Pause Where You Are

Daily Gifts, Febraury

Take time to see and experience the gifts of each day.  

Appreciate what you have, and those in your life.  

30 Days of Thanks Prompts

If you need some prompts for your 30 Days of Thanks, here are a few lists to get your gratitude flowing.

30 Days of Thanks

For the month of November, I am going to do 30 days of thanks. 

Please join me. 

You can write it, draw it, take photos of it, combine them. 

The biggest point is, take 30 days and be aware of what you are grateful for each day.

Enjoy The Little Things

The leaves are changing, enjoy the beauty.  Watch a sunset.  Take some time to enjoy the little blessings in life.  

The Acid of Over-Activity

The acid of over-activity eats holes in our souls. From those holes leaks the cry of the calling that never quite happened. 

We said yes to so much that we missed what I call our Best Yes assignments — simply because we didn’t heed the warning of the whispers within us begging to reassess and breathe. ~Lysa TerKeurst

August Joy Dare

Take some time each day and take the August Joy Dare. 

Find the beauty in each day!

July Joy Dare

Take time to find the gifts of each day, and be thankful.  

Golden List

Take time every day to make your GOLDEN LIST.  Gratitude changes your heart. 

The Dance

I don’t want to miss the dance.  I get hung up on so many things in life,  worrying about what I will never do or achieve or have. But I don’t want to miss the dance. I want to love my spouse, care for my kids, and give life to my friends. I want to do the work God made me to do. I want   to love God and the world he made. I want to do my part to help it flourish, for my spiritual maturity is not measured by following rules. “The me God made me to be” is measured by my capacity to love. When we live in love, we flourish. That is the dance.

– John Ortberg, The Me I want to Be

How many times do we miss the dance? 

How many times do we turn away, quit trying, because we’re tired,  lonely, or forgot why we                         even cared in the first place? 

The world can be a difficult place to live at times. We need each other.

God wants us to love each other, serve each other.  He is asking us to dance without fear, so take                     the first step and enjoy the dance.

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.  

May Joy Dare

Remember to take time to find the gifts of every day.  Each day we are given is a gift, so don't waste it.  

Experiences Not Stuff

Fill your life with experiences, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.

Weekend Challenge

Weekend challenge: Enjoy something of nature this weekend....a walk outside; listen to the birds sing; go sit by a lake, river, stream, or ocean and just be quiet; take in a sunrise and/or sunset; go geocaching; take a bike ride.

While taking in nature, leave your phone and electronic devices alone! Turn them off, don't take them with you. Experience REAL LIFE, not virtual life. 

If you take the challenge, share here what you did.

Screen Time

Would your marriage relationship improve if you and your spouse unplugged from your devices more often?

Great article, please follow the link to read it. Even if you aren't married, it applies to all relationships:  
http://tolovehonorandvacuum.com/2014/03/screen-time-robbing-marriage

Dealing With Depression or Anxiety?

Feeling down or depressed? Need to overcome your depression, sadness, overwhelming anxiety?  A few simple steps are guaranteed to ease those feelings.  

Unplug. 

Take a break from Facebook, Twitter, the news, social interactions and discussions, people who cause much unneeded drama in your life.  Instead, take time to focus on good things in life, the things that bring you joy.  Go outside.  Read a book.  Go for a walk.  Have a true face to face conversation.  Enjoy a hands on hobby.  Go for a drive and enjoy the beauty of nature.  It will change your mood and your outlook on life.  

Look Forward

Is winter getting you down, 

as it does many this time of year? 

Is your heart needing something to look forward to today? 

Plan a garden, a Summer vacation, plan a family time that will be filled with memories. 

You can plan an inexpensive family fun time  if you use resources and your imagination. 

Take some time today to look forward to Summer and plan something that will bring your heart joy.

Do You Need To Reboot Your Life?

Challenge yourself to learn or try something new or different each month.

Grab a book you would never normally read. 

Go somewhere new. 

Sign up for a class. 

Try a new hobby. 

Taste a new food.

Get out of your comfort zone and live your life.

Trying 12 new things a year challenges you in new and fun ways. 

It is not difficult to do and the commitment will make you feel more accomplished.

Change Your View

Perspective affects our lives.  

Do you tend to complain and be angry, or do you try to speak words that are uplifting and helpful?  Are your words negative, or words of praise and thankfulness?  This world is filled with sadness, ugliness, and hurt, but it's also filled with joy, beauty, and healing.  Which do you focus on?  Which do you you speak?  

What is your perspective?  

Where we place our trust greatly affects our perspective.  Is your trust placed in yourself, the powers of this world, in others, or in God?  God makes a difference.  He is in control.  He will change your perspective if you truly place your trust in Him.  

Do you need to change your perspective today?  What will you do to change your view?  What steps can you take to see the dandelions as wishes instead of weeds?