Explore the heart
With courage and might
Knowing that there’s a love
That is just right
Look in the corners
And around the bends
Or soaring across the sky
Is the love that never ends
Don’t be afraid
Just go with the flow
Your heart will always smile
Because it will always know
Permission to speak freely by Anne Jackson is an awesome book that talks about how we let our fears stop us from speaking freely about anything. Freely speaking on our thoughts and fears about church, relationships, addictions, depression, family etc. Her single statement “Fear Won” caught my heart. Fear wins out so often over so many things in so many of our lives. This book reminds us that we may never be completely free of fear, but that we can live a courageous life, speaking freely about the issues we have faced or are facing.
Many people struggle with depression and seasons of depression, wondering why they still fight it or are fearful of what others will think about them taking antidepressants etc. She sums it up nicely when talking about seasons of depression saying “feelings of insecurity and worthlessness is a chain I may never be able to break.”
She generously gives the gift of courage by stepping out and speaking out about her addictions, abuse and fear of talking freely about them. She says “something in us begins to come alive in us when we see people overcome fear.” We draw courage from others who, regardless of fear, stand up and speak up.
Sometimes our fears of living our dreams keep up from even taking the first step. Anne puts it this way “Their hearts are fighting for their dreams, yet fear claws away at their spirits, telling them their dreams are impossible.” Sometimes it doesn’t take much more than a single twinge of fear to hold us back.
This book is very uplifting and encouraging. Whether you are fighting seasons of depression, feelings of worthlessness, or anything else that grips your heart in fear, Permission to Speak Freely is sure to encourage you and maybe you’ll find the gift of going 2nd is something you can give to others by sharing your story.
One of my favorite quotes by Anne:
I had now seen the redemption and freedom that occurs when the darkness is forced into the light, disguised as awkwardly spoken words
The audio book is read by Anne Jackson, the author. I feel that we could actually feel more of what she was feeling as she recounts some of what was going through her mind and heart while she was retelling her story. Very well done.
I’d like to thank Christian Audio for the complimentary copy of this book through their Reviewers’program. Follow Christian Audio on Twitter here. Check their site each month for a free audio book download. Good stuff there!
Thanks Mom
Where is the peace that passes all understanding
And the joy unspeakable hiding?
Where is the hope that never ends
And the sparkling hearts residing?
Where is the security of tomorrow
Because it’s almost a brand new day?
Where is the unconditional love
That moves into my heart to stay?
Where are these precious wonderful things
That are near and dear to my heart?
Have circumstances clouded my eyes
To have it appear these things are not apart?
Push the clouds away, let the light shine
And the warm fill our soul with smiles.
There are more than enough of these great things
To carry us through every mile.
What do you think?
Do you miss precious things because circumstances cloud your view?
Tell me your thoughts below.
{{HUGS}} yall
Think you’re too small to make a difference? Think again!
Put a tiny rock in your shoe and walk a mile
Give a simple sucker to a toddler & watch their world light up
Try ignoring that fly buzzing about your meal
Leave that piece of dust under your contact
Smile widely...with a tiny piece of black pepper stuck to your tooth
Watch what ants will do with your slice of pie
Remember the grain of sand that became a gorgeous pearl
Think about the one smooth stone that took out a giant
Notice how one spark can consume and entire forest
One flicker of light pierces the darkest night
1 person "going" for it, gives courage to the fearful
A reassuring smile brings hope
Gaze at the GIANT oak that was once a tiny seed
One single tear can soften the hardest heart
The difference of one second.... that allowed you to miss that accident or plane crash
Ignore that nail in your tire
Leave that splinter in your finger
These are just a few that I quickly jotted down. I'd love to hear YOURS! If you are on twitter, please do leave your @ name as well!
http://www.spreading-joy.org
I share this with you today because we all feel this way…..sometimes.
The question is, do we stay “here” or do we make the choice to move on – out from under these feelings?
I hope when you are “here” in this state that we all “sometimes” are in, that you’ll choose to move beyond this….regardless of how slow it may be.
This prompted a phone call from Father Miles. I didn’t leave a note or anything as to what it was for and for all he knew it could have been someone sending him a “hint.” (He said it, I didn’t)
We chatted for a moment about the box of goodies and I filled him in on my day job that allows me to travel each week and I just save those items, bring them home and when I get a box of them, I’ll donate it the homeless shelter. This lead to more questions about Spreading Joy and a meeting over coffee. I love coffee. I love meeting new people…such JOY!
We met and in our discussion he came up with the idea of giving up some negative things for Lent and replacing them with positive, JOYful things.
Thanks Father Miles for the Opportunity to talk about JOY
When I concluded, he challenged us to give up the concept that we don’t matter, because we do; to give up the notion that we can’t make a difference, because we can; to give up idea that it just isn’t going to get better, because it will.
I’ve really enjoyed my visits at St. Luke’s and the members have always welcomed me and my family with open arms.
I’m thankful for the new friends I’ve found there and for any opportunity that I can be a blessing to them and to leadership in the
A View from the Cemetary
For More Information, Please visit them by clicking the various links below.
Many people have already decided what they will be giving up for Ash Wednesday. I'd like to challenge you to look at things from a different approach.
I was chatting with Father Miles of St. Luke's Episcopal Church over coffee a few weeks ago, discussing ways that Spreading Joy could encourage his church. We were discussing the difficulties that we all face, the clouds that tend to hang over us, causing us to just see only the negative things that are surrounding us. He then had the idea that for Ash Wednesday, he would challenge his people to do something a little different this year. Instead of giving up coffee, Reese Cups, fast food or other things of that nature, that he would get them to focus on giving up negativity and replace it with JOY!
I love the idea, but as one that is always looking past the negativity and searching for joy on purpose, I know how difficult this can be. (Wait...am I being negative right there? uggghhh!!)
Replacing the negative, discouraging and depressing thoughts and actions with positive will certainly help anyone who decides to do so. When you are on purpose looking for the millions of little blessings that are swirling about you at any given time, you will be a much happier, positive person. Everyone will see a noticeable difference and want to know the source of your JOY!
Not wanting anyone to fail, I suggest that you replace, replace - replace. If you are trying to get rid of one thing, it is always easier to do so when you replace it with something better. Tell me, what is better than true joy from deep within? We can't always change the circumstances that brings the black cloud of despair over us and try to keep us down, but we can make a choice about staying "in" the negativity or moving past it.
I was speaking with a co-worker about Lent and giving up things for these 40 days today. She said that she will fast from something that will move her closer to God, such as gossip. She doesn't think that giving up coffee or Reese Cups would be wrong, but for her, personally - she wanted something that would help her to build her relationship with the Lord.
What are you giving up? Will you join others in giving up negativity and replace it with JOY, happiness, contentment and pure delight? Do you think this will be easy to do? Why or why not? If you fall short one day, will you keep going or will you simply give up?
I pray your cup overflows with unspeakable joy for these next 40 days and beyond!
{{{HUGS}}}} yall
PS
I'll have the honor of speaking and encouraging the members at St. Luke's on Sunday 3/14. I hope you'll click the link and check out this gorgeous Church.
I didn't know it at the time but on February 20th, 2003 - I would hear news that would forever change my life. It was an honor actually, but when I was hearing it, I felt it was anything but an honor.
I was with my Dad at the hospital when the cardiologist came in to see him that morning. I knew my time with my Dad was limited, but what I was about to hear pierced through my heart like a dagger.
"John, if there is anything you want to do, do it now." I looked at the doctor and simply uttered "excuse me?"
The doctor went on to explain that my Dad's heart was only functioning at 13% or so and that it would not last more than 6 months at the very most. He told my Dad to do what he wanted to do, have what he wanted to have and take this time to get things in order. My body was numb, my heart was in shock. I remember wanting to cry out that 35 years is not enough time to spend with him. I had leaned up against the wall, to steady myself and the doctor asked me to step outside. He informed me that with my Dad's diabetes, that the sore on his foot would not heal and would contribute to his death as well - painfully so. He assured me that when the time come, he would call hospice in and make "it" as painless as possible. My heart agonized over the fact that I would not be able to stop this, that I would not be able to stop the pain and I would have to spend each and every moment with him that I could.
The doctor asked me if I was OK, and I simply nodded. We went back inside the room and he informed us that he'd be in there another day. The doctor left, I sat on the edge of the bed, wondering what was running through my Dad's heart. As I sat there, numb, my Dad spoke...asking me "Well, Daughter.....what do you think?" I immediately looked at him, eyeball to eyeball. Here I was wondering about him...and HE was wondering about me. Unbelievable. I kept looking at him and said "I think I'm going to miss you soooooo much." I sat quietly on the bed with him for a little bit. Gently crying because I didn't want to upset him to much, but there was no way I could hold in the tears.
Again, at the time, I didn't consider being with him to receive that kind of news an honor, but now I know beyond doubt that it was a priceless gift that I would not trade for the world.
Not everyone gets a six month warning to get their affairs straight, do what they want to do, see whom they want to see and so on. But he almost did. I had the difficult task to start making the calls. To tell my sister and brothers and step mom what I had just found out. I wanted anyone that wanted to see him, hug him and tell him just how special he was to have the chance to do so and time was of the essence.
As Dad got weaker, I moved in to help take care of him. I organized my work schedule to where I would work in the late afternoons or at night and help Angie take care of him during the day. I slept when he did and enjoyed many midnight egg sandwiches with him. It never bothered me that he could only eat a bite of the sandwich.
You may wonder why I'm sharing this with you. My Dad didn't get the full six months. He died on July 20th, 2003. We made sure that he laughed every chance he could and sometimes he simply laughed because he caught me and Angie "discussing things" between "ourselves" and we had NO clue he was awake. We made sure that anyone that wanted to see him had the chance and we all had time with him to tell him just how much he meant to us. I asked several times if there was anything he wanted and no matter what it was, I'd make sure he had it. Even though he was at the point nothing much would stay down when it came to food.
If you found out that you only had six months, what would you do? Who would you see? What calls would you make?
My next question is WHY would you wait until you only have six months? Start doing what you want to do. You have life dreams! Start on them. No matter how slowly you think you may be accomplishing them, start on them NOW. One of my dreams is to visit all 50 states. When we look at vacations, we look at a state we have not been to. Make the list and start chipping away at it. One of my dreams is to publish a book. In all of the spare time that I do not have, I'm slooooooowly chipping away at it. Work on those dreams NOW.
Schedule a visit with those that you have not seen and make those calls. We live in a period where it's easier now than ever to keep up with people we adore. Send the email, send the ecard or send the paper card. Tell those that are special to you just how special they are. Don't wait until you find out that you don't have much time left.
Do it now.
Six months is not long. Before we know it Christmas will be here again and it's only February.
Work towards your dreams
Plan the visit
Make the call
Give the hugs freely
Say I love you. Say it again. Say it once more.
Do it now, don't wait.
Tell me, what are some of your dreams you are working on.
Did you make the phone call, plan the visit or give the extra hugs? I hope so, I truly do!
{{{{HUGS}}}} yall
Photo: June 11, 2003 one of the last few photos of me and my dad
I love giving. I love making a difference for others. I love doing things as a surprise for those that I love as well as surprising complete strangers with Reese’s Cups and Little Debbie Cakes. I can honestly say that giving and doing for others is a passion.
Spreading joy and encouraging others is a passion as well. I love reminding people that they ARE making a difference with a simple $10 donation, that they are making a change within their community when they volunteer their time and that they will see a difference by doing what they can – right where they are.
So………
Why am I not spreading the word about Spreading Joy? Why am I not setting up meetings to encourage people and show them just how easy it is to make a difference without breaking the bank? Why am I not trying to get my foot in the door of local corporations and churches?
Simple! My passion for giving is hindering my passion for Spreading JOY. I don’t have a “gift” to leave these people, I don’t have anything “physical” to leave them and I let that stop me from giving them what I can offer….and that is joy, encouragement and ideas for making a difference with little to no resources.
A friend of mine, Harry Tucker, and I were discussing passion. He told me that passion could be a curse. I kind of chuckled and thought there is no way. Being passionate about something would help to get it done. I asked him to explain how that could be and he said
Passion is a curse when many people are afraid of it. It is a curse when it is bursting to produce results but is surrounded by apathy and indifference. If not expressed outwards, it can turn inwards.
Little did I know that I would soon be living that statement…Passion is a curse.
Another friend of mine, Richard Mayhan has developed a site called Mercy Junction. One Roof – Countless Resources. He is using this site to list all of the local places in his community that act as a resource for the needy. He includes things like food pantries, shelters, community dinners as well as National Hot-lines and other resources for those that are in need of assistance. Brilliant idea! He put hours upon hours of work into it. Soon afterwards, he had an opportunity to share Mercy Junction with a group of men and did an amazing job. The reason I mention this is that as I was reading how the meeting went, it dawned on me that he went, presented his ideas and passion for helping others without so much as a business card to leave them AND it was amazing!! (I wasn’t there, but I’ve heard him speak – so I’m SURE it was fantabulous!)
I’ve told you all of that to tell you this….
I’ve decided that in this year, I am going to set up meetings to present Spreading Joy Corporation to various organizations in my area. I’m going to offer encouragement to any church, civic group and ladies groups that will allow me to do so. (If you’d like to discuss how I can encourage your group, please email me.) I will start doing what I can, with what I have – right where I am; EVEN if I do not have anything to “leave with them.” I am going to work on emailing various corporations and seeing if they will partner with me and help me make a difference and try and personally contribute more to Spreading Joy each month financially to aid in this.
I am not going to let NOT having anything to give stop me anymore.
I will remind people that “There’s no joy like Spreading Joy.”
I’m going to do what I can, where I am, with what I have and NOT feel guilty. I am spreading joy and I am making a difference.
{{HUGS}} yall
What is YOUR passion? Has it been a tool to help push you into what you love or has it been a curse? Is it bursting to see results and you just don’t know which direction to go? Tell me….what are you doing with YOUR passion?
PS – you can follow Harry Tucker on twitter as @harrytucker and Richard Mayhan on twitter as @mcProdigal
Why do we want what we cannot have
Why do we reach for what we can't possibly get
Why do our hearts take us where our head knows we shouldn't go
Why do we run towards trouble
Why do we have to be prodded to do right
Why is "IT" never enough
Why does the darkness bring pain
Why does yesterday seem to be forever ago
Why does tomorrow never come
Why does opportunity only knock once
Why does a grain of a mustard seed seem so HUGE
Why does today slip away unnoticed
Why does the sun not warm through the bitter cold
Why does "IT" matter to them
Why do we care what "they" think
Why do we feel like 100% is not as good as 120%
Why do we see the good in others before we see the great in ourselves
Why does it matter anyway
Why......
It started like any other morning before a Spreading Joy event. A million things running through my mind and this time, it’s a little different because I’m planning and handling much of the Christmas JOY event for the ladies at the Battered Womens Shelter & children from my hotel room in Virginia. Then it hits me. SNOW!! It was supposed to snow over night. I hurry to the huge window in my room and sure enough, IT’S SNOWING!!!! The little girl in me is so very excited! I can immediately see that there are several inches on the ground already. I’m supposed to work a half day and then head home to Charlotte NC and start picking up toys for Friday nights Christmas JOY event! I quickly get ready and head to work.
Much like a child that can’t wait to get out in the snow, I find a window and look out. It is pouring snow! Buckets! My heart is filled with worry at this point. How am I going to make it home? I call my sister. Tell her what I’m seeing. She tries to comfort me saying, things will be a little stressful but it will be ok. I quickly tell her that “you are NOT seeing what I’m seeing!” We chat about the possibilities of me not making it back. Two of the greatest things I love are both now tugging at my heart, snow and Spreading Joy. I head back to work thinking ok, it will work out no matter if I get home or not. I’m just going to enjoy my gift of snow! I finish out my half day of work, head back to my hotel and preparations start. The phone calls to my mom, sister and friends asking for help. The planning of who will do what, just in case I can’t make it back into town. These ladies deserve a wonderful meal, a time of fun and laughter and these toys for their kids. I’m determined to make it happen and with friends and family that have huge hearts, it goes off without a hitch!
The phone calls come in, “you won’t believe what Clark Nexsen collected for this event!” My friends Dave and Dale from Iron Mountain assure me it will be fine for them to bring the toys to me! Wow! Not only did they collect toys, but made things easier for me by bringing them to me, knowing that I was short on time! Amazing!
We get to the church, start setting up, sorting toys, picking up food, decorating and having fun. Later that evening I hop aboard a bus with my brother in law and we had to pick up the ladies and children. We are enjoying a trip back and I tease the ladies that we are having MY favorite meal – HOT DOGS! I giggle and tell them that Olive Garden has graciously given pasta, salad and bread sticks. We are all excited.
Everyone gets settled, and is eating, laughing, relaxing and having fun. There are enough workers so that the ladies that need help with their small children can eat their meals without worry for their tiny ones. I love the view, the children laughing and slurping up spaghetti, the moms smiling and chatting with one another. Peace, happiness and pure JOY surround me! My heart is soaring beyond belief!
The children stay in the fellowship hall and I take the ladies with me next door so that they can “shop” for their children. I thank them for coming and being such a wonderful part of my Christmas! I have been thinking about them all week and take a few minutes to tell them the wonderful attributes I see in them. I give them instructions as to where to find the toys, the gift wrapping stations and such. I wander through the halls as the ladies “shop”, listening to the giggling, listening to the oooohhhhh and ahhhh’s, listening to the thrill in their hearts as they pick out toys for their children. There are Easy Bake Ovens, dolls, Barbie dolls, stuff animals, play dough sets, Tonka Trucks, footballs, basket balls, games and so much more! There are literally 4 rooms full of toys for these wonderful ladies to choose from!
The ladies finish wrapping and start heading to get their children and load back on the bus and van. Several people volunteer to follow behind to “haul” presents as there’s no way all the people and the gifts are going to fit. I love each and every single HUG that I am receiving! The sparkly eyes, bright smiles and huge warm HUGS are priceless. Everyone leaves and I look around and the Spreading JOY heroes have already started cleaning up! Wow!! Amazing!
The night is perfect. Chaos, silliness, fun, Christmas music, laughter, toys, food, drinks, hugs and the mile wide smiles make it memorable!
But, the giving is not over with yet! Sunday, more toys are given out. To a local church and some for a teacher who has some homeless children in her class. Thursday NIGHT – MORE toys will be given away!! A week of Christmas JOY, my heart can hardly stand it! It is flooded with happiness and JOY!
We were able to distribute 545 toys and books this year. This is no small feat as we normally have 8 or 10 companies collecting toys and this year, we didn’t have that many.
Thank you seems so small in the light of what YOU did to make Christmas JOY 2010 possible.
Thank you to the director of Amy’s House, Vicky, for the wonderful work you do to help these ladies! It is my honor to make a difference for them, to encourage them and to remind them just how very special they are!
Thank you to Olive Garden for providing the meal for us! There was plenty of delicious food for everyone to enjoy! Thank you to Jim Taylor and Marvin McAllister for picking up food for us. Thank you Dave Finley for meeting me with toys and saving me so much time. Thank you Momma, Angie and Meg for picking up toys on Thursday for me while I enjoyed my gift of snow and stayed safely at the hotel. Thank you Dale and Jeanne Strickland for being available at a phone calls notice to pick up toys for me and for helping out the night of the event.
Thank you to Pastor Jerry Taylor and Mrs. Taylor of New Grace Baptist Church for the use of your wonderful facilities and being available “just in case” I was snowed in! Thank you to the wonderful members of New Grace for volunteering to help serve, sort, clean, wrap, entertain and for the great JOY you brought my way! I could not have made it without your help!
Thank you to Patterson Pope for giving us employees paid Community Service time to make a difference in our world!
Thank you to my family for supporting Spreading JOY the way you do, helping and allowing me to make a difference right where I am. Thank you Tripp and Bob for driving the vehicles to bring the ladies to the church.
Thank you Quiznos, Iron Mountain, Clark Nexsen, Arthur Squad, Stone Pump and Trench and Linden ARP church for collecting toys.
Thank you my precious twitterverse for your online donations, the interviews to spread the word and for using your voice to reach people that I couldn’t reach without your help! You were instrumental in making Christmas JOY 2010 a huge success!
YOU are all HEROES and I hope as you watch the video, read and recount this week of Spreading JOY that your heart is flooded with warmth, love and pure delight for the part that YOU played for Christmas
Thank you!!
{{HUGS}} yall
I love spreading joy to others, but more than that, I love how easy it is to get into the habit of spreading joy. A new year is upon us and it is my goal to help you see just how easy it is to get into the habit of spreading JOY.
The 30 Day Challenge - ONE thing a day for someone else, on purpose. That’s all it takes. It can be for family, friends or random people. Your mind will be looking, thinking and preparing for ways of spreading joy in no time. By the end of the month you’ll have gotten yourself into the habit of spreading joy and it will be a natural thing for you to do as you meander through your day.
Will you publicly join me in developing this habit of spreading joy? If so, please let me know. I’d like to add your name here to a list – so that I won’t forget who is joining me, but so that I can encourage you too. If you are on twitter, please include your twitter name, cause I’m old and forgetful like that!
Together we can journal our daily acts of joy. I will write in my journal each day about what was done and then every 3 days or so, come back here and update things in the comment section. I would encourage you to do so as well. This will encourage everyone that is participating.
I’ve done this challenge publicly before and here is a link to how it turned out.
I would love to hear how this challenge affected your daily outlook, if you had any troubles and just over all, how it made your heart feel, to think, plan and then execute this challenge.
Ideas to get you going:
There are some ideas to get you going. If you need more, don’t forget that there are a total of 100 ways of making a difference WITHOUT spending one single penny listed here and here on this web site.
Are you ready to take the challenge? Are you ready to develop the habit of spreading joy?
Those taking the 30 day challenge:
IF we all do just 1 act of JOY a day – so far we are up to 93 #actsofJOY for the month!! wow. I’m so excited to be making a difference this way!!
Thanks for JOYning me!!
{{{HUGS}}} yall
I love speaking to ladies groups, kids and just encouraging others. I’m hoping to do more of it in this next year.
I recently had the privilege of speaking to some wonderful ladies that have been or are in a local Battered Women’s shelter. I spent the week thinking about some of what they may have endured, what they probably tried to do for them, their children and to bring peace to their home and focused on how those events made me see them.
Here is how I see these ladies.
YOU ARE:
BEAUTIFUL – Your beauty comes from deep within. Nothing or no one can ever destroy it. When you gaze into the mirror, look past the surface, go deeper….deeper still. That beauty that is deep within you is ready to bubble up and gush out! Let it bubble up and out freely. Our physical beauty is limited, but the beauty that is deep within our soul outshines and out lasts the physical and has a positive effect on all of those around us! YOU are beautiful!
COURAGEOUS – Yes, YOU! You lived in fear, you live with fear and have many fearful moments ahead of you, but look back with me a moment. Look at how far you’ve come. The courage you’ve shown to get out of the abusive situation and into something better is nothing short of amazing. You’ll continue to move past the fears, move past the doubts and other horrors you face daily that will try and hold you back. Your heart may tremble, your hands shake but you won’t let that stop you. You can do this as YOU are courageous!
STRONG – You are strong! You’ve endured abuse that others can’t possibly imagine, and that takes strength. You’ve tried to fix things, make things better and be the right kind of gal but that was never the issue. You then stepped out, with children in tow and are working towards a better future. The strength it takes to be a single mom, to ease their fears, to show them what is right and good is unbelievable. You are strong, you fight through difficulties, you fight to survive and you’ll push past the barriers that try and hold you down. You will make it! YOU are strong!
WISE – Yes, I said wise! Don’t sell yourself short. We all make mistakes, we all make decisions that we wish we could take back and moments we wish we could order up a “do-over”! Look at you! You are moving forward, learning and making things better. You are doing the right things right now! Don’t look back at the mistakes, unless you are choosing to grow and learn from them! Hear me….YOU are wise.
CARING – You have amazing hearts! You care so much. That’s why you tried to work things out, why you sacrifice for your children, that’s why you are the wonderful person that you are. Your heart is huge for others and you want to make a difference and believe me you DO! YOU are caring!
PERSISTENT – You put one foot in front of the other each and every day. I’m sure there are days where you feel like throwing up your hands and saying “what is the use”, but you move forward anyway. You grow tired from the struggle, but you get out of bed and face the day. You wonder about tomorrow, next month and next year, but you keep looking, hoping and knowing that the future is there, waiting on you to grab it up with both arms, embracing all the wonderful things that are waiting you. You keep trying, learning and going! You push yourselves as well as push your children! YOU are persistent.
IMPORTANT – YES – YOU!!! You make a difference every day! You bring smiles, warm hearts with big hugs. You encourage, motivate and teach. You give hope to little eyes that wonder about a million things a day and love to hearts that need it. You are important to today and the next generation. The great things that you are doing today, will have a huge impact on tomorrow and the future. YOU are important.
CAPABLE – YOU can do this! It is so easy to look and see the negative, see where we feel like we have failed and think we just can’t do it. We don’t have to teach our children to see the negative, but we do have to teach them to see the positive, do what is right and look for opportunities to make a difference. Use those negative things that creep into your mind, trying to make you feel horrible to remind yourself that you’ve learned from that. You’ve come a long way from that point and you are not going back, simply because you don’t have to. Use the past to remind yourself that you are capable of moving forward, doing whatever it is you set your mind on doing. YOU are capable.
ADAPTIVE – This is so important and you excel at it! Think with me for a moment. You knew when you had to keep the kids quiet, when you could let loose and enjoy the laughter in your hearts. You knew when “he” was home that certain things had to be done a certain way and you adapted. When he wasn’t around, you lived, loved, laughed and adapted to that as well. This is a priceless ability for when the storms of life are raining down on you. This ability will serve you for years to come as you face the mountains in your way and your initial thought is for the mountain to “swallow me up, I can’t face you.” You will adapt time and time again! YOU are adaptive.
SENSITIVE – Your hearts are tender and it grows stronger every day. You’ve seen situations that many have not had to see, much less endure. This has made you even more sensitive than most. You can see the sadness in the eyes of a child quicker than most and know how to turn that frown upside down. You can see the loneliness oozing from the hearts of others and know that a simple hug and smile will help to ease that pain. Because of this sensitivity, you have an opportunity to make dark days brighter; you have the chance to be the light at the end of the tunnel. You can shine brighter than you ever thought possible. YOU are sensitive.
SPECTACULAR – YOU are beyond awesome! You have a huge heart, a loving spirit and the willingness to fight through whatever comes your way. You don’t ask for much, yet are willing to give all for your child. You will take lesser portions, step in front of physical harm and remind your child that tenderness will get you further than being demanding and hateful. You amaze me at the courage, strength and abilities you have to make it through each day. YOU are spectacular.
These attributes are evident in all of us if we look deep enough. We tend to stop just short of the surface because that is what society is teaching us to do. We need to look past the surface. We need to look at the things that matter, which is far more than physical features.
It is my desire that as you step into a new year that you’ll be more aware of these wonderful qualities about you. I hope that you’ll focus on the positive and grow from the negative. As you look at yourself, I hope that you’ll see all of these wonderful things in a wonderful new light this year – and always.
{{HUGS}} yall
When I think of the love that flows
I know I’m truly blessed
I might not ever know the joy
Of fancy houses, cars and the rest
One thing is certain and without a doubt
One thing I’ll never wonder
Is the fact that I’m loved beyond measure
And that for me HIS mercy and grace will thunder
My heart soars with gratitude
For the gift of grace, love and peace
The unspeakable joy that lives there
Is because I know HIS love will never cease
Do you KNOW HIS love?
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