I have talked before about the whispers of life. They happen all the time and they are subtle cues from life that help point us in the right direction. It might be something someone says or does, or an opportunity that presents itself, or that intuitive feeling that says something is just not right. However it happens, life's whispers help guide us and we have to be open to hearing it and following its lead. Many times if we do not listen, then it becomes a louder voice in our lives. Then there are times like Sunday that life simply slaps you in the face and tells you to wake up!
Writing is such a passion of mine and something I want to continually improve on and challenge myself to do more of. For me, it is a way to creatively express my thoughts and hopefully encourage others to make the most of their own lives. Earlier this year I started a new book project entitled Standing On The Edge. The basis for the book is that many of us know what we want out of life but we are too afraid to really go after it. We allow obstacles to get in the way and become a passive observer to life instead of an active participant. I spent a lot of time working on various chapters and presenting a practical way to help overcome those obstacles and really live out the life we are meant to live. Then I stopped. I have to admit that I have not added one single word to the project in over six months. I could give you a list of reasons why but when it comes down to it - they are simply excuses. I allowed distractions to get in the way of pursuing a passion.
At church Sunday, I had two distinct moments that really woke me up. One was during the music. As we were all singing, I felt such a love and gratitude for life build up inside me. Throughout my life, both good and bad, there is the constant thread of God's love and faithfulness in my life. Life has not always gone the way I hoped it would but I was reminded that it is not about me. There is always a bigger picture and that force is always working to mold me into who I am meant to be. The truth of that caused my eyes to tear up and I simply thanked God for every good and perfect gift in my life. I was so motivated to live out my true calling in life and to not settle for mediocrity.
The second moment came as Pastor Pete was speaking. He spoke on fear and how it holds us back from experiencing a full life. At one point he said that many of us just stay on the edge and are afraid to take a risk. I am sure that those words spoke very different meanings for each person there, but for me it reminded me of my book project. He said on the edge probably five or six different times and by the end I almost verbally said, "OK, I get it! I need to get back to working on the book!" I chose to just say it internally since everyone at church would have wondered what I was talking about - and I might have been quietly ushered outside. When I believe in something I want to pursue it with everything I have and this book is something I know that I should do because it is a work within my own life and could help make a difference in others.
What I have learned since then is not only did those words mean for me to get back to the book - it also meant that I need to stop standing on the edge in my own life. What if the things in my life that I said were holding me back were simply excuses? Am I allowing fear or situations or other people to keep me from moving forward in my own life? It is time to lay those down and keep pursuing life with purpose and determination. I have always been one to dream big and as I refine those dreams and focus in on what my purpose is - I know that those desires will become reality.
My advice - listen to life's whispers instead of waiting for that slap in the face!
Today I am grateful for: 1. Being so encouraged at church Sunday 2. Great weather over the weekend 3. Having the next two days off from work 4. Really good friends that are in my life 5. Continually learning from life's lessons
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
A Dollar Goes a Long Way....
With the holidays quickly approaching I hope that we can all find ways to give to others. I know that most of us do not have loads of cash just sitting around to give away. We want to spend our money effectively and I love hearing about unique ways to help others without breaking our own bank. I ran across an article in a magazine that listed unique and fun ways to really make a difference. They are all under $15 but would definitely make a positive impact in another person's life. I thought I would pass it along and challenge everyone who reads this to pick at least one and donate. The websites are listed as well for more information.
$1 - Two books shipped to a classroom in Africa. www.booksforafrica.org
$2 - A set of drumsticks for a low-income public school student learning to play the drums. www.littlekidsrock.org
$3 - A field trip to a museum, concert, or theatrical production for high-risk youth. www.createnow.org
$4 - Two hours of prepaid phone time for a soldier stationed overseas to call home.
www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com
$6 - Measles vaccinations for 15 children in a developing country. www.doctorswithoutborders.org
$7 - A week's worth of food for an abandoned dog or cat at a shelter run by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. www.aspca.org
$11 - Eleven trees to be planted in Alabama communities devastated by the April 2011 tornadoes. www.arborday.org
$14 - Two nutritious meals delivered by volunteers from Meals on Wheels to a housebound senior citizen. www.mowaa.org
$15 - A backpack and school supplies for one homeless or low-income urban child. www.cradlestocrayons.org
Taken from Spend a Little, Give a Lot by Lauren Murrow and Rachel Mount, O Magazine, Dec 2011 .
There are plenty of great organziations to donate to and I know that we can all afford to give a few dollars to really make a difference! I know which ones I will be donating to and I hope that each of you will choose some as well. Have a great weekend and I will see you back here Monday!
Today I am grateful for: 1. A day off from work 2. A great walk and prayer time this morning 3. Getting my hair cut and brows down (it was looking bad) 4. A great video sent of my niece, Martha Ann reading a book (always brightens my day!) 5. Being productive today
$1 - Two books shipped to a classroom in Africa. www.booksforafrica.org
$2 - A set of drumsticks for a low-income public school student learning to play the drums. www.littlekidsrock.org
$3 - A field trip to a museum, concert, or theatrical production for high-risk youth. www.createnow.org
$4 - Two hours of prepaid phone time for a soldier stationed overseas to call home.
www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com
$6 - Measles vaccinations for 15 children in a developing country. www.doctorswithoutborders.org
$7 - A week's worth of food for an abandoned dog or cat at a shelter run by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. www.aspca.org
$11 - Eleven trees to be planted in Alabama communities devastated by the April 2011 tornadoes. www.arborday.org
$14 - Two nutritious meals delivered by volunteers from Meals on Wheels to a housebound senior citizen. www.mowaa.org
$15 - A backpack and school supplies for one homeless or low-income urban child. www.cradlestocrayons.org
Taken from Spend a Little, Give a Lot by Lauren Murrow and Rachel Mount, O Magazine, Dec 2011 .
There are plenty of great organziations to donate to and I know that we can all afford to give a few dollars to really make a difference! I know which ones I will be donating to and I hope that each of you will choose some as well. Have a great weekend and I will see you back here Monday!
Today I am grateful for: 1. A day off from work 2. A great walk and prayer time this morning 3. Getting my hair cut and brows down (it was looking bad) 4. A great video sent of my niece, Martha Ann reading a book (always brightens my day!) 5. Being productive today
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
In Our Lives for a Reason....
It is staggering to think of the number of people that come into our lives. Some remain for a majority of our lives, some for only a short season, and others for just a brief moment. What I have learned is that no matter who they are and however long they stay in our lives, it is for a reason. The bigger picture to keep in mind is that all of these connections really play a vital part in shaping who we are. Entering a new relationship, starting up a new friendship, or adding to the family can really change the course of your life - hopefully for the good or sometimes the not so good. Either way, we can learn something from each of these encounters.
A majority of the time, common threads in who we have become can be traced back to our families. How many times have we said that we will never behave as our parents did only to find ourselves mimicking them? There are many times that I will say something or act a certain way and think how my dad used to do the same thing. The same could be said for me and my mom. Although there are differences in me and my two sisters, there are a lot of similarities between us - mostly for the good and some would say for the "good, but crazy." The truth is I am a very independent person and feel that I have evolved into who I am today because of my own searching and learning but I am also very aware that a lot of my design comes from my family.
Friendships also play such a strong part of our lives. If we were honest, some of our closest friends may know more about us than our own families. Over the course of our lives we may have different groups of friends. One might be a best friend one day and an enemy the next - and then back to a best friend. In high school, we believe that we will always be friends with our group but I do not believe I have kept in touch with anyone that I graduated with. However, they do have an impact on our lives. Today I consider myself very blessed to have a great group of really close friends. Genuine friendships should accept us for who we are - the good, bad, and ugly.
There are also those people that we only meet for a brief instance. It could be in passing at work, at church, shopping, or anywhere in our day-to-day life. These are actually the ones that intrigue me the most. I do not believe that we realize the impact we can have or the impact someone has on us in just a few minutes of interaction. It can brighten our day, make it worse, or change the direction of our day. This is where the bigger picture really comes in to play. If we could see our lives from above, we could see how all of these "strangers" actually connect us and possibly play larger roles in our lives than we realize.
My encouragement would be to not take any of our relationships for granted. They are here for a reason. Whether it is for a long part of our lives or only for a short time - do not think any of it is by chance. Learn from each of them and allow it to make you more of a better person and live a more enriched life.
Today I am grateful for: 1. A good day at work 2. Really good music on the way to work 3. Enjoying one of my weaknesses - McDonald's 4. Good conversation with a friend 5. All of the people that have influenced my life
A majority of the time, common threads in who we have become can be traced back to our families. How many times have we said that we will never behave as our parents did only to find ourselves mimicking them? There are many times that I will say something or act a certain way and think how my dad used to do the same thing. The same could be said for me and my mom. Although there are differences in me and my two sisters, there are a lot of similarities between us - mostly for the good and some would say for the "good, but crazy." The truth is I am a very independent person and feel that I have evolved into who I am today because of my own searching and learning but I am also very aware that a lot of my design comes from my family.
Friendships also play such a strong part of our lives. If we were honest, some of our closest friends may know more about us than our own families. Over the course of our lives we may have different groups of friends. One might be a best friend one day and an enemy the next - and then back to a best friend. In high school, we believe that we will always be friends with our group but I do not believe I have kept in touch with anyone that I graduated with. However, they do have an impact on our lives. Today I consider myself very blessed to have a great group of really close friends. Genuine friendships should accept us for who we are - the good, bad, and ugly.
There are also those people that we only meet for a brief instance. It could be in passing at work, at church, shopping, or anywhere in our day-to-day life. These are actually the ones that intrigue me the most. I do not believe that we realize the impact we can have or the impact someone has on us in just a few minutes of interaction. It can brighten our day, make it worse, or change the direction of our day. This is where the bigger picture really comes in to play. If we could see our lives from above, we could see how all of these "strangers" actually connect us and possibly play larger roles in our lives than we realize.
My encouragement would be to not take any of our relationships for granted. They are here for a reason. Whether it is for a long part of our lives or only for a short time - do not think any of it is by chance. Learn from each of them and allow it to make you more of a better person and live a more enriched life.
Today I am grateful for: 1. A good day at work 2. Really good music on the way to work 3. Enjoying one of my weaknesses - McDonald's 4. Good conversation with a friend 5. All of the people that have influenced my life
Monday, November 7, 2011
My Day Without a Cell Phone....
On my way to work this morning I realized that I forgot my cell phone. Some of you may have read that sentence and not thought much, but some of you may have gasped! Had I not been running late I would have gone back to get it but I decided to keep going and see how my day would survive without it. By hour two I thought I was going to go crazy! I recently got an iPhone and I love everything that it can do. All I could think about was the hundreds of people that must have been texting me (reality: just a few), all of the emails I was missing out on (reality: only one important one telling me my new shoes were being shipped to me), and all my favorite apps that were not being used. I literally sat at lunch wondering what to do?! If you can't play Angry Birds, what in the world are you supposed to do with your free time? I have become so dependent on my phone that it is now a vital part of my life.
I am old enough to remember the days before cell phones. We could only talk to friends from our home phones, which we had to share with everyone else in the house. We actually had to talk on the phone - there were no texts. When we left home, there was no way to contact anyone until we arrived at our destination. It is amazing that any of us survived. Then the first cell phones came out and they were so big that it was not something we just put in our pockets. I remember our first cell phone as a family. It was a bag phone and we would all fight over who got to put it in their car. It was big, bulky, and so cool! Dad said it was for emergencies only but I would call my friends just to say that I was talking to them from my car phone (how cool was I?) Now they are so small, can really do anything we want and are pretty much a necessity in life. I think about my little neice and nephew and how they already know what a cell phone is and what to do with it (mainly because they see their mom talking on it so much!). They will grow up in a world where a landlane is pretty much obsolete. They will definitely laugh at the fact that our phones used to be connected to a cord.
Now to get to my point. I posted on facebook earlier today that I left my phone at work and I wondered how I would ever survive. One person commented and said that they had to tell me something. Of course it was horrible to have to wait hours and hours to find out the news instead of getting it instantly on my phone. However another person told me to try and make the most of it. I thought about that and how we all get so distracted with "necessities" in life. By the end of the day, I noticed that it was actually nice to not have my phone. I talked with more coworkers, went for a walk at lunch, and was a little more productive at work (but let's not repeat that last one). Now I am not saying that I will give up my phone - that would be crazy talk. But what I did learn is that I can survive a day without it and in today's world of instant communication, it is OK to not know everything that is going on.
Is there anything in your life that you think you cannot live without? Something you might look at as an essential but it might actually be a distraction. It might be a phone, a computer, facebook time, twitter, or any other technological item. Of course they are not bad things but I challenge you to give it up for one day. See that the world will go on without it and your life will not fall apart. It might even add to your day. My morning started out feeling distraught and panicked but ended up kinda nice not being able to be reached or distracted. When I got home I actually forgot about racing to find my phone - at least for ten minutes :)
Today I am grateful for: 1. Encouraging time at church and being reminded to choose joy 2. A good converstaion with my sister last night 3. Being encouraged at work 4. Sitting outside at lunch and enjoying the quietness 5. A day without a cell phone
I am old enough to remember the days before cell phones. We could only talk to friends from our home phones, which we had to share with everyone else in the house. We actually had to talk on the phone - there were no texts. When we left home, there was no way to contact anyone until we arrived at our destination. It is amazing that any of us survived. Then the first cell phones came out and they were so big that it was not something we just put in our pockets. I remember our first cell phone as a family. It was a bag phone and we would all fight over who got to put it in their car. It was big, bulky, and so cool! Dad said it was for emergencies only but I would call my friends just to say that I was talking to them from my car phone (how cool was I?) Now they are so small, can really do anything we want and are pretty much a necessity in life. I think about my little neice and nephew and how they already know what a cell phone is and what to do with it (mainly because they see their mom talking on it so much!). They will grow up in a world where a landlane is pretty much obsolete. They will definitely laugh at the fact that our phones used to be connected to a cord.
Now to get to my point. I posted on facebook earlier today that I left my phone at work and I wondered how I would ever survive. One person commented and said that they had to tell me something. Of course it was horrible to have to wait hours and hours to find out the news instead of getting it instantly on my phone. However another person told me to try and make the most of it. I thought about that and how we all get so distracted with "necessities" in life. By the end of the day, I noticed that it was actually nice to not have my phone. I talked with more coworkers, went for a walk at lunch, and was a little more productive at work (but let's not repeat that last one). Now I am not saying that I will give up my phone - that would be crazy talk. But what I did learn is that I can survive a day without it and in today's world of instant communication, it is OK to not know everything that is going on.
Is there anything in your life that you think you cannot live without? Something you might look at as an essential but it might actually be a distraction. It might be a phone, a computer, facebook time, twitter, or any other technological item. Of course they are not bad things but I challenge you to give it up for one day. See that the world will go on without it and your life will not fall apart. It might even add to your day. My morning started out feeling distraught and panicked but ended up kinda nice not being able to be reached or distracted. When I got home I actually forgot about racing to find my phone - at least for ten minutes :)
Today I am grateful for: 1. Encouraging time at church and being reminded to choose joy 2. A good converstaion with my sister last night 3. Being encouraged at work 4. Sitting outside at lunch and enjoying the quietness 5. A day without a cell phone
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Thanksgiving - A Great Time to Give Back....
I have noticed that a lot of people on facebook are taking a Thanksgiving challenge and posting things they are grateful for every day for the month of November. I love that and know that being aware of the good gifts in your life will only bring about more and open your hear to a more abundant life. I came across a list of "35 Little Acts of Kindness" today and thought I would pass it along. They are all very simple and most of them do not cost a penny - but they will make a difference in someone's day. As we are aware of all that we have been blessed with, use that to motivate us to do more for others. I challenge all of us to pick one or two a week to put into practice from now until Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Turning 36 is Looking Pretty Good....
I can't believe it has been a week since I posted anything! As the title suggests, my birthday was last week and due to the festivities I did not get a chance to blog. I have always gone with the motto that age is just a number and this year is no exception. Of course there were comments from dear friends about getting older but I have to say that I love being in my 30's! Although there are changes that I still want to make, I know for sure that there is so much to be thankful for in my life. Turning 36 is not a milestone but I was reminded these past few days of how great life truly is.
One of the benefits of facebook is that it makes everyone's birthday brighter! I loved hearing from friends that I have not talked to in a long time and it was a lot of fun to read everyone's messages. I am the first to admit that I would not know anyone's birthday if it were not for facebook so thanks to all of those who took a moment to post on my wall. That night I had the chance to do something I have wanted to do for years - see the play WICKED! I have always heard great things about this show and it definitely exceeded my expectations! It is so well written, really funny, and very interesting to visit a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. The actors were so talented, the singing was superb, and were it not for some lady behind me that made a comment every five minutes I believe I would have teared up at the end. The experience of seeing a Broadway play is one everyone should experience in their life - and if you have not seen WICKED, go see it! Thanks Jordan for making that happen for me.
On Saturday, my two sisters - Christy and Cara, and my niece and nephew - Martha Ann and Wylie came over to celebrate. Cara arrived first and as I was about to come down the stairs she told me to wait a minute. I began thinking that she must have made a huge birthday banner and was hanging it up as a surprise for me. Or maybe she was filling the living room up with helium balloons - something I have always wanted to do. Upon her cue, I ran down the stairs anxious to see this grand gesture! There were no banners or balloons - instead there were some leftover birthday streamers she found at her house hanging in the doorway. What?!?! Just kidding Cara - it was fun and funny all at the same time.
We decided to go to a Pumpkin Patch, another first for me, and let the kids pick out pumpkins and have fun exploring. I was looking forward to the corn maze - which would be a first for me as well! The farm was beautiful and there were corn mazes, hayrides, farm animals, trails, and a pumpkin patch. I have to admit the corn maze was a slight disappointment. I believe it was meant for little kids but even Martha Ann, who is 2 years old, was over it after the first five minutes. Let's just say that going forward I will say that I have yet to go through a real corn maze. However the rest of the activities were a lot of fun - we all went on a hayride, saw the chickens, goats, cows, and turkeys, played in the barns and watched Martha Ann go from scared to death on the slides to loving it in a matter of minutes. It was a wonderful day and we all ended up with pumpkins that we later decorated for Halloween. If you are on my facebook page - pictures will be posted soon.
I know that some people dread birthdays, but to me it is one of those things that you cannot change so why not make the most of it! Between the facebook posts, the phone calls, the text messages, the cards, the events, and yes - even the pitiful birthday streamers I had to take a moment and reflect on life and be grateful. It was such a great birthday and I am thankful to all who played a part in it. I am looking forward to all that 36 has in store for me and I definitely believe that it will only get better!
Today I am grateful for: 1. The past 35 years of life and all that is to come 2. All the little moments that happened to make it such a great day 3. Spending Saturday with family and loving every minute of it (except the corn maze) 4. All the trick or treaters that invaded our neighborhood last night 5. Really good food I had over the weekend at 2 of my favorite restaurants
One of the benefits of facebook is that it makes everyone's birthday brighter! I loved hearing from friends that I have not talked to in a long time and it was a lot of fun to read everyone's messages. I am the first to admit that I would not know anyone's birthday if it were not for facebook so thanks to all of those who took a moment to post on my wall. That night I had the chance to do something I have wanted to do for years - see the play WICKED! I have always heard great things about this show and it definitely exceeded my expectations! It is so well written, really funny, and very interesting to visit a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. The actors were so talented, the singing was superb, and were it not for some lady behind me that made a comment every five minutes I believe I would have teared up at the end. The experience of seeing a Broadway play is one everyone should experience in their life - and if you have not seen WICKED, go see it! Thanks Jordan for making that happen for me.
On Saturday, my two sisters - Christy and Cara, and my niece and nephew - Martha Ann and Wylie came over to celebrate. Cara arrived first and as I was about to come down the stairs she told me to wait a minute. I began thinking that she must have made a huge birthday banner and was hanging it up as a surprise for me. Or maybe she was filling the living room up with helium balloons - something I have always wanted to do. Upon her cue, I ran down the stairs anxious to see this grand gesture! There were no banners or balloons - instead there were some leftover birthday streamers she found at her house hanging in the doorway. What?!?! Just kidding Cara - it was fun and funny all at the same time.
We decided to go to a Pumpkin Patch, another first for me, and let the kids pick out pumpkins and have fun exploring. I was looking forward to the corn maze - which would be a first for me as well! The farm was beautiful and there were corn mazes, hayrides, farm animals, trails, and a pumpkin patch. I have to admit the corn maze was a slight disappointment. I believe it was meant for little kids but even Martha Ann, who is 2 years old, was over it after the first five minutes. Let's just say that going forward I will say that I have yet to go through a real corn maze. However the rest of the activities were a lot of fun - we all went on a hayride, saw the chickens, goats, cows, and turkeys, played in the barns and watched Martha Ann go from scared to death on the slides to loving it in a matter of minutes. It was a wonderful day and we all ended up with pumpkins that we later decorated for Halloween. If you are on my facebook page - pictures will be posted soon.
I know that some people dread birthdays, but to me it is one of those things that you cannot change so why not make the most of it! Between the facebook posts, the phone calls, the text messages, the cards, the events, and yes - even the pitiful birthday streamers I had to take a moment and reflect on life and be grateful. It was such a great birthday and I am thankful to all who played a part in it. I am looking forward to all that 36 has in store for me and I definitely believe that it will only get better!
Today I am grateful for: 1. The past 35 years of life and all that is to come 2. All the little moments that happened to make it such a great day 3. Spending Saturday with family and loving every minute of it (except the corn maze) 4. All the trick or treaters that invaded our neighborhood last night 5. Really good food I had over the weekend at 2 of my favorite restaurants
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The Good Side of Life....
I promise to not keep stealing topics from what I hear at church but I did want to expand on something that was discussed. When you look at the media, it seems as though the world is just getting worse and worse by the day. It drives me crazy that tragedy, crime, and sensationalism is what really sells on TV. I always wish that for once, the news would report on all good stories - but the truth is, the ratings would probably go down and the networks would not want that happening! The media has such influence on our thoughts that we tend to believe that things are hopeless and that the bad outweighs the good - but I refuse to believe that. Yes, certain events and situations do require our attention in order to bring about change - but we should not allow our perspective of the world to be determined by the bad that is going on.
I love hearing stories of hope, stories of survival, stories of those who use their own lives to change others. These are the real stories that truly make a positive difference in the world. I googled a few inspiring stories and wanted to post them today to remind us of the good that really is going on in the world.
"Giver Girl" and her husband "Giver Boy" came up with a simple yet powerful idea: donating $52 to a different charity every week for a year. After each experience, they post their moving reflections, invite others to join in, and maintain total anonymity. The brilliance of their project is captured in a week when they spontaneously decide to make that week's gift a $52 tip to a waitress serving them. After leaving the tip, they decided to 'run away without watching (their) waitress's expression.' "That's it right there. That's generosity. Giving in a sacrificial way with the intent of blessing others while seeking nothing in return -- not even recognition, gratitude, or praise. And this lesson is the biggest gift that Giver Boy and Giver Girl have sent out." I love this idea! It fits right in line with the Pay It Forward idea and I know that this couple is making such an impact on lives - even more than they realize!
A few folks in New York City wondered what it's like to be homeless. So they gave four men cell phones and Twitter accounts to help them share their stories with the world. For Daniel Morales, these gifts would change his life. Three weeks into the project, Morales used the social networking tool to find his 27-year-old daughter, whom he hadn't seen in over a decade. After posting his cell phone number and a photo of her when she was 16, a stranger saw the message and the next day, Morales got the call he'd been waiting for. "Just to find my dad after 11 years...I don't even know how to feel right now, I'm just very, very happy." What I love about the story is this - had these people not followed through with their idea, Daniel Morales may have never found his daughter. Not only did they come up with a creative idea, they followed through with it and made a lasting difference in someone's life!
Every week they provide food for as many as 1,500 households in Marin County (CA). They don’t charge for the food. Nor do they get paid themselves. Who are these people and why do they do this? They are two community elders, Ruth Schwartz and her husband Curt Kinkead, supported by a team of about 100 volunteers. They do it because Curt “gets fed by the joy he sees in the people who come to collect the food he delivers.” Ruth adds, “If we [Ruth and Curt] do something together where we face out into the world and make a contribution, that is a key piece of having our relationship thrive.”
Respecting Our Elders started in 2005 when Curt and Ruth, residents of a subsidized housing development, noticed that some of their neighbors weren’t getting enough to eat. The couple decided to do something about that. One thing led to another and in no time a thriving organization spun into existence that picks up and delivers food seven days a week, several times a day. This generous couple is not doing this for money but for the joy that comes from giving! Love it!
These are just three stories that I found that not only inspired me, but also challenged me. I am not doing near enough to make a difference and need to proactively look for ways to make more of an impact on the world! Yes, there are bad things going on in the world, but think about all the good that is actually going on. The statement I loved from this past Sunday was this - When did a pessimistic attitude every bring about change in the world? When did someone who constantly complains about his or her situation ever see good come out of it? I encourage all of us to be a part of the change, not a part of the problem. Use your life to make your mark on the world - you never know how it will impact others!
Today I am grateful for: 1. Waking up and making a conscious decision that today will be a good day 2. Having a good time at work 3. Seeing some trick or treaters visit my workplace and seeing the smiles on their faces 4. Reading stories of hope and inspiration 5. Enjoying a great conversation with a friend
I love hearing stories of hope, stories of survival, stories of those who use their own lives to change others. These are the real stories that truly make a positive difference in the world. I googled a few inspiring stories and wanted to post them today to remind us of the good that really is going on in the world.
"Giver Girl" and her husband "Giver Boy" came up with a simple yet powerful idea: donating $52 to a different charity every week for a year. After each experience, they post their moving reflections, invite others to join in, and maintain total anonymity. The brilliance of their project is captured in a week when they spontaneously decide to make that week's gift a $52 tip to a waitress serving them. After leaving the tip, they decided to 'run away without watching (their) waitress's expression.' "That's it right there. That's generosity. Giving in a sacrificial way with the intent of blessing others while seeking nothing in return -- not even recognition, gratitude, or praise. And this lesson is the biggest gift that Giver Boy and Giver Girl have sent out." I love this idea! It fits right in line with the Pay It Forward idea and I know that this couple is making such an impact on lives - even more than they realize!
A few folks in New York City wondered what it's like to be homeless. So they gave four men cell phones and Twitter accounts to help them share their stories with the world. For Daniel Morales, these gifts would change his life. Three weeks into the project, Morales used the social networking tool to find his 27-year-old daughter, whom he hadn't seen in over a decade. After posting his cell phone number and a photo of her when she was 16, a stranger saw the message and the next day, Morales got the call he'd been waiting for. "Just to find my dad after 11 years...I don't even know how to feel right now, I'm just very, very happy." What I love about the story is this - had these people not followed through with their idea, Daniel Morales may have never found his daughter. Not only did they come up with a creative idea, they followed through with it and made a lasting difference in someone's life!
Every week they provide food for as many as 1,500 households in Marin County (CA). They don’t charge for the food. Nor do they get paid themselves. Who are these people and why do they do this? They are two community elders, Ruth Schwartz and her husband Curt Kinkead, supported by a team of about 100 volunteers. They do it because Curt “gets fed by the joy he sees in the people who come to collect the food he delivers.” Ruth adds, “If we [Ruth and Curt] do something together where we face out into the world and make a contribution, that is a key piece of having our relationship thrive.”
Respecting Our Elders started in 2005 when Curt and Ruth, residents of a subsidized housing development, noticed that some of their neighbors weren’t getting enough to eat. The couple decided to do something about that. One thing led to another and in no time a thriving organization spun into existence that picks up and delivers food seven days a week, several times a day. This generous couple is not doing this for money but for the joy that comes from giving! Love it!
These are just three stories that I found that not only inspired me, but also challenged me. I am not doing near enough to make a difference and need to proactively look for ways to make more of an impact on the world! Yes, there are bad things going on in the world, but think about all the good that is actually going on. The statement I loved from this past Sunday was this - When did a pessimistic attitude every bring about change in the world? When did someone who constantly complains about his or her situation ever see good come out of it? I encourage all of us to be a part of the change, not a part of the problem. Use your life to make your mark on the world - you never know how it will impact others!
Today I am grateful for: 1. Waking up and making a conscious decision that today will be a good day 2. Having a good time at work 3. Seeing some trick or treaters visit my workplace and seeing the smiles on their faces 4. Reading stories of hope and inspiration 5. Enjoying a great conversation with a friend
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