Happy Easter!

He is risen!

Know that He is here.

In the beauty of nature; in the wealth you don't realize you have; in the joy of a smile; in the contentment of a hug; in the simplicity of listening; in the boldness of love; in the fortitude of persistence; in the strength of humility; in the sharing of your heart; in the kindness of strangers.

He is everywhere!

God bless! Happy Easter! Enjoy!

And look out for Monday . . . it's gonna be a good one!

Good Friday

Today is Good Friday.

The Christians have their own beliefs about this day. I am a Christian. But I will not force upon you my beliefs about religion.

Instead, let's just take the opportunity to truly make it a GOOD Friday!

Some people are so used to creating drama that a truly peaceful existence seems to make them uncomfortable. I know several of this sort. I love them, but I keep them at arm's length. I did NOT like the drama nonsense in high school. I certainly don't need it now. It serves no purpose, has no value, and makes everyone miserable.

Today, be positive. Touch a life. Make a difference.

Make it a Good Friday!

And, because I can't ever seem to leave well enough alone . . . God Bless!

LOVE

Love is a many splendored thing.
It's the April rose that only grows in the early spring.
Love is nature's way of giving;
A reason to be living.

Love is patient.
Love is kind.
It does not envy.
It does not boast.
It is not proud.
It is not rude.
It is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered.
It keeps no record of wrongs.
It does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love doesn't judge.
Love doesn't use people.

Love stays, and makes you stronger,
even when the person you love is gone.

So love with all your heart,
NOW
in this moment and always!

LOVE!

Shine On

Light is a wonderful thing.

You can be light on your feet. You can be the light of someone's life. You can light up the night.

Most importantly . . . you can share the light inside of you!

There is an inner light in every one of us. A brilliance that will be tested throughout your life by hate, gossip, jealousy, pain, heartache, lies, and more. The light within you is eternal and cannot be doused. It can be nearly smothered. It can be squandered. It can be minimized.

It can also be fanned.

What you do with your light is up to you. You are in charge of the beam you emit. You can shine for all or just yourself. You can give enough light to create warmth for others, or you can light up just enough space for your own needs.

Know that your light is a gift. A beautiful aura of what and who you are. It is meant to be shared and offered to others. You may be the beacon that someone in the dark is looking for.

Shine On!

Success

Success, in the dictionary is defined as:  the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors.

Some folks define it as massive wealth. Others as having all the latest toys, gadgets, trendiest clothes, best shoes, most bling, etc.

I see things differently.

(This surprises you?)

Success is not something that you have. Success is something that you do. 

If I am successful today, someone will go out int the world and perform a kind gesture; be understanding of another human being; pay their blessings forward; share their good fortune. If that occurs, my day is happy. Someone will choose to do the right thing. That is what I preach. So, if just one reader practices what I preach, my little blog and I will be successful.

I do not need to surround myself with fancy cars, shiny jewelry, and the latest styles. I am content with family, friends, and faith. I am thrilled to occasionally find out that someone was touched by something I set forth here. What a wonderfully magical blessing.

I wish each and every one of you the sort of success that you desire today. More than that, I wish you the inner success to know that you don't need the tangible successes of this world!

Be richly blessed!

Delicious Ambiguity

Sometimes things that affect you are subtle and soft and just sort of seep into your life.

Other times, things that affect you smack you right in the head like a bag full of bricks. That would be this statement that found its way to me over the weekend.

"Life is about not knowing,
having to change,
taking the moment and making the best of it,
without knowing what's going to happen next."
~ Gilda Radner

Someone inquired of me, how do I clear my head and prepare to write these each morning. They offered that they lose themselves in great anxiety trying to focus on their purpose.

In all honesty, I either find a little treat like the gem above, or . . . honestly . . . I just start typing. Not knowing, sometimes changing the content, just taking the moment and making the best of it and not knowing what words will be typed next is part of the magic! I operate in total faith that whatever it is I type will have value and purpose for just one person out there.

I have been blessed.

Metamorphosis

The struggle that you are in today is developing into the strength you need for tomorrow.

What a fabulous message.

Thanks to my Ch-Angel WB for lending that to me.

This is such a crucial life lesson to learn. It's a message I firmly believe in. Because of all the things I've been through, I cannot say that I am stronger than most, but I can confidently say that I can walk with anyone through just about anything. I have learned to listen, to be compassionate, to be a shoulder, to carry someone when necessary, to speak when it's needed, to shut up when it's appropriate, to cry, to love, to mourn, to laugh, to fight, to yell, and to walk away.

The trials that you face, forge the person you are. Become someone amazing!

"You may never know what results come from your action.
But if you do nothing, there will be NO result."
~ Mahatma Gandhi

Help

They say that imitation is one of the greatest forms of flattery.

I disagree.

I think one of the greatest forms of flattery is when someone asks you to help.

That person obviously believes you are worthy of the task.
That person thinks that you can handle whatever the job entails.
That person knows that your talents and skillset fit the bill - and then some.
That person trusts you to do what is expected.

What is more flattering than that?

I sure hope someone asks you to help them today!

You Bet!

You Bet!

This was one of my mother's favorite sayings.

She used it as a by-line for her "Ramblin' Gamblin'" business and she used it a lot in life as well. Momma was a gambler.

She married young and had five babies by the time she was 25! She did the unthinkable way back then and divorced my biological dad and began the journey of raising us on her own. There was no help from her mom as my youngest uncle is younger than my oldest brother. (I'll wait for that to sink in.)

She was always starting new businesses, thinking up ideas, creating new things. She married my first step-dad when I was 7. He came with two more children. Now she's raising seven kids! She never flinched.

She ran newspapers, businesses, bands, plaque booths, gambling trips, bingo buses, made t-shirts, embroidered stuff, and just dabbled in whatever piqued her interests. She was and is the most amazing person I have known. She was more tech savvy than a lot of teenagers I know and was afraid of nothing.

She remarried just a few years before she passed away. She was happy. And she was finally treated like the queen she knew she was.

She battled breast cancer, bone cancer, emphysema, bad eyes, water in her lungs, and probably a host of other things she never complained about. None of that was ever her focus. She focused on family, faith, and having fun.

She enjoyed a good time, music, and laughing. She adored her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren. She lived to love and loved to live.

So . . . when people comment snidely that "You sound just like your mom," or "You're turning into your mom," or "You opened your mouth and your mother came out," I simply reply . . .

You Bet!

Comfort & Confidence

There are many things I am uncomfortable doing. I do not like public speaking. I do not like intimate gatherings. I do not enjoy professing the pains of my life. I am not thrilled by making myself vulnerable in positions of even the remotest bit of stature.

However, I am confident about the things in which I speak publicly. I am confident in those that I gather in my little circles. I am passionate and knowledgeable about bringing my troubles to the forefront so others may know they are not alone. I am certain that if I stand in front, it is because I am a champion of whatever it might be I'm leading.

There is always a ying/yang thing going on. If you're not stepping into uncomfortable situations every now and again, you will not grow, expand, and find out what you are truly capable of. I may not be the best public speaker, but I speak from my heart so I know it's honest and pure. I may squirm at the thought of overtly familiar gatherings, but I ensure that those I surround myself with are positive, productive, supportive people. I don't like sharing my baggage, but by that sharing someone out there may realize they are not alone.

Comfort & Confidence don't always go together, but they are certainly a catalyst for one another.
Today . . . I wish you both . . . no matter how uncomfortable or uncertain you may be!

Outlets

For as long as I can remember, I have used writing as an outlet.

When I was sad, I wrote.
When I was happy, I wrote.
When I was thrilled, I wrote.
When I was devastated, I wrote.

My writing of choice is prose. I poetically profess my problems, my prowess, my positive, my policies, my points, my prayers, my pride, my praise and whatever else flows through me.

I find it cleansing and beneficial and beautiful.

I feel something bubbling up these days. Might be all the stress. Might be impending and looming bad dates on the horizon. Might be facing the fact that my 'baby' boy will be leaving for school soon. Might be the leaving of a dedicated post I have loved to hold and be a part of. Who knows?

But there's something brewing in the old gray matter. I'm sure I'll share when it finally falls out and falls together!

I hope that whatever medium you choose to use, you have an outlet, too. It is vital to your mental health to get all those emotions out ~ in some manner or another.

Plug in to your outlet!

My 'Sweetness'

As I am still continuing to try to recover from whatever ailment has attacked me, I was spending a Saturday without work attempting to catch up on things I've neglected. Coughing and hacking and being pathetic, I worked my way through various mazes of paperwork, name tags, creating miscellaneous things, paying bills, doing spreadsheets and what not. When the call of some much needed vitamin D crawled through my window, I simply gave up on my chores and went outside to relax and read my uplifting little book.

While sitting in the warm Florida sun, enjoying reading about how the Lord moved so fabulously in a young girl's life, with my sweet old pooch at my feet, my cell phone rang. Not sure I wanted to answer it . . . it rang a few times. Hoping it was neither work asking me to come in or some belligerant person looking to give me more grief, I apprehensively flipped my phone open to answer it. (Yes, I still have one of THOSE phones!)

With one simple "Hello" my whole world was instantly transformed! This little Ch-Angel, who decided to track me down after some several years is one of my most favorite folks in all the world. This gentleman, whom I had worked for years ago but who had become so much more to me and in my life, was looking to find me. And find me he did! As though we'd seen each other yesterday, we chatted about everything under the sun ~ the good stuff, the bad stuff, health, work, kids, family, and laughed the whole time.

I'm not sure I can envelope in words the kind of simple comfort this man exudes, but he has always blanketed me with kind and loving tenderness and, for that, I am more thankful that I can explain. He is a man of faith, of tenacity, of perseverance, of patriotism, of God, of love, and of calm. He, from the very beginning, has just been a source of strength and guidance for me.

For all those things, and so much more, my Ch-Angel John ~ thank you! Thank you for changing my whole day, my whole weekend, my whole month. You are a joy and a wonderful blessing. You are my 'sweetness'!

Power

The task ahead of you is NEVER as great as the power within you.

I have faced many obstacles. I though, for sure, that I would crumble, implode, or just fall apart. I know many friends who have faced horrendous ordeals and thought the same.

We are at our strongest, when we THINK we are our weakest!

It is an interesting part of life. To realize that you can really do whatever is in front of you - no matter how monumental or daunting it may seem. It was put at your feet for you to move beyond.

You have within you the power to do ANY thing!

Ch-Angel of Amazement

For the past few weeks, I have been pretty sick. I've been hacking, sneezing, blowing, coughing, not sleeping, feverish, freezing, and generally miserable. Stir into that mix helping to put on a fundraiser for All Children's Hospital, volunteering for the local middle school, visiting with out-of-town guests, working on another ACH function, preparing for upcoming meetings, working WAY too much, stressing about taxes, vacations, and kids college stuff, treading or not on folks feelings and questioning my own leadership, and one becomes a tad overwhelmed.

Yesterday, during a lengthy shift at work, I was paired up with a new co-worker. Mind you, I am the new one. She's been there forever. It was, however, the first time we worked together. I got there first, still sleepy and groggy from my Nyquil induced sleep, and began the morning. When she arrived I said, "Hi! I'm Lyn. How are you doin' today?" She looked at me, sighed, shook my hand and said, "Hi, I'm Jo. Not too good. My son passed away a few days ago."

BOOM!

Incredulously I asked, "Why are you here?" And together we answered, "You/I need the distraction." My heart just broke. Her 42 year old son, her first child and one of only two, had a massive heart attack and died. And she was at work! And I forgot every single issue I THOUGHT I had. My whole day was centered around making sure she was doing ok, sharing her photos, giving her hugs, and just talking with her.

When I left from work, she gave me a huge hug and said, "Thanks for being here. You really helped. Please keep me in your prayers."

It is amazing how Ch-Angels are plopped into your life at the moment you need them most. In looking to comfort someone else, I lost sight of anything that ailed me. God certainly works in mysterious ways. But those ways are infinitely beautiful compared to what we could come up with on our own. I now have a new Ch-Angel in my life. A beautiful, albeit scarred, soul who obviously lives beyond her own thoughts and troubles and issues.

Thank you, God, for my Ch-Angel yesterday. She was amazing. Her strength has rubbed off on me and I may still be hacking, sneezing, blowing, coughing, not sleeping, feverish, and freezing . . . but the generally miserable thing exists no more.

God bless my Ch-Angel Jo in her weekend of memorials, memories, and faith. xoxo

Blesson

We meet people for a reason.

They are either a blessing or a lesson.

And, on occasion, they are a blesson.

The joy of life is learning from ALL of them.

Shoes!

My name is Lyn Marinello and I have a shoe fetish!

Actually, I do. When I was much younger, without a worry as to bills or children, I had I believe more shoes than clothes. And, in a roundabout sort of way, I'm making a point.

I have walked in many shoes. I've done sneakers, boots, flats, heels, stillettos, and a thousand other varieties. In those shoes, I've been victorious, beaten, betrothed, left behind, sweaty, angry, vindictive, joyous, jealous, silly, stupid, ninja-like, naughty, brave, cowardly, and a thousand other things.

Walk a mile in my shoes. See what I see. Learn what I learn. Hear what I hear. Feel what I feel. Bear what I carry. Then maybe you will understand why I do what I do.

Til then . . . don't judge me!

I wrote this in reference to myself, but it applies to every single one of us. Be careful who you judge. You know not where there shoes have passed. You do not know their limitations, their expectations, their boundaries, their exceptionalities, their experiences. You know only of your own.

Fortitude

A person will only do to you what you allow them to do to you.

I have written about this numerous times. It is a lesson we all must continually learn and re-learn ~ at least in my case. Maybe we are too trusting or 'too nice,' although I don't think that's possible. In attempting to create a happy atmosphere for all, we usually lose sight of what makes us happy and THAT is not OK. When we allow someone else to rob us of our joys, we have disappointed ourself. That is the worst kind of disappointment.

MLK, Jr. once said, "Let no man pull you low enough to hate him." I do not allow 'hate' into my array of emotions. There does come a point, however, where one must realize that you cannot fix what ails everyone and you must simply 'point your shoes in another direction'. (A great quote by my grandpa and mother!)

And finally, Ernest Hemingway drives the point home. "The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable; they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed."

And so . . . my query is such that how does one give tirelessly of ones self, for the betterment of their little corner of the world, catering to the whims and needs of others to lift them up, without sacrificing their own needs?

The answer is fortitude!

Defined as: mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger or temptation courageously.

Put to use, one can plow one's way through the trials, the troubles, the tribulations of things that are out of their control, to continue their passion and their purpose and to not allow any other soul to steal what drives them.

Today, I wish you fortitude!

Diamonds

A diamond is a wonderous thing. Created under such pressure and emerging as a beautiful, precious, priceless gem. It is truly remarkable.

What sparks my interest today is the many, many, many facets of a diamond. Without the many multiple faces of this valued rarity, the diamond loses its sparkle; its appeal; its worth. It takes every facet, created to minute perfection, to bring forth a showpiece. Each facet, connecting each to the other, complimenting one another, brings that dazzle forth.

Today, remember that we are each a necessary facet in any and every project, task, and triumph you are a part of. You are a valuable piece of what will eventually be a beautiful work of art. You cannot be a brilliant diamond with only ONE facet. You need to be surrounded by the clarity, the cut, the color of the multitude of many other necessary and supplemental facets.

Go . . . be a part of something brilliant!
Shine and dazzle!

For a friend

So, I have this friend . . .

She's young and going through a rough time right now. She's experienced many a bump in her short journey, but she is definitely a fighter AND a survivor. She's learning the value of her self and realizing that she can stand on her own two feet. She doesn't need any attachments to be worthy, although she is surrounded by the steady comfort of an army of friends, relatives, and supporters.

I'm hoping, today, that she learns to focus on the future. We all make mistakes. We might make decisions that don't reflect too positively on our life. The task we are faced with is finding that silver lining. Sometimes, we have to have the good things pointed out to us.

My dear friend, my little sunflower . . . you are amazing!
You have strengths you have not even begun to tap.
You are determined, persistent, stubborn, and brilliant.
You are creative, compassionate, caring, and charismatic.
You beam.
You shine.
You ooze with a warmth and generosity known to mere few.
You eminate with a fortitude that frighten those without it.
You are capable and courageous.
You can do anything you put your heart and mind to.

Stop looking behind you. The past is in your rear view for a reason.
Your future is as bright and open-ended as you choose it to be.
Leave your baggage with the bad decisions and move toward the positive, without remorse, regret, or retribution. All those things simply drain you of your energy.

Be free of what ails you.
Go be happy!

Love you.

And I smile . . .

There are those days when no matter what you do, it seems to be the wrong thing.

And I smile . . .

There are those days when folks just seem extra ordinarily angry and super easily upset.

And I smile . . .

There are those days when you're late no matter how well you prepare yourself.

And I smile . . .

There are those days when all life's curve balls seem to be thrown at you.

And I smile . . .

There are those days when all the bad news seems to be about you or folks you know.

And I smile . . .

For I know that I can endure any storm, face any foe, combat any confrontation, persist through any pressures, and triumph over any tribulation.

My strength is mine to draw on and I am as strong as I'll ever need to be . . .

And I smile.

Be sure the safety bar is secure

When we get on the ride that is the roller coaster of life, nobody checks the safety bar.

You just wait in line, hop in a car, pull it down and see where this crazy contraption takes you.

Usually, there is a nice long uphill climb, for a couple of decades at least, before you hurl at untold speeds down some wicked steep drop off with your hair straight out behind you, screaming at the top of your lungs. Just when you think you're plummeting straight into the dirt, you meet up with some spine-distorting, bone-jarring barrel roll or corkscrew that takes you back up to the heavens. There are tunnels of darkness, flashes of lights, spritzes, sprays, an array of sounds and alarms and twists and turns you never see coming. On occasion, there is some short, peaceful connection to get you from point A to point B, before another delirious onslaught of the unknown.

Now, definitely, there are those that become a little squeamish. There are those that try to be all brave while their insides are all jumbled. But it is those folks who ride the ride for what it is that get the most out of it. Those that might occasionally lose their lunch, but who quickly recover to savor the sensation of scarcely hanging on to their sanity, who truly envelope and enjoy all this attraction allows.

Please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times. Any loose items are certain to be gone at the end of the ride. And please, be sure the safety bar is secure!

Enjoy the ride!

Be eager

Some things do not need much elaboration.

THIS . . . is one of those things. It is just facile, clear, and yet carries the weight of the world in its simplicity.

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world,
the master calls a butterfly."
~ Richard Bach

Do not be afraid of what occurs. Be eager to see what might come of it.

Comfort

Comfort can be found in many things.

Comfort can be defined as different things by different people.

There can be comfort found in food, in sport, in company, in touch, in sound, in taste, in sight, in smells, in solace, in quiet, in calamity, in success, in failure, in work, in home, in people, in pets, in deeds, in music, in writing, in reading, in teaching, in learning, in sharing, in solitude, in certain places, at certain times, with certain memories, in faith, and in so many other ways.

My comfort comes from family.
My comfort comes from hugs.
My comfort comes from sunshine.
My comfort comes from knowing I am not alone.
My comfort comes from making a difference.
My comfort comes from being a person of worth.

My comfort comes and I am at peace.

As I Grow Old . . .

As I grow old, I have learned that asking questions is a good thing!

As I grow old, I have learned that sharing hugs is healthy!

As I grow old, I have learned that gossip is the burden of the gossiper!

As I grow old, I have learned that I cannot please everyone all of the time, but I'm sure going to try!

As I grow old, I have learned that things matter least of all; people matter most!

As I grow old, I have learned that life is an exploration of caverns and plateaus and peaks and valleys and storms and sunny days.

As I grow old, I have learned to say what you mean and mean what you say!

As I grow old, I have learned to let go of the things and the people who have hurt me the most. The weight of their actions is not mine to bear.

As I grow old, I have learned to respect those that have travelled before me.

As I grow old, I have learned to love and laugh and live as much as I'm able. Tomorrow is promised to no one.

As I grow old, I thank God every day for a new chance to keep on learning!

Another version

I think most of us have heard or read this in another version. I really like this one, though. It explains it differently and a little more succinctly. I rather like it!

We never know when our last day on earth will be.
So, love with full sincerity, believe with true faith, and hope with all of your might.
Better to have lived in truth and discovered life,
than to have lived half-heartedly and died long before you ever ceased breathing.
~ Cristina Marrero

I don't know that it even needs me to comment further.

Get out there! Do stuff!

A good read

So, I was stuck without reading material. WHAT???

I really enjoy Patterson, Koontz, Johannsen, etc., but every now and again, I completely change things up and look for a good, uplifting, cleansing sort of book.

I was a little hesitant about the book suggested by a very young salesperson at the local Christian book store. It looked a little 'simple,' but she was truly enthused about it, so I figured I would brush aside my pre-conceived stupidity and give it a shot.

Sometimes, God truly works in wonderfully mysterious ways.

This is the first paragraph of the foreword of the book. If this does not sum up what I am all about and what I believe, I don't know where else I'd find it. Absolutely SPOT ON!!

"People who really want to make a different in the world usually do it, in one way or another. And I've noticed something about people who make a different in the world: They hold the unshakable conviction that individuals are extremely important, that every life matters. They get excited over one smile. They are willing to feed one stomach, educate one mind, and treat one wound. They aren't determined to revolutionize the world all at once; they're satisfied with small changes. Over time, though, the small changes add up. Sometimes they even transform cities and nations, and yes, the world."

Oh how I adore a good read!