On The Brink

Happy New Year's Eve!


Today is National Make Up Your Mind Day!
That is motivation to prep yourself for the year ahead.


Make Your Mind Up that 2015 will be a banner year.
Make Your Mind Up that 2015 will be a bold year.
Make Your Mind Up that you will stand up to your fears.
Make Your Mind Up that you will speak when necessary.
Make Your Mind Up that you will explore new territories.
Make Your Mind Up to be a little better that you were this year.
Make Your Mind Up to be generous and loving and kind.
Make Your Mind Up that you deserve what you work for.


The new year is yours to mold.
Create something extraordinary!

Almost There

Just two more days and 2014 will be nothing but a memory.
What kind of memory will it be for you?
Mine contains great loss.
I put down my 13 year old black Lab, Max.
I was betrayed by someone I thought was a good friend.
I said goodbye to my baby brother, Skip.
Tremendous holes are left.
I also learned that I am terribly tenacious.
I am resilient and persistent and courageous.
I can stand up to what ails me, and whether things change or not,
I've made my peace with it.
Your 2014 is filled with your own trials and tribulations.
To each of us, our experiences are so grandiose.
We need to remember that we each are fighting what seems like
incredible battles to us.
We are each celebrating unfathomable victories.
We need to realize each lesson, good or bad,
for ourselves and in each other.
You're almost there.
You can do this!

It's a Good Day

It's a Good Day
to have a Good Day!


The day is yours.
Make it what you will.
How other people treat you is their business.
How you react is yours.
Don't become so bogged down by work
that you forget to marvel at the beauty that surrounds you.
There is goodness everywhere.
Enjoy it!
Absorb it!
Become its mirror!


Have a Good Day!

2015

Now is when folks are diligently weighing in on what grand achievement
they will realize in the coming year.
They will buy a brand new car.
They will lose fifty pounds.
They will become the CEO of their company.
And those would all be magnificent.


But . . .


How about we start with something much more important
and incomprehensibly easier?!


Be nice.
Be pleasant.
Be happy.
Be joyful.
Be helpful.
Be kind.
Be giving.
Be generous.
Be loving.


If you achieve only half those things,
you will have improved your world ten-fold.
Enjoy your New Year!

Think On This

From Phillips Brooks:


How silently,
how silently
the wondrous gift is given
So God imparts
to human hearts
the wonders
of His heaven.


Soak it in and enjoy the warmth!

Gifts

In the next day or two, there will be piles of ribbons,
shredded wrapping paper, crumbled up bags and
wonderful memories of gifts received.


My focus, today, is not on those store-bought trinkets.
I want you to think today, of the gifts you've received through the whole last year.


Gifts of people!


The idiots who cut you off in traffic.
The backstabbers who lied and betrayed you.
The gossipers who talked smack.
These 'Gifts' taught you patience and perseverance.
These 'Gifts' gave you strength and tenacity.
These 'Gifts' brought you visual clarity of what you
do not want to be or behave like.


The beautiful souls who raise you up.
The generous angels who grace your every day.
The supportive folks who listen and love you continuously.
The kind strangers who carry hope in a smile.
These 'Gifts' taught you there is goodness out there.
These 'Gifts' gave you self-confidence and joy.
These 'Gifts' assured you it's ok to be you.
These 'Gifts' lightened your days and filled your heart with love.


Gifts are what you make of them.
Filter and find the grace in each.
People are a joy to unwrap and discover.
Enjoy your holidays and ALL of your 'Gifts'!


Peace!

A new outfit for the holidays?

From an older, established, eclectic store called Colossians . . .


"You must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy,
kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
You must take allowance for each other's faults
and forgive the person who offends you.
Remember, the Lord forgave you,
so you must forgive others.
And the most important piece of clothing you must wear
is LOVE.
Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony.
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.
For as members of one body
you are all called to live in peace."

A Wonder-full Gift

God will never leave you empty.
He will replace everything you lost.
If He asks you to put something down,
it's because He wants you to pick up something greater.
If He asks you to say goodbye,
it's because He wants you to receive something grander.
Loss is not final.
It is a new beginning.

Good Stuff

"The great man is he
who does not lose his childlike heart."
~ Mencius


Follow the laughter.
Join the laughter.
Be the laughter.

Check-Up

It's time for a check-up to ensure the best health possible.


I hope you have:


eyes that see the best in people,
a heart that forgives the worst,
a mind that forgets the bad,
and a soul that never loses faith in God.


Good health!
Much love!

Hmmm

"Think like a man of action,
act like a man of thought."


~ Henri-Louis Bergson

A Christmas Ch-Angel

And so, back to this blog's roots . . .
It is time for a Christmas Ch-Angel.


A beautiful ray of light who bounced into my life last year
and just refused to ever dim.
No matter what was thrown at her.
She is a big giant ball of goofiness that keeps me laughing,
keeps me sane,
keeps me singing,
keeps me from going to prison,
keeps me focused on the positive.


I must admit I was a bit timid to welcome her
because of recent painful hurts, backstabbing, and heartaches.
But . . . like a Labrador puppy, she just keeps sitting there,
tail a'waggin',
waiting to play,
and loving me no matter what.


It is these dear, genuine, sincere type folks that truly renew my faith in mankind.
Thank you Ch-Angel Les . . .
I am truly blessed by your presence and your friendship!

Pot Luck Today . . .

"Do all the good you can.
By all the means you can.
In all the ways you can.
In all the places you can.
At all the times you can.
To all the people you can.
As long as ever you can."
~ John Wesley


"I make the most of all that comes
and the least of all that goes."
~ Sara Teasdale


So, in summary, remember that YOU CAN make a difference.
Let go of the drama and the nonsense and the things that really don't matter.
And . . . if all that fails, remember that today is


National Chocolate Covered Anything Day

YOURSELF

By Alan Alda  (one of my favorites!)


Be brave enough to live creatively.
The creative is the place where no one else has ever been.
You have to leave the city of your comfort
and go into the wilderness of your intuition.
You can't get there by bus,
only by hard work,
risking,
and by not quite knowing what you're doing.
What you'll discover will be wonderful:


YOURSELF!

Simplistic Perfection

The heart that gives,
gathers.


~ Marianne Moore

Christmas Cheer

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer,
is singing loud for all to hear."


Can you tell I just saw Elf?
I just love that movie.
Such innocence in a giant goofball of a man.


Grab a hold of some of that innocence.
Put a little syrup on your s'ghetti.
Compliment others.
Feel free to speak what you believe.
Jump on a bed.
Stay away from radiators and jack-in-the-boxes.
Marvel at the lights.
Cut a few paper snowflakes.


And Sing!

Be Silly

If laughter is the best medicine,
then I'd definite prescribe for you today
to be a little silly.


Whether you're putting your name on things at work,
forcing a smile instead of physically injuring folks,
enforcing a no nimrod zone,
putting on your best English accent to call for help,
or just making yourself laugh . . .
it lightens your mood,
lifts your spirits,
and improves the immediate area around you.


Today . . .
Go Be Silly!

Peace

Peace is a beautiful word.
To me, it conjures visions of doves and harps and community.
Peace is not one-sided or bias.
It can blanket each and every one of us,
if we teach it,
learn it,
live it.
We must be responsible for our thoughts and our actions.
When those thoughts and actions are focused on peace,
then peace will be the end result.


Today, to you, . . . PEACE!

Your 'List'

This has been around for a bit,
but I thought I would share it.
I really like it . . .


First Holiday To-Do List


1.  Buy Presents
2. Wrap Gifts
3. Send Gifts
4. Shop for Food
5. Make Cookies.
6. See the Lights.


REVISED Holiday To-Do List


1. Be Present
2. Wrap Someone in a Hug
3. Send Peace
4. Donate Food
5. Make Love
6. Be the Light


It makes a difference.
Go . . . make a difference.

Love

There is no time like the present
to show a little love.


Give a hug.
Lend a hand.
Share a smile.
Offer your heart.


Tomorrow is promised to no one.
Leave it all here.
Your love is an extraordinary gift.
Give it generously.

Change Your Viewpoint

The holidays can really get on your nerves.
The stores start playing Christmas music before Halloween.
You are bombarded with sales flyers and media ads.
(It's almost worse than election time!)
Folks are fighting to get the last best toy.
Tempers are short and patience is thin.
But . . .
Try this if you are feeling a bit beaten by the blitz.


Change Your Viewpoint


Watch a child's eyes.
See the sheer, unfiltered excitement as they play.
Share the utter joy at their opportunity to talk to Santa.
Really listen to the lyrics of some of those Christmas songs.
Understand what giving a few dollars to a family in need can do.
Just sit and enjoy the lights somewhere.
Realize the real Reason for the Season.


Don't let the coupon-crazed, toy-terrorists get you down.
You're in charge of your own mood.
Change your viewpoint.
Make it magical!

Precious

Precious are those moments of growing up in a tight-knit family.
Precious are the memories I will always have of that.
Precious are the times I shared dating my best friend who became my husband.
Precious are the moments of creating new and incredible lives.
Precious are the opportunities to share the love you have.
Precious are the chances to give of yourself.
Precious are the instances given to make the world a little better.


Go and seize whatever is precious to you!

A little bolder

I am a big advocate of random acts of kindness
and paying forward any kindnesses you receive.
I offer suggestions frequently about leaving money
for the person behind you at Starbucks, in the grocery store, or wherever.
Yesterday, though, I switched it up.
I was at 'my Publix'. They know me well there.
I ran into one of my favorite employees.
She was done with her shift and was purchasing a few items.
She got in line ahead of me.
She put her items up, put up the separator, and helped me
take my items out of my cart and put them on the register.
I caught the cashier's eye and mouthed, "Put hers on mine."
Because I've done this numerous time with the person behind me,
she knew exactly what I wanted.
My buddy, the employee, was a little shocked but most appreciative.
It was surely quite nice to face the recipient and tell her she deserved it.
What will YOU do today to be . . . a little bolder?

Special You

I tell you all the time
how very special, unique and amazing you are.
I impress upon you how important and vital you are.
Although you might think I'm speaking directly to YOU,
I'm referring to mankind.
We each have within us such incredible talents to share,
beliefs to profess,
opportunities to pursue,
and beauty to display.
Each one of us holds a thread in this tapestry called life.
When one thread breaks or is lost,
there is an emptiness - an unfinished story.
Let's try to remember we know not of another's struggles.
Let's try to remember that precious golden rule.
Let's try to remember that we should respect one another.
Let's try to remember that we should be kind.
Let's try to remember that every life is precious.
Every story needs to be told.
Be Special You!

Giving Tuesday

Today is a national philanthropic sort of day in which
one gives what one is able to a cause that is near and dear to their heart.
Although I have a select few arenas that I focus my passions on,
I realize that other folks have their own passions to which they give.
There is no right or wrong place to donate.
I would urge you to check on what percentage of your donation goes to your charity,
but otherwise . . . give freely and frivolously.


Giving is not only a tremendous blessing to the organization you choose;
it is a glorious gift unto your own beautiful self.
It also sets a wonderful example for the folks around you to do the same.
And those blessings always seem to flow back to you in some form or fashion.


Have a wonderfully giving day.
Be generous.
Be gracious.
Be good.

Simple

In the hurried insanity that has become the Christmas season,
take a moment to remember why we celebrate the holiday.
It is not about the boxes.
It is not about the bags.
It is not about the ribbons.
It is not about the decorations.
It is not about the light displays.


I have a beautiful friend who posted a photo of her Christmas tree
and beneath it she typed, "Simple, but I like it."


That is as it should be.
She captured, in one little photo and sentence,
what we all need to learn.


Keep it simple this season.
Enjoy the music.
Enjoy the meaning.
Enjoy your family and friends.
Enjoy the Reason for this Season.


God bless and Merry Christmas.
Have a simple day.