It's A Choice

Each day we have choices to make about how we will handle the day and what  we do with our time.

What will you choose?

Learn To Laugh

Learn to laugh at yourself and at the world. Instead of getting bogged down in the mud of worry and fear, laugh and be happy because I am by your side. Just as parents delight in the laughter of their children, so I delight in hearing you laugh. I feel happy when you trust Me enough to enjoy your life." -Jesus Calling for Kids by Sarah Young

Do Something Wonderful

Change comes when we are different than the world.  

Be kind.  

Be generous.  

Be loving.  

Give.  

Serve.  

Laugh.  

Have hope.  

Let your life be one that will make a positive difference in the world.  

Advice From A Friend

The following is advice from a friend of ours, only in his early 40's, who is in a battle with ALS:


"Don't spend your day tied up with electronics. Go out and see the beauty of nature! Unplug and enjoy the moments."



"Your family deserves the best you, you can be."

"Never miss a chance to laugh or say I'm sorry.  Never hold back your tears, they are cleansing. Never ever miss a chance to say I love you."

"Life is full of choices. For instance: my prognosis is death but I see it as an ETA. It's all in how you view it. You have to make a choice!"



Live each moment of your life, don't waste it on electronics.  Love deeply.  Laugh.  Forgive.  Apologize.  Don't take one moment of life, family, faith for granted.  

Live Every Moment

Live every moment. 

Enjoy life. 

Forgive. 

Be kind. 

Build memories. 

Laugh. 

Hug. 

Give. 

Be known for the beauty that comes from within, because your character is what is truly important. 

Share life with others. 

Try something new. 

Live without regrets because life is very short, and it is a sweet, precious gift.

Christmas Challenge

Christmas weekend is upon us.  I would like to issue a challenge for all of us from now through Christmas night: disengage from social media, engage in real relationships.  Disengage from staring at a screen, engage in staring at loved ones faces, because you don't know when this will be the last Christmas you are together.  A friend of mine buried both of her parents in the past six months.  I know she doesn't wish she had a few more moments this past year that she could have spent on Facebook or Pinterest.  No, she wishes for a few more precious moments with her parents, to hug them, and tell them she loves them.  She did plenty of it while they were alive, but as she said "can we ever really tell those we treasure in our lives that we love them enough?  Can we ever really spend too much time with those who are precious to us?" REAL relationships matter.  

Disengage from playing online, virtual games and engage in real relationships by playing a card or board game. Laugh together, have meaningful conversations, give hugs, go for a walk, enjoy life.  Be thankful. See the beauty that surrounds you in creation, in people.  

REAL people, REAL relationships are what matter.  Take the next few days to deeply invest in real relationships, face to face.  

Merry Christmas!

Don't Waste A Moment

Don't waste your life. 

Spend time with those you love, and love them deeply.

Life can change very quickly, so take time to truly love those in your life.

30 Days of Thanks

Today I am thankful for laughter. Just shared a lot of 'from the toe' giggles with my nieces. Laughter is great for the body, mind, & soul, and it's completely free, no long shopping lines required to enjoy that gift!

Gifts In Words

What are some gifts in words spoken to you this week? What has encouraged you, lifted you up when you were down, or helped to make you laugh? Have you had a compliment that made your day, or a kind word spoken just when you needed it? Be thankful for that today. Share a laugh, kind words, or encouragement with someone else today to help make their day better.

I met a friend for lunch a couple days ago, and we shared a fantastic laugh.  It felt so good, and we both needed it.  

I have been encouraged, as well, in some of my endeavors.  

I have tried to encourage those I have been in contact with this week, have done my best to share a laugh or a smile, and have tried to be kind to those I have come in contact with along life's path.  It does makes a difference! 

Gifts of Today

Gift Challenge

Today find 3 Gifts of Change

3 Gifts

For October 3rd, I am doing a gifts challenge again. 

Find 3 things in your day, or that are present in your life. 

3 gifts of hope

True hope for me lies in the fact that God is in control, and because of trust in Jesus, I have hope that lasts for ever. 

I hope for health and healing for my loved ones facing life altering diseases. 

Sunsets fill me with hope and peace.

Don't Take Life For Granted

September Challenge, See the Gifts, Day 12

Today's gift challenge should be a little easier.  Just look around and find your 

3 Gifts of Today

Mine are a harvest of tomatoes early this morning, to put in the freezer for soups and sauces this winter;  spending a couple days off with my husband; and beautiful, warm sunshine. I am enjoying every drop of it we can squeeze out before the cold months creep in.  

September Challenge, See the Gifts of Each Day, Day 2

September 2nd Joy Dare - 3 gifts cut 

Look around you for the gifts of three gifts cut. Share here if you like, keep a journal of the gifts, or put it on your joy board.

My 3 gifts for today would be cut flowers out of my garden to make a beautiful bouquet, paper flowers cut out by my nieces that are overflowing out of a pretty blue vase, and handmade cards cut and assembled by caring hands.  

September Challenge, See the Gifts of Each Day

Ann Voskamp does a monthly Joy Dare. I am going to post the daily dares here, so please share your 3 gifts of each day. I have found when others share, it gets the minds and hearts of those reading to look around and see the gifts they are blessed with each day.  I will also have these posted daily to my Facebook and Twitter accounts, so just follow the links to those pages if you would like to share the gifts of each day over there.  

September 1st Joy Dare Challenge - 3 Gifts of Summer.  For me, it's hard to narrow it down, as I LOVE Summer.  If I had to narrow it down today, I would say the warmth of the sun, homegrown tomatoes, and being surrounded by green grass and trees.  

What are you three gifts of Summer?  

Creating A Joy Board

A JOY board placed somewhere central in your home helps you to focus on things you love, appreciate, & are grateful for in your life. It can boost your mood, bring warm memories, and turn an attitude around.

If you decide to make a joy board this weekend, please share. I would love to know what you put on it, what you made it out of, and if it helps to lift your mood when you see it.

What would you fill your joy board with...photos, song lyrics, scripture, quotes, hand written notes, handmade gifts, dried flowers, ticket stubs?  

Life

Weekend Challenge

My challenge to you this weekend: 

Unplug. 

Turn the phone, iPads, tablets, computers off. 

Plug into real relationships, fact to face, real conversations. 

Go for a walk, a bike ride, sit by the water, and while doing those things, listen to the sounds of nature. 

Enjoy Summer, enjoy people, enjoy creation.

If Today Were Your Last...

In light of all that has gone on this week, plus things on a personal level, the words in this poem express much of what I have been thinking the past few days.  Hug, love, forgive, laugh and live fully in each day with those you love.  

If I Knew

If I knew it would be the last time
That I’d see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time
that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time
I’d hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say “I love you,”
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.

If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
Well I’m sure you’ll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there’s always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance
to make everything just right.

There will always be another day
to say “I love you,”
And certainly there’s another chance
to say our “Anything I can do?”

But just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I’d like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you’re waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you’ll surely regret the day,

That you didn’t take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
and you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you’ll always hold them dear

Take time to say “I’m sorry,”
“Please forgive me,” “Thank you,” or “It’s okay.”
And if tomorrow never comes,
you’ll have no regrets about today..  

– George Michael Grossman

What would you do differently if you knew it would be the last time you saw or spoke to your loved ones?  Don't wait, do it today!

Want To Improve Your Week?

Start your week off with some laughter!

Laughter helps to relieve stress and anxiety, so enjoy a good laugh today, and every day.