A DAILY BEACON of LIGHT and HOPE

 A Daily Beacon of Light and Hope... 

  May this shining beam of light and hope help brighten those stormy days of life...

                Hugging is good medicine.

It transfers energy, and gives the person hugged an emotional boost. You need four hugs a day for survival, eight for maintenance, and twelve for growth.

A hug makes you feel good.

The skin is the largest organ we have and it needs a great deal of care.

A hug can cover a lot of skin and gives the message that you care.

It is also a form of communication.

It can say things you don't have words for.

The nicest thing about a hug is that you usually can't give one without getting one. 

  

Panda photo

A hugs the way to share the joy and sad times we go through, Or just a way for friends to say they like you ‘cuz you're you! A hug is an amazing thing . . . it's just the perfect way To show the love we're feeling but can't find the words to say. And hugs don't need equipment, special batteries, or parts . . . Just open up your arms . . . and open up your hearts! ~ Jill Wolf ~

Hugs are free, which could explain why so many people take them for granted.

If a hug cost a lot of money, people would knock themselves out trying to earn enough to buy them.

Although hugs are free, they are worthless if they aren't used.

An unused hug is lost forever.

On a planet where so many are starved of affection, can we really afford to lose a single hug??

                                                                                                                                                              

"Hugging is healthy: it helps the body's immunity system, it keeps you healthier, it cures depression, it reduces stress, it induces sleep, it's invigorating, it's rejuvenating, it has no unpleasant side effects, and hugging is nothing less than a miracle drug.  Hugging is all natural: it is organic, naturally sweet, it has no pesticides, no preservatives, no artificial ingredients, and is 100% wholesome.  Hugging is practically perfect: there are no movable parts, no batteries to replace, no periodic check-ups, has low energy consumption, high energy yield, is inflation-proof, non-fattening, has no monthly payments, no insurance requirements, is theft-proof, non-taxable, non-polluting, and is, of course, fully refundable."

~~~~~A Time to Think~~~~~Wow! With all that going for it, we should all be hugging a lot more! It has been proven by medical science that a hug or a touch has incredible healing power. We were made to hug and to embrace. We not only need it physiologically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. There is a magic in hugging that helps melt away some of the worries and stress of life. It's almost an electrical charge that passes from one to the other, strengthening us and healing us in a way only a hug can do. Hugs help us reconnect with others. When we hug we feel like we are in a safe and loving place. Hugging doesn't take much time, but the benefits can be huge. I once heard at a parenting conference that as parents we need to hug our children much more. The speaker also said to never be the first one to let go of the embrace. Keep hugging until they initiate the end of the hug. That alone sends a powerful message to the child. With so much offered from a simple little hug, what are you waiting for?  Go give someone a big hug! 

~~~~~A Time to Act~~~~~Make sure the ones you love are getting their minimum daily requirement of hugs. If not, then you be the one to fill the quota! When ever you feel the slightest inclination to give someone a hug, don't resist the urge....do it!  Only good things can come from hugs! If you aren't a "huggy" kind of person, then re-read all the benefits of hugging above and try to overcome whatever is keeping you from becoming more of a hugger! Remember, YOU are the one that will benefit the most!  Get hugging!  And don't forget, you can always hug yourself if you need to!

~~~~~A Time to Pray~~~~~Pray that you will be able to help others through your hugs today!

Make it great!!! ..........and hug the one's you love!

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A Daily Beacon of Light and Hope... 

  May this shining beam of light and hope help brighten those stormy days of life...

  We should be careful to get out of an experience all the wisdom that is  in it -- and stop there -- not like the cat that sits on a hot stove lid. She will never sit down on a hot lid again -- and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore.

                                                                ~Mark Twain

The story is told of a ship in distress during a severe storm off the coast of Holland:

“A rowboat went out to rescue the crew of the fishing boat. The waves were enormous, and each of the men at the oars had to give all his strength and energy to reach the unfortunate sailors in the grim darkness of the night and the heavy rainstorm. The trip to the wrecked ship was successful, but the rowboat was too small to take the whole crew in one rescue operation. One man had to stay behind on board because there simply was no room for him; the risk that the rescue boat would capsize was too great. When the rescuers made it back to the beach, hundreds of people were waiting for them with torches to guide them in the dreary night. But the same crew could not make the second trip because they were exhausted from their fight with the stormwinds, the waves, and the sweeping rains. So the local captain of the coast guard asked for volunteers to make a second trip. Among those who stepped forward without hesitation was a nineteen-year-old youth by the name of Hans. With his mother he had come to the beach in his oilskin clothes to watch the rescue operation. When Hans stepped forward his mother panicked and said, ‘Hans, please don’t go. Your father died at sea when you were four years old and your older brother Pete has been reported missing at sea for more than three months now. You are the only son left to me!’ But Hans said, ‘Mom, I feel I have to do it. It is my duty.’ And the mother wept and restlessly started pacing the beach when Hans boarded the rowing boat, took the oars, and disappeared into the night. After a struggle with the high-going seas that lasted for more than an hour (and to Hans’s mother it seemed an eternity), the rowboat came into sight again. When the rescuers had approached the beach close enough so that the captain of the coast guard could reach them by shouting, he cupped his hands around his mouth and called vigorously against the storm, ‘Did you save him?’ And then the people lighting the sea with their torches saw Hans rise from his rowing bench, and he shouted with all his might, ‘Yes! And tell Mother it is my brother Pete!’ ”

~~~~~A Time to Think~~~~~Our lives have no shortage of times when we need to be fearful and cautious and that is good, but we shouldn't allow ourselves to be controlled by our fears. If we do then we will be like the cat that took her lesson to the extreme and will no longer even sit on a cold stove. When we respond in that way, we may be missing many great opportunities because of our fear.

~~~~~A Time to Act~~~~~Take courage in your fears and allow them to help you grow. Don't spend your life wishing you had done something but didn't because you were too afraid. Remember the verse, "For of all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these: "It might have been!"

   

~~~~~A Time to Pray~~~~~Pray for the courage and strength to face your fears and for the wisdom to know when to be cautious and when to be courageous.

Make it SPOOKTACULAR!!                                                                                    

 ~Jodi  

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 A Daily Beacon of Light and Hope... 

  May this shining beam of light and hope help brighten those stormy days of life...

Perfection is not a prerequisite for joy.

  

~~~~~A Time to Think~~~~~There seems to be a false expectation that we cannot be happy until everything in our life is in order and everything is working perfectly...our 2.8 children (or more accurately ~ 6.4 and 1/2 ) are successful with a 3.8 GPA, the house is paid off, we are the perfect weight, we are finally organized, our IRA is fully funded, and we can afford to sit and sip a nice cold beverage on a warm and sunny beach somewhere. It's no wonder we stress and sit with frustration and disillusionment instead, rather than with a little umbrella in our glass. When we trap ourselves in the "I'll be happy when syndrome", then we set ourselves up for failure because happiness will always remain elusive. Contrary to what we are often told, the journey of life is not about getting 'there'. The real surprise is that there is no 'there' there. NOW is all we really have.  It is almost a relief to discover that happiness is not only limited to when life is going "perfectly", but it can exist simultaneously with disappointment, change, frustration, and even sadness. 

~~~~~A Time to Act~~~~~Try changing your viewpoint and expand the way you look at life. Start to focus on the NOW instead of WHEN. Open your mind and allow yourself to discover that joy can exist even in those less than perfect times (which is where we spend most of our life anyway!) Be happy NOW regardless of your circumstances.  

~~~~~A Time to Pray~~~~~Ask to have your mind opened so you can experience happiness NOW, even while in the midst of whatever trials you are experiencing.

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 A Daily Beacon of Light and Hope... 

  May this shining beam of light and hope help brighten those stormy days of life...

SUNFLOWER

A man was out weeding in his garden when he noticed a plant growing that he knew he hadn't planted. He wasn't sure what kind it was but decided to let it grow to find out. Weeks passed and as he made his way back to the mystery plant, it appeared to be a Sunflower. It was spindly looking with a tall skinny stalk and only one head on it. He decided to baby it along and weed around it. As he pulled rocks from the area to get to the weeds, he noticed something unusual. The Sunflower had not started where he saw the stalk begin. It actually had begun under a big rock and grown under and around it to reach the sun. 

~~~~~A Time to Think~~~~~Sunflowers are amazing plants. They are such cheerful flowers and look as if they are almost smiling. They seek the sun and will do what it takes to find it. I love the spiritual undertones of their growth habits. Sunflowers have a curious tendency to thrive in areas that seem unfit for human habitation: desolate neighborhoods, harsh climates, industrial wastelands. Rather than letting the apparent barrenness of their surroundings discourage them or interfere with their natural expression of growth and beauty, these dazzling wildflowers focus all their attention on the sun, with their heads following it through the day and waiting patiently through the night for it to return. Even when storms ruthlessly knock them over and cause them to stoop low, they continue to bloom - undaunted - constantly turning toward the light, constantly expressing life and beauty to areas that desperately need it. There is a lot we can learn from the sunflower….

~~~~~A Time to Act~~~~~A Sunflower won't let a big rock stand in it's way of developing or allow it's environment to determine what it will become. You also have that same capability. Believe in yourself like the Sunflower and blossom into all that you are meant to be regardless of the obstacles that are trying to discourage and prevent you from achieving your desires. Find a way, no matter how difficult to "bloom where you are planted".
~~~~~A Time to Pray~~~~~Pray for the strength and determination of a Sunflower. Then start "blooming"!

 

"Turn your face to the sun and the shadows follow behind you." ~ Maori Proverb

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 A Daily Beacon of Light and Hope... 

  May this shining beam of light and hope help brighten those stormy days of life...

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In 1968 a marathon runner by the name of John Stephen Akhwari represented Tanzania in an international competition. "A little over an hour after the winner had crossed the finish line, John Stephen Akhwari . . . approached the stadium, the last man to complete the journey. Though suffering from fatigue, leg cramps, dehydration, and disorientation, a voice called from within to go on, and so he went on. Afterwards, it was written, 'Today we have seen a young African runner who symbolizes the finest in human spirit, a performance that gives meaning to the word courage.' For some, the only reward is a personal one. There are no medals, only the knowledge that they finished what they set out to do." When asked why he would complete a race he could never win, Akhwari replied, "My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race; my country sent me to finish the race."

~~~~~A Time to Think~~~~~This athlete knew that he had come with a purpose. He had to finish the race. He knew he had to endure right up to the finish line so he could return home honorably to his country. Our mission is much the same. We were not just sent here to be born. We were sent here to finish life's race and endure to the end so we can return home with honor. I think it's significant that the word "end" is in the word endure. Enduring doesn't mean to keep going and trying for as long as we want to and then throwing in the towel. It means not giving up and continuing to give it all we can right up to the bitter END of each of our trials. As Robert D. Hales states, "It is not how you start the race or where you are during the race—it is how you cross the finish line that is going to matter."

~~~~~A Time to Act~~~~~When you feel like giving up, remind yourself that there will eventually be an end to each of your trials. The end may not come as quick as you would choose, but it will come. Some will linger for a lifetime, while others will just be brief visitors. Make the choice today that you will not give up, but go forth with the courage and ENDure to the END!

~~~~~A Time to Pray~~~~~Take the time each day to ask for the power and strength to be able to endure what you are asked to bear. You will be strengthened, but you first have to ask! And remember as Josh (Groban) sings..."don't give up, you are loved!" 

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 A Daily Beacon of Light and Hope... 

  May this shining beam of light and hope help brighten those stormy days of life...

  The more you avoid change, the more you hinder the process of growth in your life.

Rule #0: Change is Inevitable!

The Requirements/Plans ARE going to change!

Rule #1: Resistance is Futile!

There isn't a darn thing you can do to prevent Rule #0.

Rule #2: Change is like Quicksand -- Fighting it only makes it worse!

The more you try to deny and defy rule #1 by attempting to prevent rule #0, the worse things will get.

Rule #3: Change is like Quicksilver -- Tightening your grip makes it slip from your grasp!

The more you try to deny and defy rule #2 by attempting to precisely predict, or rigidly control change, the more erratic and onerous the result will be.

Rule #4: Embrace change to control change.

The more flexible and adaptive you are at accommodating change, the more control you will have over your outcomes.

  

~~~~~A Time to Think~~~~~The above rules were written for a software company to prevent their programmers from getting discouraged. Interestingly enough, the very same rules can apply to our everyday life. Our world is full of change, yet so often we try and resist it hoping it will go away.  Most of us like to be in our own safe little comfort zone and that is not a place we like to see changed in any way. But there is nothing we can do to prevent change. It is inevitable and it will happen regardless of how hard we try and stop it. Once we come to terms with accepting the fact that resisting change is only an act of futility, are we able to stop fighting it and begin to adapt to it.  Often we can't see the great benefits of change until later.  There is great growth that can come no other way.  Change may be inevitable, but so is the growth that results because of it.

~~~~~A Time to Act~~~~~When changes come into your life that are less than welcome, try and readjust your thinking and release the urge to resist them. Realize that no matter how hard you fight against change, it will still happen.  Transfer that energy instead to becoming more flexible and better at adapting to the changes that are going to come...no matter what!

~~~~~A Time to Pray~~~~~Ask for help in accepting the changes that are going to be a part of your life and for the ability to see the growth that will come as a result.

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 A Daily Beacon of Light and Hope... 

  May this shining beam of light and hope help brighten those stormy days of life...

 

"Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.”  

– Yoda

~~~~~A Time to Think~~~~~Quite profound wisdom for a little green alien! These are great words to live by when it comes to ANY goal.  In this little snippet, Yoda basically tells us the secret to achieving anything great in life.  You will not accomplish your goals if you are just "trying" to accomplish them.  If you want success, you have to have the attitude that you are going to "do" it!  You will not lose 20 pounds if you are just "trying" to lose 20 pounds.  Non-winners (okay, so I hate the word "loser") are people who "TRY" to do something...winners "DO" whatever it takes. Non-winners will say that I will try to eat healthier...a winner just eats healthier. To accomplish your goal (no matter what it is) you have to think like a winner and just "DO" whatever it takes to begin achieving it. A non-winner is only one decision away from becoming a winner. Sometimes you may have to "fake it till you make it". You may have to act like a winner even when you aren't seeing progress. You may have to act like a winner even when you are feeling a bit like a loser (okay, non-winner just didn't have the emphasis needed!). You will reach your goal eventually. There is no try!

~~~~~A Time to Act~~~~~Whatever goal you are trying...(oops! Nix that word forever!)...GOING to achieve, begin today with the full intention and a belief that you will. There is something almost magical that happens when you believe 100% that something is possible and that you will achieve it. It almost becomes easy after a while. Obstacles seem to move out of your way when your belief is strong enough. There is great power in a strong faith. DO, even it it is just one small step in the direction of your goal. Even one small step is more than just trying. DO, in spite of your hesitations and doubts. Remember, there is no trying!

~~~~~A Time to Pray~~~~~Pray for the faith you need to believe that you can accomplish what you desire most. Then DO it!

And just one more thing...

May the force be with you!!!  lol!

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 A Daily Beacon of Light and Hope... 

  May this shining beam of light and hope help brighten those stormy days of life...

Both abundance and lack exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend... when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present -- love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature and personal pursuits that bring us pleasure -- the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience Heaven on earth.
...Sarah Ban Breathnach

~~~~~A Time to Think~~~~~If I told you there is a drug that could instantly make you happier, less stressed, feel more positive, give you a sense of well being, cost nothing, has no harmful side-effects, needs no prescription, and is available to anyone, would you be interested in it? That may sound like an infomercial, but there really is something that can do all that.  What is this amazing remedy?  It is simply the act of GRATITUDE. Can something as simple as just feeling grateful really do all that and have such an impact on how you feel? The answer is a resounding YES!  Feeling grateful for what you've been blessed with is like taking an emotional aspirin on emotionally painful days.  There is growing evidence that proves feelings of gratitude improve the quality of our lives. One study showed that people who wrote up to five things each day of what they were grateful for reported less physical illness, less depression, exercised more regularly, felt better about their life as a whole, and were more optimistic overall.  Now that's a drug that people would pay a lot of money for. Yet it is free with no harmful side-effects! So what are you waiting for!  Get GRATEFUL! 

~~~~~A Time to Act~~~~~

RX for:  A wonderful life

Patient:  You

Directions:  Take one tablet (notebook) as needed.  Each night before bedtime record five things for which you are grateful for emotional well being.  Then, for a minute or two, reflect on each item you recorded and thank God for the many blessings you have been given.

Refill:  PRN - lifetime

~~~~~A Time to Pray~~~~~Ask your Father in Heaven to help you see the many amazing blessings He blesses you with each day.  Then thank Him for your great abundance of blessings.  Remember this thought: "If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you", that would suffice.  ~Meister Eckhart

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 A Daily Beacon of Light and Hope... 

  May this shining beam of light and hope help brighten those stormy days of life...

  

When we are no longer able to change a situation,
we are challenged to change ourselves.~ Viktor Frankl - from Man's Search For Meaning ~

~~~~~A Time to Think~~~~~The story of Viktor Frankl's struggle to hold onto hope during the three years he was a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps has always been an inspiration to me. Although I have to admit the first time I read his book, Man's Search For Meaning, I was seriously doubtful that it was possible for anyone to go through what he did and still come out with his dignity and spirit intact. But after more life experience behind me, I have come to believe that not only was it possible but highly probable IF one has the remarkable attitude that he did. Though he suffered beyond what any human should ever have to, he managed to use the power of his thoughts to rise above the inhumane treatment he received. To quote from his book: "We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms--to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."  Once again it comes down to the power we each have to choose our attitude no matter what obstacles we face.

~~~~~A Time to Act~~~~~When faced with hard circumstances in your life, don't waste your energy trying to fight against them. Instead put your focus on changing how you think about them.  I challenge you to take the time to be inspired by Frankl's story by reading or re-reading  Man's Search For Meaning, even if you can only do it small bitefuls at a time. Or better yet, get it on tape and listen to it while driving or working around the house. Share what insights you gain from it with someone who could benefit from the meaningful lessons. Or at the very least, share it with your journal. You will be glad you did.

~~~~~A Time to Pray~~~~~Pray for the gift of being able to rise above your obstacles by making a conscious choice to respond to them in a positive way. Ask for the strength to be able to smile even during the darkest and stormiest days.

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 A Daily Beacon of Light and Hope... 

  May this shining beam of light and hope help brighten those stormy days of life...

The Beacon 

  As I rounded a bend in the road I saw the beacon, standing tall on a promontory. Its foundations were deeply anchored in the rock on which it stood. It stretched to the sky, unmoved by storms and gales, tides and time, faithfully sending out its light. All the churning, crashing waters couldn't bring it down. Even the worst storms, with their torrents of rain and hail and snow, couldn't extinguish the light.  But what about me? Am I the beacon God wants me to be?  We should all be beacons, especially as we see the night approach and storms gather on the horizon.  

By Colin C. Bell 
"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

~~~~~A Time to Think~~~~~  Lighthouses are impressive structures. Tall, strong, invincible towers that rise in majesty in the very spots where danger lurks. Just the image of the lighthouse has always drawn me in, but I don't think it's the impressive symbol of strength that I am drawn to.  No, for me it's the beacon.  That beaming light that signals safety and refuge from the treacherous storms and offers a haven of peace for those who have lost their way. It's bright light beams no matter what, whether a raging storm is threatening or the weather is peaceful and calm. It shines every day, even when no one needs it or sees it. It shines because one day someone will need it; one day it will save a life. Are we like the lighthouse?  Are we that refuge from the storms of life to those around us?  Can we be counted on to be that safe haven no matter what the climate of life? Will our light still beam even in the midst of the most severe storms? 

~~~~~A Time to Act~~~~~Everyone needs a lighthouse in their lives.  We each need to feel safe and have someone to turn to, to help us not crash on the rocks. We need a light to point the way. We need reassurance when we feel alone and vulnerable.  Be that beacon for someone else. Offer them that beam of safety and comfort. Show them the way when the storms of life and darkness seep in.

~~~~~A Time to Pray~~~~~Pray to know who specifically needs your light today and then beam as brightly as you possibly can, no matter what the weather!

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 A Daily Beacon of Light and Hope... 

  May this shining beam of light and hope help brighten those stormy days of life...

  

You don't get to choose how you're going to die.  Or when.  You can only decide how you're  going to live.  Now.  ~Joan Baez  

The moment when you first wake up in the morning is the most wonderful of the twenty-four hours.  No matter how weary or dreary you may feel, you possess the certainty that, during the day that lies before you, absolutely anything may happen.  And the fact that it practically always doesn't, matters not a jot.  The possibility is always there.  ~Monica Baldwin

~~~~~A Time to Think~~~~~Last month a dear friend of mine lost her husband suddenly in a car accident.  It was of course unexpected and a shock to everyone.  I had just been with her a couple of weeks earlier at a meeting where she was in the midst of helping us plan for some big events.  I look back at that day and think to myself how she had no idea that her life was going to change so dramatically in just a few short weeks. It was another reminder that you just never know when a loved one is no longer going to be with you. Yet, how often do we take our loved ones for granted expecting that they will be with us forever?  As we all know, life does not work that way and sometimes we get a wake up call that shocks us and makes us stand back and realize how short life truly is. Not one of us, or one of our loved ones, is guaranteed tomorrow. So take full advantage of today and live it to it's fullest...with NO regrets.

~~~~~A Time to Act~~~~~This not only applies to cherishing our loved ones, but life in general as well.  Too many of us hold ourselves back, thinking "I will do that someday", yet someday is right now and we still aren't "doing"it. Think of a few of the things you have always wanted to do or try. If they are "legal", then what is holding you back? Are those things going to show up on your list of regrets one day when you are no longer able to do them? Take advantage of TODAY!  Do what you always thought you would get around to tomorrow TODAY!  I'm not talking here about catching up on the laundry or getting those weeds pulled. There will always be time for that. I'm talking about those dreams that have been embedded in your soul that you are meant to be doing. We all have them. Take a minute right now and think about at least one thing you have always said you would do "someday" and begin a plan to do it NOW!  Are there places you have always wanted to take your family?  Then get the trip plan in action NOW!  Is there a talent you have always wanted to develop?  Then sign up for lessons NOW!  Is there someone you have always wanted to share how much they mean to you but just never "got around to it"?  Then do it NOW!  Write them a letter or give them a call.  At the very least send them an email. Remember, if you don't do it NOW, you may never get the opportunity to do it... ever. Don't put it off another day. Do at least one thing right now ~ THIS VERY MOMENT~ to get moving forward on it. 

~~~~~A Time to Pray~~~~~Ask Heavenly Father to help you appreciate each moment and help you not take for granted the time (or people) you have been blessed with. Ask for help on moving forward with those things you have been putting off.  Ask for doors to open so those things can be possible ...NOW!

 The follies which a man regrets most in his life are those which he didn't commit when he had the opportunity.  ~Helen Rowland   

That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet.                    

 ~Emily Dickinson   

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 A Daily Beacon of Light and Hope... 

  May this shining beam of light and hope help brighten those stormy days of life...

Do you have anything to be thankful for? In his classic novel ROBINSIN CRUSOE, author Daniel Defoe has shipwrecked Crusoe take inventory of his life. He makes two lists. One is a list of his problems. The other is an inventory of that for which he can give thanks.

A problem he writes is that he has no clothing. On his corresponding list he writes that the weather is warm and he really has little need for clothing. Another problem is that all of his provisions were lost at sea. But on the other list he writes that he has fresh fruit and water and can provide for himself. And so it goes. He lists his problems and likewise lists all that he has going for him. He is surprised at the size of the list of his assets.

~~~~~A Time to Think~~~~~Have you ever thought about taking inventory of your blessings?  How long would that list be if you included everything for which you can give thanks?  For family, friends, faith, health, and the necessities of life? It's always easy to focus on what we don't have... but when we look at all we DO have, we see life in a much more positive way. Do you know that some one million people will die this week?  Many of those from Aids and other diseases that are not an epidemic in our country, but are in many others. How is your health?  If you have food, water, clothing, and shelter, you are among the richest in our world's population. Do you have these necessities? Do you have the freedom to worship how you choose?  Do you have even one friend that will stand by you no matter what?  Do you have a loving and caring family?  These are among our greatest blessings, yet the very things we tend to take most for granted. Sometimes it takes realizing what others don't have in order for us to see all that we do.  

 ~~~~~A Time to Act~~~~~You have 1,140 minutes today.  I challenge you to spend just 15 of those minutes today (and everyday) giving thanks. Fill your mind or gratitude journal (you should have one by now!!!) with concrete examples of how fortunate you really are. Make a long list of your greatest blessings. I promise you this one little action will be life changing!

~~~~~A Time to Pray~~~~~Ask Heavenly Father to help you see the good even in life's problems...everyday.  Express your gratitude to Him for all He has blessed you with.  

No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.
~ St. Ambrose

Five thousand breathless dawns all new;
One million flowers fresh in dew.
Five thousand sunsets wrapped in gold;
One million snowflakes served ice cold.
Five quiet friends, one baby's love;
One white sea of clouds above.
One June night in a fragrant wood;
One heart that loved and understood.
I wondered when I waked that day --
In God's name -- how could I ever pay?

~Courtland Sayers

Make it "great"-ful!!! 

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 A Daily Beacon of Light and Hope... 

  May this shining beam of light and hope help brighten those stormy days of life...

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year;

to the honest man it comes as frequently

as the heart of gratitude will allow. 

~Edward Sandford Martin

~~~~~A Time to Think~~~~~I once heard someone say that Thanksgiving was the most important holiday of the year. At the time I remember thinking, "Thanksgiving??? Hardly!"  I internally sneered at the idea knowing full well that Halloween was number one!  (And you thought I was going to say Christmas!)  Those of you who know me well, know that I am a Halloween fanatic and that Christmas tends to stress me out.  Okay, I know that the meaning of Christmas is much more important than Halloween, so I digress.  But even comparing the importance of Thanksgiving with Christmas seems a bit extreme.  I mean what could be more important than Christmas?  Well... how about a feeling of gratitude?  If you think about it, the whole meaning of Christmas would be null and void if we didn't feel a deep gratitude for the birth of the Savior and His sacrifice for each of us.  Maybe that person wasn't so far off when he said Thanksgiving is the most important holiday. At least it can be more meaningful if we take advantage of truly counting our blessings and extend it beyond just one day.  I get a little perturbed when the day after Halloween the radio stations start playing Christmas music round the clock. Call me crazy, but it seems we need something between children begging for candy and asking the big fat guy with all those reindeer for toys.  It would be great if every day, the spirit of Thanksgiving was kept alive. Instead of looking at what we don't have, we can look at what we do have and express our gratitude for it.

~~~~~A Time to Act~~~~~Take the time EACH DAY to write down five things you are grateful for (hmm...have you heard this before?) Try and come up with five different things each day.  That may sound impossible at first, but I can promise you that you will never run out of new things to be grateful for.  My list for today includes:

*Seeing so many animals (and I am NOT referring to the construction workers!) on my run this morning.

*The warm sun bursting through the clouds in sync with the music I was listening to on my run ....hard to explain but the timing was perfect!

*Seeing my 10 year old son McKay's excitement for Thanksgiving as he said:  "I can almost taste the turkey!  With mashed potatoes....mmm....it will be so good.  It tastes just like heaven. I shouldn't be saying that since I don't know what heaven tastes like."

*Hearing the boys laughter and giggles from the other room.  That's what heaven feels like.

*Helping as a room mother in McKay's class today and getting to be around those cute kids.

*Leftover's from Costa Vida for my lunch! 

*The smell of chocolate chip cookies baking....mmm....

Oops! That's more than five...but I could go on and on.  It's really not hard.  Start today if you haven't already!

~~~~~A Time to Pray~~~~~Don't only thank your Father in Heaven for all the things you do have, but also for all the things you don't have to deal with in your life.

If you look at what you have in life, you'll always have more. 

If you look at what you don't have in life,

 you'll never have enough.

Oprah Winfrey

 Make it "grate"-ful!!! 

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