For the fashionistas

During the holidays, there are those that gather up all the latest styles and parade them around like they are on a runway in Milan.
There are those that gobble up the trendiest tops and the latest leggings.
There are those with bling beyond belief.

What we need to remember ~ especially during the holiday seasons . . .

is to clothe ourselves in tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

For these are the rags of the rich of heart and spirit!

Worth Repeating

As the holiday season is now in full swing (and I can attest to this from my Grey Thursday crazy shift at work til 1 am), remember that there are many folks whose holidays are far more trying that you could ever imagine. They may be alone, or with family but no job to provide a festive holiday, or just simply trying to make ends meet with nothing left for presents or food.

If we cannot do great things,
we can do small things in a great way.

I've got a friend who just started Baggies of Blessings - a local-to-Tampa group that helps to provide necessities to the homeless or in need. Of course you know I'm affiliated with All Children's Hospital who is always looking for new, unwrapped toy donations for those that will be in the hospital during the holidays. I'm also affiliated with the Children's Dream Fund which grants the dreams of seriously and terminally ill children on Florida's west coast. They are always in need of dream makers. And that's just three that I'm part of locally. There are gobs more - everywhere.

If you have a little extra ~ consider giving to help someone else.
If you belong to a group or business that could help, feel free to contact me and I'll get you in touch with the right folks at my favorites.
A small kindness creates great ripples.

If we cannot do great things,
we can do small things in a great way.

Feast

Happy Thanksgiving!

A wonderful time of abundance.
We have much to be thankful for.
There is feasting in great magnitude.

There is, of course, the feast of food upon your table. Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry, cornbread, croissants, corn, apple pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and a million other mouthwatering delectable treats.

There is, too, the feast that is family. I, myself, am thrilled to share my table with my immediate family. To drink in the laughter and chatter of hubby and my 'babies' fills me up more than any treat mentioned above. Believe me, though, I come from a long history of no less than twenty for every Thanksgiving growing up. I enjoy both!

There is the feast of friends. Those folks who may be too far from home or to sit at the table with their own families, so they share yours. The people we take into our lives as though they were family. We love them, sometimes, more than family.

We have the feast of freedom. While we are chowing down and watching parades and football, there are those half a world away who are fighting so we can continue to do so. Freedom is a delicacy taken far too much for granted these days.

And finally, please, feast on faith! Give thanks for all your blessings. Your guests who are eating with you and those that are eating at a far better spread. Your children, your spouse, your brothers, your sisters, your parents, your cousins, your friends, your framily, your trials and triumphs, your overwhelming times and your overcoming of them, your hugs, your Angels, your talents, your gifts, yourself. There is so very much to be thankful for.

Feast today.
Fill up on ALL the good stuff.

Happy

Happy is the heart that believes in Angels.

Well, duh!

I am

Walk away from anything or anyone who takes away from your joy.
Life is too short to put up with fools or foolish games.
When you need something to believe in,
start with yourself!
Be thankful for you.
I am

The new math

I would maintain that thanks are thought to the nth degree,
and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder
and divided only by the multitudes we share it with.

Leap!

One of THE best feelings in the world
is to take the proverbial 'leap of faith' and land on your feet!
Far too often, folks are too timid or cautious or calculating to take that first step.
To venture into the unknown is a scary and unnerving action.

But . . .

To take that step,
that 'leap of faith,'
to not go where the path leads
but to make a trail instead . . .
is a victory known to few.

Leave worries behind you.
Open the door.
Leap!

Look

In every person that you encounter, look for what is good and strong.
In every heart you come across, look for what needs healing.
In every face you gaze into, look to create a smile.
In every life that you can touch, look to make a difference.

Hide and Seek

In those times I cannot seem to find God,
I rest in the assurance that He knows how to find me.

Absurdity

Today is National Absurdity Day!

Don't you find it Absurd that there are Christmas decorations out during Halloween?
Don't you find it Absurd that stores are opening for Black Friday on Thanksgiving Thursday?
Don't you find it Absurd that I am asked to say Happy Holidays when I fully believe in Merry Christmas and Jesus Christ?
Don't you find it Absurd that I need to push #1 to hear English?
Don't you find it Absurd that we find folks guilty of serious crimes and then feed them three squares for the next thirty years til all their appeals run out?
Don't you find it Absurd that we send so much relief all around the world and yet we are a nation of great poverty and starvation ourselves?
Don't you find it Absurd that folks think you're odd if you wear white pants after a certain date?
Don't you find it Absurd that if I speak my mind, I'm a beotch; and if I keep quiet, I'm a doormat?
Don't you find it Absurd that we've allowed our children to believe that no one loses a game?
Don't you find it Absurd that we've somehow managed to take any given moment to extremes - like NFL bullies and twerking in the name of publicity?
Don't you find it Absurd that there's a far greater need for more Mayberry than Real Housewives?

Just some things to ponder.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Actions

I happened upon this quip and found it most profound.

What you do speaks so loud,
I cannot hear what you say.

I'm not sure if it's something I'm going through, or perhaps related to a few different friends, but it just seems like it needed to be out there, unleashed, and available for others to see.

Actions usually do speak louder than words.
Walking the walk is far different than talking the talk.

I have found a clear and happy path, filled with beautifully kind and gentle souls, who are eager to walk with me and support me. I choose to leave the brambles.

I know, in my heart, that my endeavors; my actions; my efforts are in sync with my voice and my heart.

How about you?

Closed Doors

We have all heard that mighty adage: when one door closes, another opens.
It is powerful and positive.

This little quote, though, gives it a different twist that may help a few timid, anxious, and concerned folks out there. It was given to us by one Katrina Mayer. Thank you, Katrina.

Some doors don't lead you where you want to go.
It's okay to close them.

Powerful and positive.
NEXT!

Care

Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles.
It empties today of its strength.
Strength does not come for what you can do;
It comes from overcoming the things you thought you couldn't do.
Do not let the world make you hard.
Do not let the pain make you hate.
Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness.
Life is like a camera:
       Focus on what's important
       Capture the good times
       Develop from the negatives
To make a real difference in the world
you don't have to be brilliant or rich or beautiful or perfect.
You simply have to care.

Strength and Courage and Hope

You were given this life because you are strong enough to live it.
Live it wisely.
There are many things you cannot recover in life which include:
        The spoken word
        Time
        Trust
Every dream you've ever had can come true
if you simply possess the courage to pursue them.
Pursue them with passion.
Hope is humming in the darkness, dancing in the rain,
and stepping forward where there is no path.
I wish for you ~ strength and courage and hope.

Focus

I normally don't take requests, but this one surely hits home.

I have a wonderfully, kind-hearted friend who is bitterly disappointed in the human race when they react and/or respond to things with mean, disrespectful, and hurtful words and/or actions. I share her observations and have been privy to those same hurtful words and actions on many occasions.

Sometimes, I feel like I'm a hundred years old. Not quite to 50 yet, but feeling weathered beyond centuries, I have seen and felt and witnessed many, many mean and hateful things through the years. This is what I offered to my wonderfully, kind-hearted friend:

We cannot fix the world.
We can simply lead by example.
We share our hearts and our talents and lives with others in hopes that they will feel that love and pass it on.
Some just don't get it.
Some are just content to be malcontent.
Some cannot fathom why you would be nice to a stranger.
What we need to understand is that all we can do is pray for them.
We hope that God and some grace might touch and soften their soul and their heart that they might find compassion and empathy and kindness.
Until that time, their alienation of others only serves to separate them from the world around them.

Walk away from the things that make you sad.
Envelope yourself with positive, productive, philanthropic people.
Pray for the souls that are lost and hurting; low and hurtful ~ there is some reason for their pain.
Focus on the indubitably wonderful change you can be in the world.

Walk Away

Generally, I believe most folks just want to be good people.
Most folks give the benefit of the doubt and try to be fair.
There are folks, however, who genuinely get giddy over calamity and chaos.
They find great joy in bullying and belittling others.
There is sheer shamelessness in shattering others.

Here is a hard lesson to learn, but one so very valuable that it can literally save your life.

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

It is when you find the strength to believe in yourself;
to value your worth;
to understand the sadness that lies in their heart;
that you can gather the broken pieces of yourself and walk away.

It is not only healthy, it is vital to your existence.

Thankful

If you don't think you have anything to be thankful for, please check your pulse!
God sees, in you, a masterpiece just waiting to emerge.
If you think you've been thrown to the wolves, you have two options . . .
you can be devoured,
or
you can become Leader of the Pack!
You are in charge of how you're treated and what you allow to happen to you.
Find within you the makings of that masterpiece and get to work!
I am thankful every day for the opportunity to try to get it right . . . again!

Thank You

To the many, many Veterans who have served this great nation to preserve our freedoms and our way of life, I thank you!
To the many, many Veterans who gave their lives defending what this nation stands for, I thank you!
To the many, many Active Duty Military who continue, each day, to serve and protect us from all evil ~ foreign and domestic ~ I thank you!

Calvin Rider
Alfred J. Herrmann, Sr.
Alfonso Sellet
Salvatore Marinello
William Rider
James Rider
Alfred J. Herrmann, Jr.
Nicholas Rider
Robert Rider
Nicole Cyr
Lenny Miller
Kane Plate
Kevin Ferrero

And a multitude of others who are of lesser relations but no less dedicated to a higher calling ~
Thank You!

Good Morning!

Oh, isn't it wonderful?

That moment when you first wake up in the morning.
It is the most splendid moment of the day.
Not matter how weary you might feel, no matter the day's tasks,
you possess the knowledge that absolutely anything could happen.
Far too often we focus on worrying about what MIGHT happen.
Allow the possibilities . . . the positive . . . the pleasantries to fill you.
Be enriched with a Good Morning
and follow it up with a Dare-to-Believe Day!

Hero

A true hero, it is said, is not someone who thinks about doing what is right.
A true hero is one that simply does what is right without thinking!

There's a Ch-Angel friend of mine who goes by the name of Lenny.
If folks were in the dictionary with defining 'tag lines,' the above would be his!

Be a Hero!

Insulation

Electronic wires need the proper insulation for safety purposes.
Houses need the proper insulation to keep the cold out in winter and the heat out in summer.
What makes you any different?

You need to have the proper insulation to ensure your safety and comfort.

Surround yourself with folks who build you up; who comfort you; who push you in a positive way; who lead you with love and kindness; who support you; who strengthen and fortify you; who give you the opportunity to flourish; who listen; who care; who stand by you in good times and bad; who believe in you.

The folks that do any less than that, are not worth putting in your attic or wrapping around your wiring. Bad insulation costs you much, much more than a couple of dollars at the height of winter.

Envelope yourself with smiles and joy and friendship and laughter.
It is a beautiful conductor of peace, harmony, and inner strength!

Decisions, Decisions . . .

If you are lucky enough to wake up in the morning, you have a choice.
You can either make yourself miserable, or you can make yourself strong.
The amount of work is the same.
The choice is yours.
And remember this as well . . .
No matter the task, the trial, or tribulation . . .
The finish line is just the beginning of a whole new race.

So choose well and run, Forrest, run!

Will

Strength does not come from physical capacity.
It comes from an indomitable will.
Mind over matter.
If you don't mind, it don't matter.
What you believe, you can achieve.
You can accomplish anything you truly desire to accomplish.
Focus, prepare, take baby steps, or giant leaps, but always press forward.
Your will is an amazingly sturdy fiber of your being.

Let It Go

I have a dear friend who sent me a writing entitled, "Let It Go". It was written in reference to knowing what you can control and being ok with what you cannot. She gave it to me for one reason, but it has been wonderfully useful in a variety of other areas.

This weekend, I spent several days away from home.
It is always good to get away - no matter what you do - to switch things up and change your vantage point.
We took a cave tour, walked in the rain, drank really potent and bad beer, we stayed out way too late, we cheered on a favorite team with 84,000 of our closest friends, we danced, we sang, we walked and walked and walked, we spent time with our son, and we laughed.
It was such a wonderful time  ~  to let the things go that I cannot change or alter or fix.
It was so relaxing  ~  to not be worried about who is offended or how my words can be misconstrued.
It was beautiful  ~  to simple enjoy my surroundings.
It was cleansing to just detoxify my life. To sweep out the bad, mean, and ugly things and welcome in the beautiful, wondrous, and marvelous things.

If I was a doctor, I would whip out my prescription pad and write everyone a script:

Take a few days off and Let It Go!