am only confused. Probably because I don't want to listen or accept what my inner voice is telling me. I have been experiencing that a little bit lately. Nagging gut feelings that won't go away, but I am sure I will work out this situation.

I think our inner voice can guide us to make the right choices. Whether it's related to career, relationships, friends, money etc...Most of the time we rely on 'common sense', but I believe our inner voice does and should play a part in decision making.

What do you do when you hear your inner voice whispering to you? Do you dismiss your gut feeling or act upon it?

Three Things~

Three things in life that, once gone, never come back
1. Time
2. Words
3. Opportunity

Three things in life that can destroy a person
1. Anger
2. Pride
3. Unforgiveness

Three things in life that you should never lose
1. Hope
2. Peace
3. Honesty

Three things in life that are most valuable
1. Love
2. Family
3. Kindness

Three things in life that are never certain
1. Fortune
2. Success
3. Dreams

Three things that make a person
1. Commitment
2. Sincerity
3. Hard work

The Interview With God

Take a quiet moment and look at this.It is worth a few moments of your time. Besides the beautiful photography are lessons to be learned.
When you click the below link, it will take you to the home page of their website ...click 'view presentation'

THE INTERVIEW WITH GOD

So, I'm Not Perfect...

Ok, so I'm not perfect. I allowed some stress to wiggle into my life. A situation came into my life and gave me an unexpected ending, which I wasn't prepared for. I had to work through a few emotions before concluding I have choices...first on how to handle this situation and second... how to deal with what I was feeling.

Although justified, I felt angry with the outcome of this situation. I realized quickly that wasn't the answer. I needed to get myself 'in check'. If I continued to be angry, I wouldn't be productive. I took a deep breath and just said to myself...I will get through this.

But as I allowed stress to enter, I took a short ride with negativity. It's amazing how those little inner voices sometimes can cause an avalanche of scenarios in your mind and you start believing them. So... realizing this quicker than usual, I just put a stop to it.

I thought about a happy memory or the feelings of love, thought about all the good and blessings in my life...took to the couch, lit some candles and just relaxed. Repeated some affirmations...Relaxing my body and soul.

It does work...I now have calmness. Whatever happens....I will deal with it and get through it. It's not the end of the world...I am a good person, have my health, my family and friends. This ding in my life will be dealt with. It's not the end of the world.

I certainly have grown this past year. I remember a time that I would have held on to those negative emotions for days and have it hinder me. Affecting not only me, but the people around me. I truly can feel a difference within myself. Now I can remove negativity faster and talk my inner self out of self doubt, replacing it with a positive attitude.

How do you deal with stress and any negativity that creeps in?